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Fall 1979 UA68/13/5 The ourF th Estate, Vol. 4, No. 4 Sigma Delta Chi

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Recommended Citation Sigma Delta Chi, "UA68/13/5 The ourF th Estate, Vol. 4, No. 4" (1979). Student Organizations. Paper 129. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_org/129

This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Organizations by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Fourth Estate • Vol. 4, No . ~, Autumn 1979, Department of Journalism Wenem Kefltucky University Notional award won by student

A Western journalism slu­ recogni:/'.Cd during the S PJ·SOX dent and reporter for WBKO­ national convention Nov. 14 ·17 TV, Bowling Green, has won in New York City. the Society of Professional Nearl y a dozen students from J ournalists, Sigma Del ta Chi Western. und chapter adviser Mark of Excellence award for Professor Jim Highland. were television reporting. to attend the convention. Al Tompkins, a B owling' Gary J ones, Bowling Green Green senior, was recognized for graduate student, was Clected an August 1978 story on Marla chapter delegate. Bob Skipper, Pitchford, a former Western l\IL. Washington sophomore. student who was charged with was chosen alternate. performing an abortion on Highlund and chapter presi· herself. dent Roger Malone. who also is The part of the Warren the District C student repre· ,Circuit Court trial coverage sentat ive to the SPJ ·SOX T ompki n s s ubmitted as his national board of directors, were Mark of Excellence entry to serve on panels of the campus focused on the final day of the chapter workshop as part of the trial and included an interview convention program. with Miss Pitchford following Murgaret S hirley, a Col umbia her acquittal. sophomore. was to be Western's Miss Pitchford's trial attract­ candidate for the seat on the ed nationwide attention because national board of directors it reportedly was the first time a being vucatcd by Malone. womun hud been tried on such a Other students attending the charge. cnnvention include: Lisa Beaty, T ompki ns's television story Albuny sophomore; Linda won the regional contest earlier Dono. Nashville. Tenn .. fresh· this year. qualifying for m an: nationwide competi tion. The T om ~'l cCord. Richmond - Giry Suiter contest was for college senior; Tom Eblen, Lexington journalism work produced senior; Cheryl Scott. Columbia Dead Ringer betwen Peb. I, 1978 and Feb. I. senior: Robert Curter. Glusgow To e nli~en i leCiure on Ri ng Lardner in his Ameri Ci n Press Hi story sophomore; and Charlotte 1979. course . instructor Wi ll iam McKeen imitates the novelist·sportswriter. Tompkins and other Mark of Welch, Tompkinsville fresh· McK«n al so lectures at Itut once a semester as H.L. Mencken, Excellence winners were to be man. complete wilh green and or,,"ge suspenders. Herald honors three former staffers An unprecedented three photographer George Wedding people hadn't been here in a Georgia and now heuds the College Heights Herald awards were recognized "for outstand· long time," at Southern were presented to former ing contributions in journal· Stone, who was Herald editor Illinois University in Carbon· Western st udents during the Ism. in 1949·50 and 1950·51. I)ursued dale. 28th annual Herald breakfast " There were three awards u carccr in broadcasting. After Patterson was Herald sports Oct. 27. presented t his year. which is working for W H AS radio in editor in 1969·70 and 1970·71. Sports writer Tom Patterson. unusual ." Herald adviser Bob Louisville. he taught for a educator Vernon Stone and Adams said . "But two of the period ut the University of - Continued to Page 8 - Page ~ Ho.n.~st advice C-J reporter tells to be compassionate

