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Auburn students learn from Selma icon
Published Thursday, November 26, 2009
SELMA — “Her home is exactly like I imagined it would be.”
Patrick Dever Jr., an Auburn journalism student, and 16 other students from Dr. Ed Williams’ News Writing class made a trip to Selma Nov. 19 to see the sights and listen to Kathryn Tucker Windham.
The students went to Windham’s house to hear about the famed storyteller’s days as a reporter. The class spent a great deal of time preparing for last Thursday’s field trip and it did not disappoint.
Dever and other students commented on how Windham’s house and other Selma hot spots looked exactly liked they imagined them. The class went to Hancock’s BBQ, Old Live Oak Cemetery, Browns Chapel A.M.E., and Sturdivant Hall.
But the visit wasn’t all fun.
“The students will use their trip to write an article, which will be their final,” Williams said. “They will also have to write a column for grade about their trip to Selma.”
It is fitting the Auburn students talk to Windham about her journalism career as well as her storytelling career, which are similar.
Windham started her first writing job at 12 years old. She reviewed movies for The Thomasville Times.
She earned a B.A. degree from Huntingdon College in 1939 and then worked as a reporter for the Alabama Journal. She started work at The Birmingham News in 1944.
In 1956 she went to work at the Selma Times-Journal, where she won several Associated Press awards for her writing and photography.
“Just reading her work helps you understand how to find a voice in your own writing,” said Abby Townsend. “Her stories have a gentle lulling quality and it makes you forget about everything else and that is how she talks too.”
The Auburn students sat around Windham’s dining room table and laughed with her about all the unique people in her writings. Some asked if the stories were true, to which the ever-quick Windham replied, “Everything I write is true.”
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Comments
Posted by nowhining (anonymous) on November 27, 2009 at 12:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mrs. Kathryn Windham is a treasure, and everyone can learn a whole lot from her. She is trully one of a kind, and admired by many.
Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on November 28, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The Selma Time Journal in 1956. Now there are some memories. They had all the newspapers that went back to before the civil war in large green books in the hallway. I spent every day after school looking through those books for several years. Ed Fields was the editor and kept a jar of candy on his desk. Ticker tape would be piled up in the doorway to the composing room. The Line-o-type machines would be chattering away and you could always try to hit the bridge with a coca-cola cap from the back window. Lum Bates would be melting lead down in the pressroom, and Mr. Calhoun would always be making sure everything was going o.k. Jamie Wallace wouldn't start there for a couple of years, but you people like Gordon Lilly, Roland Ellison, Mr. MaGee, Ms. Windham and of course my dad that made the place like a family. popdukes12
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