“Mrs. Morris, cared not for fame, or wealth, or society; she devoted her life to helping others.” − Superintendent Clark
Throughout Knox County there are plenty of neighborhoods with all sorts of names. Most are generic monikers used to evoke the idea of the place, while some are merely descriptions like “Old North” or “4th & Gill.”
When my wife and I moved into the Belle Morris neighborhood, its name had a different ring. It seemed to reference a person, but I could find no explanation for its origin beyond Belle Morris Elementary School. This was not satisfying to me, and that dissatisfaction led me to discover an incredible woman.
After spending a day reading old copies of the News Sentinel on microfilm, I finally discovered who Belle Morris was. Her death in 1932 made front-page news, and for good reason.
According to an article by John T. Moutoux in the “News-Sentinel” of May 6, 1932, Morris was a very prominent educator in the community. More than that, she was a champion of improving the lives of Knoxville’s most vulnerable.