Courier-Journal reporter Bill "A lot of people say it and don't Powell urged young journalists mean it." to be honest, hardworking and Powell said a must enthusiastic about their work in have compassion. He described a speech Sept. 13. cynicism as a " hateful, The speech was sponsored by despicable word. People hide Western'schapter' of t he Society behind it to be smart." of Professional Journalists, At the same time, a journalist Sigma Delta Chi. should have the ability "not to be conned," he said. Powell said Powell, The Courier-Journal's he gets letters daily from Western Kentucky correspond­ prisoners in the penitentiary in ent, said the big problem for Eddyville, Ky. "So far, I 've journalists is that many people found one man who said he was don't read anymore guilty," he said. and that those who do don't Powell said a Courier-Journal believe what they read. story in September about a The basic principle in Warren County deputy sheriff journalism is to "be as honest who allegedly won an organ­ as possible with yourself and playing contest was "one of the the people you write for," he worst jobs of handling a swry I said. have ever seen." "Every story should be done The contest later proved W be the best you can do it," Powell a hoax. "I would not have said. "There are good newspa' believed this man's story from permen who are lazy, but they the beginning" without con· never amount to much. If you firming the information with don't have enthusiasm for a other sources, Powell said. story, 1 don't have any use for Powell told his student you. " listeners: "I wish you the best The phrase "unavailable for of luck and I hope you'll be - Bob Skipper comment" is "one of the most famous, but I doubt if you will cowardly ways out" of trying to Courier-Journal reporter Bill Powell urges journalist' to be diligent and be." (ompa»lonate during a September speuh. Western's chapter of SPJ· contact a , Powell said. ~Li8a Beaty SOX sponsored the speech.

PR student to be national candidate

A Western public relations which was scheduled for April PHSSA chapter was renamed A t this state, it's more student has been chosen 11. the Kelly Thompson chapter. promotion," she said. chapter candidate for national In other PRSSA : Before serving as Western's "Next semester we're hoping vice chair of t he Public ~Susan Taylor, a Bowling third president, Thompson was to get into more of an active Relations Student Society of Green senior, has been named the school 's first public campaign for Center Board." America. fi rst recipient of a $1000 public relations director. Taylor said. Susan Crook, a Louisville relations scholarship. ~ As chapter president, "We get paid $500 a The award was presented this junior, was nominated at an Taylor said "the most visable semester. Plus the experience. summer to Taylor, who is thing" PRSSA is doing this fall Oct. 20 caucus of PRSSA 's East You're really at a disadvantage 1979·80 president of Western's involves a campaign for the Central district at Western. if you come out of school with PRSSA chapter. Elections will be at PRSSA's University Center Board, a no portfolio material." national convention Nov. 10·14 Dr. Kelly Thompson, former newly created enterta inment U1 St. Louis. president of Western, planning organization. ' ~ I n addition to Taylor, other The East Central district is announced establishment of the "The idea behind Center 1979-80 chapter officers include the nation's largest PRSSA scholarship at the chapter's Board was to get some student John Lane, a Wilmington, Ohio district. spring banquet April 28. input," T aylor said. "'They junior, as vice president; Gay Grand Valley and the The award was named in (Center Board advisers Ron BaHance, a Bethpage, Tenn., University of Detroit were honor of Thompson's wife, Beck and Tim Nemeth) turned senior, secretary ; Susan Crook, announced as hosts for the Sarah. over the creative part to us, to treasurer; and Charley Smith, district's spring conference Two years ago, Western's do the advertising, the posters. A tlanta senior, national liason. Page 3 Boker new Talisman adviser Classroom a change for 2 teachers

Fall 1979 marks a return to of South Carolina at Columbia teaching for one of the two in the fall of 1972 with an newest members of Western's interest in politics. journa lism faculty and a "I went to South Carolina beginning in the classroom for with the idea of getting my the other. degree in political science and After a two-year stint with a going on to law school," Baker South Carolina college as said. yearbook adviser and public However the Watergate information writer, new Talis· scandal helped turn Baker man adviser Bob Baker is toward journalism. teaching, lor the first time, "What happened to Nixon print design and school and finding out how deep the publications courses. dirt was, it looked as if there Meantime, Pat Jordan is was no way to succeed in back in front of students more politics without getting your than a quarter century after feet muddy." leaving Eastern New Mexico Impressed with the work of University, where he taught Washington Post reporters Bob fine and commercial art. Woodward and Carl Bernstein, "I got out of the teaching Baker changed his major to profession with the idea that I journalism the summer after his would always get back into it," sophomore year. said Jordan, who teaches Baker graduated from South advertising. Carolina in 1976, after serving Jordan left New Mexico in as editor·in-chief of the student 1951 to study advertising art at , the Gamecock, and the American Academy of Art in Chicago. That led, in turn, to -Continued to Page 8- a job with Zimmer-McClaskey­ Lewis advertising agency a year and a half later. "With the passing of the Bob B ~ ker (right) is T ~ l ism~n ~ dviser ~nd teaches print design. P~t Jor· years, I became more commer­ d~n (belo .... ) teaches ~dve rtislng ~ft er cial-oriented," he said. working for ~ Louisville ~gency . Through the agency. Jordan spent nearly a decade working -Bob Skipper with General Electric Corp.'s - Kim Kol~rik Major Appliance division, where he worked in consumer • promotion and advertising layout . .. And here again, my interests started shifting and changing," he recalled. "I decided 1 could do a better job selling my work out w a client than the account executives were doing." Still with Zimmer-McClas­ key·Lewis. he moved to Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co., . ~-- where he was a senior vice· preside nt and management supervisor. "Brown & Williamson IS one of the most sophisticated marketers in these United States," Jordan said. "But I always had the idea that somewhere along the line, that sometime I was going to return to teaChing." Baker entered the University Page 4 Death and life: Photographer traces, and feels, a famil ~

