Cougar Cry
7
This Wilkes County resident made a living
editing and printing several small newspa
pers. He also produced his own monthly
newspaper, The Fool Killer, for twenty years.
OK, here’s your hint...James L. . Still
drawing a blank? All right...here’s your last
clue...Wilkes Community College raised
money to pay to have a building erected on
our campus to commemorate his entire col
lection of poems, books, and writings. In
cluded was the equipment used to print them.
Well, I guess I have pretty much given you
the answer by now! Let’s see if you guessed
right...
(Answer: The building on our campus is
the JLP building; it was erected to contain the
works donated by Mr. Pearson just before his
death.)
Following is a little more information about
this man who was recognized for his contri
butions to the literary world.
James Larkin Pearson
In 1953, Governor William B. Umstead ap
pointed James Larkin Pearson to the post of
poet laureate. Though Pearson had little op
portunity for formal schooling during his
boyhood, he did become an avid reader and
poet throughout his youth. He worked on his
family farm until he was twenty-one,
(composing poems in his head while plow
ing), then moved to Jefferson in Ashe County
to learn the printing trade. (Many years ear
lier he tried his hand at printing when he
mixed berries to form ink and carved out his
name into backward letters. He used those
letters to print his own name on the inside
cover of a book he owned.) After learning the
printing trade he made his living editing and
printing small newspapers. Pearson used his
printing press (housed in his work building
behind his home), to print five volumes of his
poetry. Mr. Pearson wrote in rural dialect,
using everyday occurrences such as milking
the cow and plowing the fields for his inspi
rations.
He also used his poetry as a means to convey
his deep feelings for his wife and his deep
religious feelings. Mr. Pearson was a very
unique individual and his poetry and writings
make for a wonderful, relaxing afternoon of
reading. I recommend that all who desire to
know him better to frequent the library and
check out some of his writings. His portrait is
hanging at the entrance of the library located
upstairs, inside the Student/Learning Re
source Center (building # 1). If you’d like to
have a tour of the JLP Library which houses
his press and other memorabilia, just ask
Janet Atwood (in the upstairs library). She’ll
be glad to schedule a time for a tour. Get a
group and tour together! Then pass the word
around about James Larkin Pearson so others
will go.
Mr. Pearson loved Wilkes Community Col
lege enough to donate his life’s work to
us...the least we can do is to let others know
what he and his library are all about. So many
of the students on campus (as well as their
families. I’m sure) have no idea of the hard
work and dedication that went into raising
enough money to build the JLP library. Those
who wanted to preserve Mr. Pearson’s mem
ory and his works raised the money to erect
the library in his honor. Mr. Pearson agreed
to put in his will that he would only dedicate
his works to WCC if the college agreed to
have a building constructed. With hard work
and perseverance, enough money was raised
for the dream to come true. Mr. Pearson was
brought by ambulance to see the ribbon cut
ting for the JLP Library, just days before he
died. He was just shy of his one-hundred and
second birthday! On April 5'*’ 1971, then gov
ernor of North Carolina, Robert W. Scott,
declared April “James Larkin Pearson
Month.” Please help keep his memory alive
and our promise to him to care for his legacy!
Spread the word! James Larkin Pearson en
trusted our college with his life’s work. Let’s
be proud to acknowledge his importance to
Wilkes Community College!