Around the Banks

Johnny Bullard Guest Columnist The year was 1974, a half-century ago. Change was occurring everywhere. Polyester was taking over the fashion scene. Women began wearing pantsuits. Young ladies were wearing platform shoes, halter tops and having their hair cut in shag haircuts. Everyone was wearing bell-bottom jeans and casual trousers. In my hometown of White Springs, the grapevine buzzed about a new artist in residence funded through a federal grant program. Supposedly, the State of Florida had received grant funding for just two of these artists. One artist, an opera singer, was sent to Miami, Fla., to teach vocal technique and performance to aspiring undergraduate and graduate student