Panola College Pony Express (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 8, Ed. 1 Monday, January 29, 1990 Page: 4 of 6
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First in a series
Allums discusses careers in Journalism
by Jeff Mclimis
Express Staff
How would you like to:
-eat dinner on board a Russian
freighter with a crew who
doesn’t speak English?
-spend three days on a subma-
rine?
-cover mass murders and the
trials of the murderers?
-interview the man who eye-
witnessed Spindletop?
-talk to the widow of a member
of the Dalton gang?
-ride through a hurricane on a
weather reconnaissance air-
plane?
All of this is what a career
in journalism brought to PC fac-
ulty member Brenda Allums. To
her, a journalism career is one
that never bores.
"Fve experienced some
things in my life that other
people will never ever have
the opportunity to
[experience]," said Allums,"and
I got to share my experiences
through writing about it."
The journalistic bug hit Al-
lums while she was still in
high school. Once bitten Al-
lums concentrated on fulfilling
her new philosophy of: "Why
not get paid for being nosy?"
She then entered PJC on a
journalism scholarship and
proceeded to learn how to be
nosy. Her studies focused on
writing courses like feature,
news, editorial, and column
writing. Editing, layout, and
advertising were also on her
class schedule.
After leaving PJC Allums
enrolled at Stephen F. Austin
University where she obtained
her BA in journalism. Seven
years later she earned her
masters degree at the Univer-
sity of Texas at Tyler.
Once out of college, Allums
immediately went to work for
the Port Arthur News. She
then moved on to write as a re-
porter for the Alexandria
Daily Town Talk, and the
Marshall News Messenger.
Before coming to Panola
College as an instructor, Allums
worked as a public relations
director for the Region VII
Education Service Center in
Kilgore.
Moving from the print me-
dia to public relations to
education is the type of change
Allum's degree in journalism
made possible.
"That's one thing about
journalism and communications
that I think is so interesting,"
said Allums. "By getting a de-
gree in journalism...you have
such a wide variety pf job op-
portunities."
Allums herself worked as a
daily reporter, copy editor,
public relations worker, and
classroom educator. She listed
other options for journalism
majors that included writing for
magazines, writing books, ad-
vertising, radio, television,
photography, and free-lance
work.
"It's just such
a...potpourri...type of major,"
said Allums. "You can use it for
a springboard for a lot of
things."
"Look at Bill Moyers," said
Allums,"He started off as a
newspaper reporter in Mar-
shall and then he got into the
political arena with LBJ...From
then he has gone into a career
with a national network."
Journalism, though, isn't for
everyone according to Allums.
"I think that one of the
potholes of journalism is that
when you first start off, the
pay is very bad," she noted.
"Now-a-days most re-
porters start at probably $350 a
week...[for] your larger news-
papers,"she said,"If you're go-
ing in to it for the money, then
you better start off with good
connections somewhere high up
the latter."
If not money, then just what
is the motivation of most jour-
nalists?
"Journalists," said Al-
lums,"are all on an ego
trip...because we like to see our
stuff in print...The glory comes
in seeing that you've got a by-
line, and [that] you've done the
job well."
Doing the job well, how-
ever, will for journalists require
much hard work, and very odd
hours. It will also, according to
Allums, require having to deal
with "the dreaded word-
'deadline'"
"You may not sleep for 18,20
hours at a time," said Al-
lums,"and then go crash for
eight hours and then start all
over again."
"Because of the deadlines,
you're continually under pres-
sure," she added."You're under
pressure to be correct because it
is your job to present the facts
and the truth to the people."
Journalists do indeed lead
stressful lives. If one can live
with stress, though, he is in for
a career that Allums describes
as," never the same thing two
days in a row."
"Journalists have been
called Jacks and Jills of many
trades but masters of none,"she
said. This is why she stresses
that journalism students to get
as broad an education as possi-
ble.
"If we read books and mag-
azines and we don't depend on
the six o'clock news to tell us
everything that's going on in
the world...our education will
be well rounded,"she said.
"And one of these
days,"she noted/'you're going
to be able to use some of that
information that you gleaned
from some obscure source."
She recommends that jour-
nalism majors have a good
background in English, history,
and government.
"...I'm not talking about in-
depth...but have a working
knowledge and learn how to do
research,"she said. Although
she admits research can be
quite tedious, she considers the
skill to do so a must for journal-
ists.
Allums also asked prospec-
tive journalists to look at
themselves.
"Also think," advised Al-
lums,"'What will I want to be
doing twenty years down the
road'."
For Brenda Allums this
road has been both fruitful and
exciting. Numerous awards and
unique experiences have high-
lighted a career that for her
has been satisfying.
She now continues her in-
volvement in journalism. Her
successes, though, are now her
students' successes too.
"My pride is in my students'
job and their success now."
I
■i-
,
■m
i
r
X
—I
Brenda Allums, Panola College Journalism instructor, has enjoyed many facets that a career in journalism can offer. Since
beginning her journalistic career in high school, Allums has seen many changes take place in the industry. However,
today she is most concernewith ethical issues facing the industry.
Jacksonx Hamilton
Drama presents "Dark of the Moon"
byShonaMeaux
Express Editor
When the curtain goes up
on February 22, the witching
hour will begin at Panola Col-
lege as the Drama Department
presents "Dark of the Moon."
Performances are set for
Thursday and Friday, Feb. 22
and 23, in the Q. M. Martin
Auditorium.
Admission will be $4 for
adults and $3 for students.
Panola College students will be
admitted free with their I. D.
The play will also be pre-
sented at the Texas Junior Col-
lege Play Festival at San Jacinto
College Central in Pasadena.