By STEVE CARPENTER wlliting. he t ried to prepare someone, so I didn't," Wedding it. And at times I felt li ke himself for her death. said. wasn't sharing it wi t h me, a l I t was not a pho to .. , sat there for 16, 17 Wedding said that despite his t hen a few days later he'd COl assignment easily forgotten. hours t hinking about it (her friendship with the family, he home and tell me what his vi: Last year, George Wedding, a death I; thinking about which was still inturding into some· had been like, but he couldl former Western student, went breath was going to be her last t hing personal. always do t ha t immooiot( to his editors at the Palm Beach breath. after he came home," she sal (Fla. I Post and asked to follow The Marguerita assignment "She was lying in the bed and affected his life and he said it In addition to the Ni k the story of an S·year·old girl breathing very heavily-very might allow other people to award, Wedding recently w dying of cancer. raspy sort of way. You heard Southern Photographer of t Afte r meeting Margue rita accept death more easily. every breath she took, and you "Now that. J look back after year at a photography semir. Beltran and her family, just kept wa iting for that having done this story and and Best Portfol io in an Atlar. Wedding said, he knew there breathing to stop," he said, his Press Photographers' Assoc was more to the story than just having faced it through that voice fa ltering. family, I think that whenever tion contest. spending an afternoon with " I guess I tried to be a During his stay at Weste them. the time comes that I have to journalist first, only because I face it, or face it within my from 1971 through 197 The story developed into an was there as a journalist and a 0 family , that it might be a little Wedding worked os photogr account of the fami ly's friend to the family. But I easier for me to come through it reactions, emotionally a nd wanted to make sure that I all. I looked at the family and fi nancially. to the girl's slow completed the job I came to do, t he year with them and sow death. a nd the best way to do t hat, I t hrough a ll the pain a nd For his work , Wedding felt, was for me to maintain a received the National Press suffering. how strong t hey high degree of professionalism. remained." Photographe rs' Association· Tha t's not to say while you 're Ni kon World Unders tanding A fe'" people criticized the award. story because t hey said t hey " I guess my main t hought didn't want to see death while was how was I going to handle eating breakfast, he said. But myself wit h this one part;cular t he most im portant thing family. Because .. . it's not journalism can give is know­ easy to j ust walk into a ledge, Wedding said . stranger's hou se, where you "And no one has ever been know someone is dying ... and hurt in the long run if they have have those people accept you knowledge. The more you learn in life, the better off you are. It readily, as anything but 8S 8 journalist, as anything but an may hurt in the short term outsider-an intruder," Wed· but after you get over that ding, 26, said. initial pain and suffering, the But the family's reaction was knowledge will eventually be positive. "The family welcomed proven good for you," Wedding us i he and the reporter covering George Wedding said. the story ) with open arms. The The Connersville, Ind., native reason being-and it would being a professional, you still s aid he is still close to later play a large part in t heir can't be a compassionate Morguerita's family, even decision to have myself and the human being . You can still do though he moved to California reporter be with them when the that.'" last June to wo rk on t he San Jose Mercury·News. Marguer­ litt le girl d ied - that s imply " (It was important) for me ita's fa mily now lives in this family very much needed a not to get too emotional at t hat Georgia. shoulder to cry on; somcone to moment because I was afraid lean on." that if I did break down and get During the Lime Wedding Wedding was present when emotional that while I was was working on t he Ma rguerita Marguerita died at home on worrying about t hat, or while I s tory, he married Karen J an. 5, 1979. Since the doctors was crying or something like McNally, a lso a former Western couldn't help her, the family t hat, I might-without think· student. wanted Marguerita to be home. ing-stick a camera in Mrs. Wedding descri bed the Wedding said. someone's fa ce at t he wrong Margu e rita assignmel'Jt: ~ Wedding was called about 5 moment "George would come home p.m. J an. 4. when Marguerita's .. And there were definitely sometimes after visiting the condition was declining. Wed· moments when I chose not to family, and I tried w get him to ding stayed wi th the f"amily s hoot pictures during that talk to me about it. And he until Marguerita died at 11 a.m. death scene because I felt at wouldn't talk about it. the next day. Wedding said that this particular moment, if I shot ,. J know now because it was during the time they spent a picture, it m ight bother too painful for him to talk abou ~ Page 5

