Powerhouse: The Meek School at Ole Miss by Dr. Ronald Farrar, is being released in Oxford on Wednesday, Aug. 13, with a reception in Farley Hall at 3 p.m. and a meet-the-author event at Off Square Books at 5 p.m.
The book is published by Yoknapatawpha Press and tells the history of the journalism department at the University of Mississippi from its beginnings in 1946 to its advancement with the creation of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media in 2009.
The department and now the school have national reputations for developing media professionals.
In a liner note, Bob Schieffer of CBS News says, “If you’re a reporter, you probably wondered somewhere along the way how at least half the good writers you knew seemed to come from one school – Ole Miss.”
In these pages we see how a worthy academic and professional program came to be. We meet Gerald Forbes, the man who founded it, and the men and women who nurtured it, and Ed Meek, an alumnus and benefactor who did much to propel it toward the top tier in its field. It’s a remarkable story, told authoritatively and graced with traces of humor along the way.
A former newspaper man and a native of Arkansas, Dr. Farrar is the author of eight books and numerous articles for academic and professional publications. He helped the Ole Miss Journalism Department become accredited, serving as chairman from 1973-77. When he retired in 2001, he was Reynolds-Faunt Memorial Professor and Interim Dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina.
The public is invited to the reception and the event at Off Square Books.
Praise for Powerhouse: The Meek School at Ole Miss
If a book that chronicles the history of a university journalism program, no matter how proud and storied, ever could be called a page turner, this is the one. Logically organized, impressively researched, beautifully written and masterfully framed, the book is laced with facts, vivid quotes, anecdotes and context. With authority and voice, Ron Farrar skillfully writes about the program, the people, the university and the community—while simultaneously providing readers with a feel for them.
– Doug Anderson, Dean, College of Communications, Penn State University
How a football star rebuilt an old university’s reputation is in this lively, well-written book. So is the story of how and why Ole Miss has become a leader in teaching good journalism.
– Dan Rather, anchor of CBS Evening News and Dan Rather Reports
A fascinating peek inside a storied journalism program where the central characters, with often conflicting styles, join together to produce a common story of excellence. The story does not end here, but lives and breathes in a new generation of Ole Miss student journalists whose gifts will lead them on the same path as their famous predecessors.
– Ronnie Agnew, Director, Mississippi Public Broadcasting
An entertaining history of the Meek School of Journalism, a gem….a sparkling and inspiring account of a superb faculty producing the next generation of smart young storytellers.
– Andy Lack, Chairman, Bloomberg Media Group
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