The festival will begin on
Wednesday, Feb. 28, and con-
tinue through Saturday, Mar.
"Dark of the Moon" is a
love story about a young
witchboy, John, who comes
down from the mountain and
falls in love with a human girl
named Barbara Allen.
John goes back to the
mountain and begs the conjur
man to make him human, so
that he can be with his new
love.
The conjur man and the
conjur woman agree to make
him human only if he marries
Barbara Allen and she is faith-
ful to him for a full year.
They marry, but John is
not accepted into the
community and this causes
problems.
Twenty cast and 19 crew
members highlight the
production for the play.
John Jackson, Mt. Enter-
prise sophomore, will play the
part of John, the witchboy, and
Loretta Hamilton, Elysian
Fields sophomore, will play
Barbara Allen.
Other cast members in-
clude Bill Senese, Grandbury
freshman, as conjur man; Beje
Fort, Jefferson sophomore, fair
witch; Kimberley Hedges,
Carthage sophomore, dark
witch; Michelle Bradshaw,
Garrison freshman, Dee Smith,
Longview sophomore, and
Chastiti Horne, New Diana
freshman, all as witches; and
Shannon Mahood, Carthage
freshman, conjur woman.
Also, Buddy Furqueron,
Arp freshman, Hank Grudger;
Michelle Batts, Joaquin
sophomore, Edna Summey;
Shelly White, Silsbee sopho-
more, Mrs. Summey; Laree
Nelson, Tatum sophomore,
Miss Metcalf; Matt Rawson,
Tenaha sophomore, Mr.
Atkins; and Joey Fisher,
Carthage sophomore, Uncle
Smelicue.
In addition, Spencer Wa-
gley, Elysian Fields freshman,
as Marvin Hudgins; Jason
Funderburk, Florine sopho-
more, Mr. Bergen; Angie Bar-
baree, Arp freshman, Mrs.
Bergen; Bridget Burns, Center
sophomore, Mrs. Allen; and
Bruce Brown, Frankston
freshman, Preacher Haggler.
Crew members are
Michelle Grosso, Elysian Fields
sophomore, production assis-
tant/ho ,£=e manager; Elizabeth
Lofton, Carthage sophomore,
Steve Porterfield, Center
freshman and Wagley on
lights and sound; and Brown,
Furqueron and Funderburk,
special effects.
Hedges, Barbaree and
Dawn Grimsley, Tenaha
freshman will do the costumes
for the play. Burns and Kim
Henigan, Carthage sophomore,
make-up and hair; Smith and
Bradshaw, props; Fort, set de-
sign; and Jason Griffin,
Carthage sophomore, Jackson,
Rawson and Fisher, set con-
struction.
Pre-loan counseling set
Frat Racism combated
at Missouri-Columbia
In an effort to combat
racism, predominately white
fraternities at the University
of Missouri-Columbia plan to
actively seek minorities for
membership.
"We've started a big educa-
tion program," IFC president
Jeff Garrett said. "With fall
rush coming up, we're going to
have a big push for our member-
ship to diversify, and we're go-
ing to try to recruit minority
students."
In its push for diversity,
the university's Interfraternity
Council will advertise in news-
papers and visit minority
schools and organizations, such
as the Black Business
Association.
The action was sparked by
a National Interfraternity
Conference advertisement that
read: "Racism has no place in
the fraternity experience." The
ad also promotes racial diver-
sity and education on racism in
houses.
But one black member of a
predominantly white house
said he doesn't think the cam-
pus campaign will work.
"It's a good step," Mike
Jackson said, "but the tradition
is so strong in our fraternities
that I don't think it'll make a
big difference, especially here
at M.U."
Signature ads for
Valentine's day
Say whatever you want to
your valentine. Use the title
of a song to say how you feel
or just be creative.
$l-students/faculty
Registration cards
available in library
There are voter registration
cards available in the library.
Now would be a good time to
remind students that they can
register to vote in the Texas
Governor's race this year.
Since the election is March
13th, the last day to register is
February 11.
The registration cards can
be mailed free of charge to the
home county of anyone who
has not registered.
CLASSIFIED
ATTENTION:
EASY WORK
EXCELLENT PAY!
Assemble products at home.
Details call (1) 602-838-8885 Ext.
W-18941.
ATTENTION:
GOVERNMENT HOMES
from $1 (U-repair).
Deliquent tax property. Repos-
sessions. Call 1-602-838-8885 Ext.
GH 18941
ATTENTION:
GOVERNMENT SEIZED
VEHICLES
from $100
Fords, Mercedes, Corvettes,
Chevys. Surplus BuyersGuide.l-
602-838-8885 Ext. A 18941.
The Financial Aid Office
will conduct a pre-loan coun-
seling session for the Spring
semester on Wednesday, Jan.
24. The sessions will be held in
Room 106 of the Science
Building at noon and at 4 p.m.
Completed loan applications
must be turned in to the Fi-
nancial Aid Office on Thurs-
day, Jan. 25. The processed ap-
plications will be ready for
pick-up on Thursday, Feb. 1.
Students must have a need
analysis on file before a loan
application can be processed.
Applications not
yet available
1990-91 financial aid appli-
cations are not available at this
time. Please watch "OFF &
RUNNING" and "THE PONY
EXPRESS" for date available.
r
The College Store
TO
25%
off everything*
during
HomecomingWeek
Back packs
Sweats
T-shirts
Newline of children's clothing
School supplies
Valentine Gifts
^except candy and books
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Panola College Pony Express (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 8, Ed. 1 Monday, January 29, 1990, newspaper, January 29, 1990; Carthage, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth591858/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Panola College.