This past Wednesday (October 19th), the Knox County Commission group photo got replaced on the county’s website. The picture taken on Monday (October 17th), could not be taken on September 1st, when the new Commission first met and organized because Commissioner Dailey was not wearing a suit coat.

On Monday during the work session the Knox County Commission heard from Commissioner Jay about an idea of a Junior Commissioner program. It is being billed as a High School Civics program.

Taking a high school student and having them ”shadow” a Commissioner for a couple months. Jay said after talking to school teachers, it seemed that the first months of a calendar year was best. It seems to me, as a former School Board Member, that is the time that the students are preparing for the state tests.

But hey it does seem that history repeating itself. Back in seventies and eighties Farragut High School Social Studies teacher Linda Bonds had a Knox County Summer Intern program. Over 200 students from all over the county participated, it was for a week or two over the Summer, it concluded with a banquet and one of the community organizations awarding scholarships. It involved all county departments but the experience was invaluable. I recall that our Register of Deeds Nick McBride participated in the program waaaay back in his youth.

So, it seems that history does repeat itself.