THE CALHOUN COUNTY JOURNAL

Calhoun C ounty The The Calhoun County Journal, the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, and the Student Media Center have separate histories,

Journal but the people involved have created a powerful foundation for By LEAH GIBSON each to succeed. Photo by CELIA HILLHOUSE

Joel McNeece runs the Calhoun an insider with his MPA position — his was one of my instructors. I was an adjunct County Journal. McNeece got wife, Lisa Denley McNeece, a University of professor at Ole Miss for a few years, several his start after the chair of the Mississippi alumna, former MPA president, years ago, teaching newspaper management. journalism department at the and daughter of journalist S. Gale Denley. I occasionally am asked to speak to a class,

University of Southern Mississippi, the late “I get insight and advice from my which I gladly do.”

Art Kaul, encouraged him to change his wife about everything on a daily basis,” Lisa said that journalism is her life, and that major after reading a paper he had written for McNeece said. “I take a lot of pride in her it is all she has ever known. a class. accomplishments as a past president of MPA, “I grew up stuffing newspapers, collecting

When asked about the role of the Calhoun and the same holds true for my late fatherbasketball scores from coaches, taking

County Journal in the state, McNeece in-law S. Gale Denley, who not only is a pictures and developing film, all in my explained that it is more specific to the past president, but also in the MPA Hall of pre-teen years,” Lisa said. “My grandfather county. Fame.” started the Calhoun County Journal in 1953,

“We are the newspaper of record, the Lisa McNeece was president of MPA in so I was lucky to work with my grandparents recorders of history, the storytellers,” 1999, “before social media, right about the and now my sister and husband. I have seen

McNeece said. “The only shared medium time email was just catching on, she said. a lot of changes throughout the years, but I that captures the most important moments in Lisa and Joel met in 1998 at a Mississippi have learned to embrace them all — digital

Calhoun Countians’ lives, we are the peoples’ Press Association newspaper convention in cameras, desktop publishing, social media. It’s watchdog for their local government, their Biloxi. a challenge to keep up with all the changes only source for detailed, timely news and “He was working for another newspaper at that come our way, but that’s what makes it information about their home county. It’s a the time,” Lisa said. “We married the next exciting.” responsibility we don’t take lightly.” year, which was during my MPA presidency. Lisa’s father, S. Gale Denley, helped start the

Not only is McNeece busy running the The issues we faced during our terms are so Calhoun County Journal at 17. His wife, Jo

Calhoun County Journal, but he also spends different.” Ann Denley, worked as manager for 28 years. his days as the president of the Mississippi Lisa has a special connection to the Meek “I am a graduate of the university, and

Press Association. School, the Calhoun County Journal and the all three of my children have degrees from

“My typical workday is the same as any Student Media Center. It is more than being there,” Jo Ann Denley said. “(Journalism) has other journalist — working to cover all the a graduate of the university, she said. been my life, and I would still be working news in my county,” McNeece said. “As MPA “My dad started teaching journalism at Ole if I had not reached, or more than reached, president, I have to make time to study issues Miss in the early 1960s, when I was a couple retirement age.” within the industry, seek opportunities to of years old,” Lisa said. Lisa explains what the connection of the promote our industry, which often involves She spent a lot of time in the journalism Journal and the Meek School currently has, speaking to various organizations, including department throughout the years. and has had, on her life. high school and college classes, and reach “I audited some journalism classes at Ole “The Calhoun County Journal is basically out to other newspaper publishers and Miss when I was a teenager, while working a three-person operation with my sister, government leaders to address a variety of at our family newspaper at the same time,” husband and me,” Lisa said. “I have written issues that impact newspapers of all sizes.” Lisa said. “I graduated with a degree in a weekly column since 1981, designed all

McNeece admits to having help from journalism in the early 1980s. Will Norton of the advertising, done the bookkeeping,

Lisa Denley McNeece, Jo Ann Denley and Joel McNeece

covered meetings and ball games, taken out the garbage, et cetera.”

As far as the relation to the school, she said, “I keep in touch with many of the students I taught, one of whom works for us during football season. Around five years ago, this student was visiting at our newspaper office and we got him to teach us Twitter. I love reading the alumni magazine and especially special publications produced by students.”

S. Gale Denley made a major impact on the University of Mississippi and has had a great deal of influence on the journalists he taught and the ones in his family. They are all honored that the Student Media Center was named in his honor.

“My dad taught journalism at Ole Miss for 35 years,” Lisa said. “(With the Student Media Center) named after him, I can’t tell you what that means to my family and me.”

Jo Ann Denley agrees.

“I think it is highly appropriate, because his students meant everything to him and he worked side by side with them long, hard hours,” Denley said. “He also fed those who did not have the money for meals. Incidentally, we gave no money for the SMC.

It was a tribute to my husband’s dedication.”

Joel McNeece shared a special connection with Denley.

“My personal connection to the S. Gale Denley SMC is my father-in-law. He was the greatest teacher I’ve ever known,” McNeece said. “I learned more about community journalism and the responsibilities that come with it sitting at his kitchen table than in any classroom. His legacy at Ole Miss carries on today through the [Daily Mississippian], radio and TV stations, and all aspects of the SMC. It’s something I take great pride in.”

With the amount of guidance that McNeece received from Denley, he has a bit of advice for young journalists who want to be successful. He encourages a start with knowing the importance of reading and writing.

“To become a better writer, you have to write a lot,” McNeece said. “I find a lot of inspiration in reading the work of other great journalists. Secondly, getting a broader view of the journalism industry, which weekly papers can often provide most effectively because it exposes you to so many different areas.

“It thrills me to see such skilled students coming right out of college,” McNeece said. “The Meek School doesn’t just produce graduates, it produces journalists. I think it’s so important that we, as journalists, stay involved with the school, and the school with local newspapers like ours.

“We know what we need for students to be able to do when they get jobs, and we can communicate that to the administration. It’s very important, to me, to keep up with the Meek School. I like to know what’s going on such as special projects, new staff, et cetera.”

“Journalism is such a rewarding career,” Lisa said. “We are literally recording the history of the county we live in. I embrace the changes and challenges in the print media industry.

“And that’s one more reason the relationship between our industry and the Meek School is so invaluable. We have experience to guide these young journalists, but more than that, we can learn so much from them.”

The author is a senior, broadcast journalism major from Starkville, Mississippi.