(5 grief h, pher. chief photographer. photo ,d editor, sports writer, managing ne editor. ,it, .. Being a perfectionist to ,', me that's the key to my success. :ly I f I go out and make a picture d, that communicates. it's because on I worked to spend a little hit of on extra time trying to make a he better picture, and then I went back to the darkroom and spent "' a lit tle bit of extra time printing ia-" it. " It's just a way of life for me. en I just can't function unless I Margueriu. Bellran (above) undergoes udi.. tion treatment for .. malig nant tumor att.. ,king 5, feel I got the very best out of a her brain ... nd spine. Below, her mother and a minister comfort her sisler, Ca rol , .. few " situation," minutes .. fter Margueriu.'s deouh . Page 6

Dorothy Metzler (left) poses wilh her f~mily. As ~rI of a " Mountain People Workshop," studenl pholo­ a:~pher Muk Workman documented Mrs. Metzler and her ~ltempts 10 preserve mounl~ln (utlure.

-Mark Workman Clairfield, Tenn . profiled Students document mountain town

Clairfield, Tenn., is nothing newspapers throughout the Western's rna· Goldsmith and Hardin analyzed more than a long narrow United States and Canada. jor and former chief photogra· and criticized the work of the Appalachian valley where The students and profession· pher for the Daily News in day. people are desperately poor but als set up shop in the Clairfield Bowling Green. The first full day, a Friday, enormously proud of their Community Center, where - F rank Johnston of the "there were some tears" during history and their culture. many of them slept, Com said. Washington Post, White House the critique session, Corn said, The pitted roads leading into They brought with them all the Press Photographer of the Year but the photographers were the area wind through the hills equipment necessary to con· the past two years and the first back in the fie ld the next day at and near the homes of the struct and operate a profession· photographer on the scene at 6 a.m. approximately 500 people who al darkroom. the mass suicide of the Rev. Jim "All the professionals in the live in the hollows of the valley. He said each student and Jones and his followers in works hop said it was the Life in Clairfield took on a professional was given a specific Jonestown, Guyana. toughest assignment they had new dimension the latter part of assignment. One was assigned - Arthur Goldsmith, editor· ever had in their lives," Corn September when the commun· to a woman who ran a day care ial director of Popular Photo· said . "These are people who ity entertained 21 student and center. Another photographed a graphy magazine and a writer in have worked for newspapers for professional photographers who coal miner at work and in his t he field of photojournalism six, eight, ten years." participated in a " Mountain home. Another was assigned to ooucation. The three outside profession· People Works hop" sponsored the "town story·teller." - Tom Hardin, director of als brought in as instructors for by Western's journalism de· While many of t he photogra· photography {or The Courier· the course saw the workshop part ment. phers stayed in the community Journal and Louisville Times. assignment as realistic and a Photojournalist·in·Residence center, others moved into the For the students and chance for the s tudents to Jack Com, who coordinated the homes of area residents, Com professionals, their days began function as professionals in an 'workshop, said the idea behino said. at 6 a.m. when they went into unusual and difficult environ· t he trip was for the One of the photographers did the fi eld. They took pictures ment. photographers " to paint a a picture story on a family throughout the day and came The photographs taken will portrait of the valley." whose members are interested in just in time for dinner in t he be exhibited later t his year at a Corn said students and in " preserving the culture of evening. school in Clairfield, and Com professionals were assigned t.o Appalachia. They all live in log Corn said the laculty spent all' said he is planning other major l:over various aspects of cabins in one of the hollows," afternoon examining film and showings. community life in order to draw Corn said. proof sheets as they became A slide show is being prepared a composite of life in the valley. Corn was just one of the available. for The Courier·J ournal's col· The students were all enrolled photojournalists who critiqued Pollowing dinner, it was lege photojournalism day this in