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Variety
Friday, February 28,1997
White squirrel is treasure of community
Rick Call
Asst. Editor
Brevard, NC, is home to many
immigrants. One such immigrant, the
white squirrel, has captured the hearts
and souls of this small community.
Over the years, there have been
many different stories told as to how and
when they arrived here. Because they are
now considered native members of
Brevard, none of that matters much
anyway, but according to Mrs. Mary
Mull, the white squirrels are originally
from a small island off the Hawaiian
islands.
In 1940 a traveling carnival passed
through North Florida, when a trailer
turned over and two caged, white
squirrels escaped. The squirrels thrived
on the local pecan crop and started to
multiply. Soon, they were caught and
sold in pairs by a railroad man, M.M.
Black, and his son.
In 1945, Black gave H.H. Mull, a
friend and fellow railroad man, a pair of
white squirrels. Mull brought a pair of
the white squirrels to Brevard in 1949
and gave them to his niece, Barbara.
Barbara gave the caged squirrels to
W.P. Mull, her grandfather, who lived
on Johnson Street, in 1951. He let one of
the squirrels out of the cage by mistake,
so he turned the other one loose.
It was not long before little white,
furry critters were being spotted all over
Brevard. Since then, the white squirrel
has become an accepted, native citizen of
Brevard and the object of head
scratching of the tourists that still need
convincing that this strange colored
squirrel is not a ghost, or an albino.
They are neither. They are just plain
white squirrels.
Brevard College is one place that a
white squirrel or two can be seen on any
given day. Take the time to watch one,
as you ponder how unique you are to live
with a white squirrel in your back yard.
The white squirrels of Brevard are a rare treasure. Many
visitors are amazed at these unique animals. special to The Clarion
Miller wins first in music competition
Press Release
BC News Bureau
Brevard College Professor of
Music Harvey Miller’s composition
“Symphony No. 2 for Strings” has
been awarded first prize in the
prestigious 7th International
Competition of Blind and Partially
Sighted Music Composers. Miller, who
received his notification from the
Czech Association of the Blind and
Partially Sighted, will travel to Prague,
Czechoslovakia, in March to receive
his award and hear the West Bavarian
Symphony Orchestra perform his work
at the opening ceremony of the Twon
Theatre in Marianske Lazne.
“This award is very exciting for
me,” says Miller, “and it gives me a
sense of recognition for the work I
have done. My student assistant was
reading my correspondence to me, and
when she got the notificiation, she read
it in the same level voice she had been
using; when she read that I won, I
could feel my face turning red from
award is very
exciting for me. ”
excitement. It was quite a thrill.”
Miller’s composition was selected by a
panel of judges from Denmark,
Czechoslovakia, Germany, Spain and
Russia. The competition is held every
three years in Prague.
Miller, Brevard College’s Edward
Seese Distinguished Service Professor
of Voice, has been a Brevard College
faculty member for 36 years and is one
of five working composers on the
Brevard College music faculty. He has
composed a variety of pieces that have
been performed in concerts and
workshops in Europe and across the
United States and has won awards
including first place in the 25th
Anniversary Belle Canto Competition
in London and third place in the 6th
International Competition of Blind and
Partially Sighted Music Composers.
Miller’s “Symphony No. 2 for
Strings” is a work in four movements
for chamber groups ranging from a
minimum of six instruments up to a full
string section. “The work is really an
March 6
March 25
‘Small Ensembles Concert, Dunham, 8 p.m.. performers to be announced
Student Recital, Dunham, 8 p.m., performers to be announced