What happens when you are a legend retiring after 39 years of service?
First, you may have two mayors and a state senator in attendance.
You have a huge event with local dignitaries, friends, relatives, former students, and colleagues. You may have 800 children singing you a song and your childhood pictures projected on a 30 foot screen. Your faculty will dress as if for a luau, with festive flair.
Even more!
Continue here to see the wonderful retirement ‘send off’ for Sevierville Primary School’s Principal, Harriet Berrier.
This first part, Part 1, shows some highlights from the 1:15 celebration today.
First, a proclamation from Perrin Anderson, representing County Mayor, Larry Waters.
Next, Dee Dee Trentham tells some nice things about Harriet and her career as an educator. Plus, that she likes Vols basketball.
Next, she received a nice shirt that expresses what all of us are wishing for ourselves! (Maybe in a few more years for me.) 
We enjoyed the photos! Here are some more from the 2015-2016 yearbook. (Thank you, Glenda Parrish! Well done.) 
Harriet ‘facts to know’:
She was born in Clarksville, Tennessee. Later, she went to Kindergarten in Sevierville at Mrs. Rambo’s Pre-School. Harriet attended grades 1-8 at Pigeon Forge Primary School and high school at Sevier County High School. She attended U.T. for one year and graduated from Emory and Henry in Emory, Virginia with a B.A. in Education. Later, she earned a Masters and an Ed.S at Lincoln Memorial University.
Jerry Wear was her first principal. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, plus a grade 3/4 split class. Harriet was a classroom teacher for 16 years, mostly with third grade classes. She spent six years as the assistant principal with Andy Roe. Harriet has served as a principal for 17 years. She retires with 39 + years of service.
With this new free time, we will probably see her more on the golf course. (I wonder what is her favorite course?) She will have more time for family, the Vols basketball games, sleeping, Captain Jack, and the BEACH!
Stay tuned for Part 2, the afternoon celebration. I will start on that part after I walk my dog.
She needs to get out and about…
Later, I listened to a presentation by Mark Davidson on “Faith, Family, and Freedom on the Frontier: The Scots-Irish in the Southern Appalachians. He talked about their movement from Pennsylvania, through Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee in the late 1700s.
But what I really wanted to hear was what is regarded as the best gospel choir in Sevier County. Boyds Creek Church of God Choir sang gospel music of the Smokies “in the way that the church’s early African American members sang it,” stated the program. Led by Nichole Donohoo Stinnett, the choir moved everyone with their voices and testimonies. I think that my friend Sheley and I will be visiting their church one Sunday this summer to hear them sing more. Here are some highlights from their program. (Going to try to insert video too. Can be tricky—I’m still learning.)
And our colleague, Chrissy Hopkins!
We saw so many things that I was glad that they gave us a brochure of the tour so I could just concentrate on taking pictures. Of course, there are many interesting things and so many stories. I couldn’t even begin to cover the floods, the fires, the fights, etc. But here are some interesting photos…
Sims Barber Shop was open for business despite the crowds.
In 1856, there was a catastrophic fire downtown. Courthouse records were lost. These are salvaged bars from the jail which was also destroyed.
I loved this Jim Gray painting of the old court house.
I settled on a to-go box from this bbq vendor and took a brisket home for lunch before heading back to the Wilderness Wildlife Week.
Must do this next year for lunch while we are out and about!
I think this topic is kind of frightening and wanted to hear more about his experiences for three decades tracking lost children and adults . An hour wasn’t long enough. He should write a book about this topic.
There was a silent auction with very nicely framed pictures of sports and music icons. Several nice Invicta watches and jewelry items were also up for bid. There was a contest for best bowtie and best ladies hat. Although I was not involved in that, several people commented on my hat which I bought at the Derby Ladies Social here in Sevierville. I proudly told them that I got it at the Sassafras store near the Pottery House Cafe in Pigeon Forge.
If I go back to Memphis some day then this store is a ‘must see’ on the list. Wonder if they make ladies’ suits too?
When I tapped the screen, the sound came on and then I noticed something interesting—flying emoticons! They were everywhere. You will notice them on the bottom of some of the next screen shots. Hyper technology!
Great band! 
She had very good security.
If you want to keep up with Dolly, it looks like her Facebook page is the place to go as evidenced by all the international comments and well wishes. I am just now catching on to that.
The parking lot always seems packed, but is actually not that big when you pull into it to park. This picture was taken from the far end of the lot so you can see that it is not that big after all. No big walk.
Drinks and water for 50 cents by the door.
Mandi told me about the good prices for hummus and it is true.
Very large Fuji apples. Good price!
Very few people were in the pharmacy at 4:15. There appears to be a drive-through window as well. I can see the advantage to using this Walmart pharmacy if you lived on this side of town. Traffic was minimal compared to the other store.
Great price for this container of gum. Almost $4 at other places.
The store is easy to find—beside 20/20 Optical, at 118 Bruce Street.
First, you notice the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and other spices from the baked goods as you enter the store. It was quite intoxicating! Cookies can be wrapped and suitable as gifts.
In fact, looking at this picture and remembering the smell makes me want a pie all the more. Such wonderful fruit pies!
A coffee bar!
Mother’s Day ideas. Buy a platter then receive it full of cookies!
And so many more things!
Out and About in Sevierville 