Corn's photojournalism class, the work of the students and classroom time for the students spring in Louisville, and Corn but the professional photogra· professionals. He was joined by: and professional photographers, hopes to have a showing in the phers came from various - Mike Morse, chairman of as Corn , Morse, J ohnston, spring on the Western campus. Page 7 Graduates Some who leave continue classwork Just 48 hours after marching Tennessee newspaper didn't this summer, White became a party atmosphere. in \\'estern's spring commence­ come through this spring, he teaching assistant. He and the "The women are a lot more ment this year, Don White was decided to enter graduate other TAs teach labs liberated than any I ever met in back in school. school. and some, including White, Kentucky," she said. The former College Heights "In hindsight, it was work on the student newspaper, "The people are a lot more Herald sports editor flew to probably one of the best things The Columbia Missourian, career-oriented .. , Columbia, Mo. where he began I'd done in years," he said, The journalism school at Ashcraft is being interviewed work this summer on a master's Ashcraft, from Brandenburg, Missouri cooperates with the this fall, along with some of the degree in journalism. finished her program at paper, which, he said, is a other law students, for clerking A ycarearlier. Betsy Ashcraft Western in three years, during private enterprise, He works jobs next summer. She said she graduated with a B .A. in which she worked for the Herald about 20 hours a week, would also like to work, at least government and journalism as a reporter and copyeditor, including one night in the slot part of the summer, for a from Western. Now she's in the "I was graduated from on the copydesk, newspaper, "just to keep my middle of a three-year program college when I was only 20 years In addition, White wrote a hand in." at Harvard Law School. old," she said, With such a head computer manual for use by Before White finishes his Not all Western journalism start, I thought going to law students learning how to program next spring, he may graduates begin reporting school would be interesting," operate seven new video display participate in a graduate careers immediately after leav­ "I think you can do so much terminals, reporting program which could ing Bowling Green. Some, like with a law degree," she said, ,. I think Missouri has a very send him anywhere frow Hong White, wanttoteach.Othcrs like White said he decided on practical program, much like Kong to Washington. Ashcraft, want to try different graduate school because of his Western's," White said, Though she hopes to fields. interest in teaching. Ashcraft said she went someday get into politics, White, from Hopkinsville, "I think it's imperative to get through some culture shock Ashcraft said she isn't sure spent two weeks at Missouri in a graduate degree, certainly if when she first arrived on what she'll do after she finishes 1978 in training as a Newspaper you want to be a professor," he Harvard's Cambridge, Mass , her degree. Fund copyediting intern. said. campus, Would she ever teach? "\ had talked to a couple of "I'll have a master's when "It's a lot more different "Eventually, perhaps; I can't profes sors there and they I'm 23, so I'll have plenty of academically," she said, "It's see it right now, cause there are advised me to come by," White time to think about ~ Ph,D like 50 percent of the people are so many things I want to do. said, later. " from Ivy League schools, It's a "r guess I just want to try So when a job with a In addition to his course work big difference from Western's my wings." Graduate honored byAP

Tom Beesley, class of '78 and news director of WDBL radio in Springfield, Tenn" won the Associated Press class C market award for Continuing News in Tennessee. The award was presented this summer during an Associated Press broadcasters' meeting in Gatlinburg, Tenn, Beesley won the award for his coverage of a controversy focusing on the Eastern Darkfire Tobacco Growers Association, The controversy -Bob Skipper involved tobacco growers in Tennessee and Kentucky, Beesley is a broadcast news Press Day and public affairs graduate Instructing .I photogr.lphy cins during High School Preu D.lY Oct. 5, Mark Lyons, ~ senior photojourn31ism under the old ma~s communica· m.ljor from Louisvil le, tells .l photogr3pher she should be rudy for 3nything. About 150 students .Ittended tions program. the workshop. Page 8 New teachers adjusting

