Never Forgotten

Flannery O’Connor lives on at Georgia College & State University through a week celebrating what would have been her 78th birthday.

O’Connor’s birthday is March 25, and O’Connor week will be celebrated March 24 through March 28.

O’Connor, an acclaimed short story author, attended Georgia State College for Women the summer of 1942 through the spring of 1945. Four years ago, Dr. Bruce Harshbarger, vice president of student affairs, came up with the idea that the school should celebrate O’Connor’s birthday as a way to educate current GC&SU students about this particularly famous alumna.

“When I moved to Milledgeville to begin my position here at GC&SU, the only thing I knew about the city is that this is where Flannery O’Connor lived,” said Harshbarger. “It would be a shame for students to graduate from here and not know anything about her.”

The aim of Flannery O’Connor week is to educate the GC&SU campus about O’Connor’s contributions to literature.

“Flannery O’Connor is an internationally recognized short story author,” said Kimberley Barker, coordinator of programs and promotions in Russell Library. “We have people from all over the world who come to visit to get access to her papers and things that are here. They realized some years ago that students graduating from GC&SU had no clue who Flannery O’Connor was…So they started her birthday week as a way to really educate the students about her as well as remember her, because she did contribute quite a lot to literature.”

The birthday celebration week has come a long way in the past four years.

“In the beginning we had cake, the Olympic torch was lit, O’Connor’s biographical material was placed on tables in the dining room and a display was set up along with a tape of O’Connor reading her stories,” said Nancy Davis Bray, associate director for special collections in Russell Library. “Beginning last year, we continued all of the above but added the Faux Flannery writing contest and the film fest.”

“I have been very pleased with how the library has taken off with the idea to celebrate Flannery O’Connor during the week of her birthday,” said Harshbarger.

This year another new component has been added to the celebration week. GC&SU students are invited to participate in an art competition by entering original artwork inspired by O’Connor and her short stories. This year’s theme is “roadside alienation.” Works in all mediums are accepted. Entries will be accepted through March 20 at 4 p.m. in Russell Library. The first place winner of the competition will receive a $100 cash prize, while second and third prize winners will be rewarded gift certificates from local businesses. Winners will be announced March 27 at 8:30 p.m. in an awards ceremony at Brewers Downtown Caf?. Artwork entered in the competition will be on display in Russell Library during the week of celebration.

An opportunity to visit Andalusia, O’Connor’s family farm, is being offered on Monday, March 24 at 1 p.m. For those interested, meet at the Milledgeville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau on Hancock Street to board the trolley. There is a limit of 15 people for this event and the cost is $5 per person.

Many GC&SU departments and clubs are involved in Flannery O’Connor week, including the creative writing department, the history club, the art department, the Museum and Archives of Georgia Education and the library.

“We’re really trying to reach out to the students and educate them about Flannery O’Connor and hopefully get them to read her works,” said Barker.

Flannery O’Connor graduated from GSCW in 1945 with an B.A. in Social Science. O’Connor moved on to the University of Iowa’s graduate journalism program. Recognized as a talented writer, O’Connor was then
accepted to the University’s Writer’s Workshop. O’Connor sold her first story, “The Geranium” to Accent in 1946. This story was the first of many that were published of O’Connor’s collection of books, articles, dissertations and theses. O’Connor died in 1964 from disseminated lupus erythematosus. Her works continue to be read throughout the world today.

“Nearly 40 years after her death, O’Connor continues to draw readers from every social, religious and cultural background,” said Davis Bray.

Barker remembers her own experiences of reading O’Connor’s works.

“I started reading Flannery O’Connor when I was in high school, and at first I was extremely repulsed by it… but I kept trying it,” said Barker.
“When I was in college I turned out to be this complete Flannery
O’Connor junkie. I really had a better understanding of what she was trying to do. She was an extremely devout Roman Catholic and what she was trying to do in her work is called ‘Southern Grotesque.’ She was trying to make people realize how disgusting they were and how much they needed God’s grace. Her stories are like written caricatures.”

The schedule of events for Flannery O’Connor week is as follows:

Monday: Visit to Andalusia, the O’Connor family farm 1:00 p.m.
“Good Country People” and “Galley Proof” (films) 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday: Lighting of the Olympic Torch 10:45 a.m., GC&SU Front Lawn
Birthday Cake and Ice Cream, noon, GC&SU Dining Hall
“Displaced Person” (film) 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday: “Comforts of Home” and “The River” (films) 3 p.m.

Thursday: Awards Ceremony for Art Competition & Faux Flannery Short Story Competition 8:30 p.m., Brewer’s Downtown Caf?

Friday: “Wise Blood” (film) 5:30 p.m.
“Anyone is welcomed to attend the film fest, awards ceremony, lighting of the Olympic torch and lunch in the dining hall,” said Davis Bray.

For more information, please contact Kimberley Barker at 445-0981.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 21 2003. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry