1990

WEEK OF

'Jefferso o perform before ECCC audience

come. first-serve basis, said Dr. Richard C. Ethridge, chairman of the Division of Social Science, Business and Education. Dr. Ethridge said Mr. Jenkinson's presentation is being funded by the Mississippi Council for Hu– :nanities and the East Central Community College Honors Program, of which he is a spon– sor. Mr. Jenkinson's impersona– tions of Jefferson, third Presi– dent of the United States founder of the University of Virginia, author of the Declaration of Inde– pendence and the Virginia Sta– tute for Religious Liberty, are unscripted and extemporaneous historical interpretations . A Rhodes Scholar and bolder of bachelor's, master's and docto– rate of philsophy degrees in Re– naissance English language and literature from Oxford Univer– sity, Mr. Jenkinson is not an actor nor does he attempt theat– rically compelling protrayals of Jefferson. Appearing in costume and character, Mr. Jenkinson deliv– ers a 20 to 30 minute monologue, then takes questions and com– ments from members of the SEE Jefferson 9A... the audience to participate in a Jefferson town meeting that is both entertaining and provoca- tive. The "question" period usu-

Special to The Star

He has performc:d before legis– latures van state eetings and most recentl~ appeared at a United States Co gressional Breakfast

es F"raru el Prize

Jenkinson for exemplary work m the public humanities in the Umted tates And Cia~ Jenkinson is bringmg scllo1ar and spon- taneous rmpersonauon o! the life and ideas Thoma~ Jefferson to the campus o! .E.ast Central Com– murut) College m Decatur. Mr J oo·~ performance will be gl\en March 29 at 7:30 p m. in the coll~e- Fme Arts Center aud torium Admission is free. Hovo ~ .. .se.;;tfu:g tonum \rtlJ ~udience lfu extemporaneous monologue ~ Where possible. shaped to the mterests of the audience. For example, before a

con\·ention of hbranans, "Jeffer- ally lasts about an hour. son" refers to his three libraries, Eventually, Mr. Jenkinson his system of library classifica- "breaks character" by taking off tion, his ''canine appetite for the wig and great coat, and reading'' and his contr butions to providing a brief scholarly the Library of Congress analysis of the text (irnpersona- Accordine to furnished infor- tion) he has offered the audience. matlon, questions are never During this time, he is able to planted in the audience. Histori- distance himself from Jeffer- cal and contemporary, political son's point of view, return to and persona!. polite and rude questions that he wishes to dar- questions are \\ elcome ify from an historian's perspec- 1\ir. Jenkinson attempts to re- tive, or explain Jefferson's opin– spond to questions from withm ion in the context of the Early Republic. The audience then the historical perspective - and asks questions about Mr. Jenkin- if possible the actual language- son's interpretation of Jefferson, of Jefferson, one of the most and about Mr. Jenkinson scho– prolific writers in American his- larly preparation of the prog- 1 "heart of the program'' and please contact Dr. Richard C. Ml establishes .Mr Jenkinson's irn- Ethridge, East Central Com- personatiOn as a bonafide hu- munity College, Decatur, 39327, N I manities program and it enables or phone 635-2111. ext. 234. NC.n 1 U l Kt:LORL) - CLARION-LEDGER ram. The ''question" period is the For further information, c

APPE tory.

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