- Continued from Page 3- Marion, which is primarily a Loewen. only gradually, since the book's commuter school, Baker said he Loewen left the journalism format is so obviously success­ later, the campus yearbook, the decided there that he wanted to faculty this spring to pursue ful. Garnet and Black. teach. another love: boating. For J ordan, who was Finishing his master's degree "Usually when som ebody "When I graduated from teachmg art full-time :.'.8 years at South Carolina this spring, leaves. he leaves it where ago, the changes have come South Carolina, I had a couple Baker joined Western's faculty everybody's graduated, no- of offers to work on papers in slowly too. the Carolinas. But I turned "I still enjoy and appreciate them down becm~se it's kind of "/ got out of the teaching profession with the idea hard to support a wife on a that / would always get back into it. " fine art very much but I no reporter's salary," Baker said. --Pat Jordan longer have any overpowering desire to create it myself." he So he joined Francis Marion said. College in Florence, S.C., as this summu', where he became body's familiar with the setup," assistant director of informa­ He said the move back to the adviser to a yearbook that has. Baker said. tion services where he advised classroom took some thought: won the highest collegiate the yearbook and designed "But Loewen, fortunately, "Yes, I was apprehensive, but I award in the nation for school publications, induding left a staff of people who are felt that in spite of the gap, that excellence-the Trendsetter. brochures, handbooks and the experienced and who know what actually working in the field as The five consecutive Trend­ catalog. constitutes a good, quality many years as I had, that setters the Talisman has won yearbook," he said. somewhere along the line, some Although there was no came during the years of Eventually. Baker said, the of the knowledge has rubbed off journalism program at Francis Baker's predecessor, Roger Talisman wi\! change, though on me. Herald honors 3 journalists

. -Con tin ued fro m Page 1- tion·Nikon World Understand· presented to Adams at the ing Award. (See story. Page 4.) annual Publications Banquet After working for the then­ Adams said the Herald last May at Barren River combined sports staffs of The Lodge. University Publications awards . presented during Courier-J ournal and The Louis· Director David B. Whitaker Homecoming weekend. were t he made the surprise presentation , ville Times, Patterson moved to 14 th. 15th and 16th to be fo..f b;sissippi . presented since the award was "I thought he'd gone bananas He is now sports established in 1966. on one of his introductions." editor of t he Clarion·Ledger and The 13th Herald award was Adams said. the ,Jackson Daily News, the Mississippi capital's morning and afternoon dailies, CamplJs SP J-SDX Patterson 's sport s staff, which now includes five former Herald sports editors, has won elects '79-80 officers severa l awards in state competition. Western's chapter of the a repofting intern at the Society of Professional Journal· Tennessee Valley Authority's Patterson has been recog· ists, Sigma Delta Chi has Land Between the Lakes, near nized for feature stories and elected officers for the 1979-80 Cadiz, Ky. column writing. school year. Mt. Washington sop~omore Roger Malone,a Louisville Wedding served in a variety Bob Skipper was elected senior, was elected chapter of positions at the Herald. treasurer. Skipper has been a president. Malone has worked No n·P,ofit Formerly with the Palm Beach photogrphy intern at Land as a summer intern with the Org~ ni u t ;o n j Fla.) Post , he moved in June to Jackson (Tenn,) Sun and the Between the Lakes. u .s. Postage the San Jose (CaliL) Mercury. Bulk Rate News. Grayson County News·Gazette. Ann Scott, a ferncliff senior, Pe,mit 398 Columbia junior Nancy was chosen secretary, She Bo wl ing G, een. KV . 4210 1 He recently won the National Salato was chosen chapter vice worked this s ummer with Press Photographers' Associa- president. Salato has worked as WLKY-TV. Louisville.

11/7-9 /1 ,5M /J- The cost of printing this publication bV Western Kentucky University was paid from state funds KRS 57.375.