‘Big Read’ hopes to bring reading back to community

In a society where instant gratification lies in every electronic device, children and adults alike often forget about books. According to a 2004 poll conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), only 50 percent of American adults read for pleasure. The NEA also reported a 28 percent drop in reading among the youngest age groups polled. To combat these grim figures, NEA created the Big Read.

Milledgeville and Baldwin County’s first Big Read kick-off took place on Wednesday in the GCSU Magnolia Ballroom.

“The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.” The primary goal of the Big Read is to “restore reading to the center of American culture.”

It fosters the importance of reading and discussion of literature and the attendance of the facilitated events and panels that provided in conjunction with the featured book.

“It is about one community coming together over one book,” Nadirah Ross, diversity program coordinator said. “It’s not only a book, it is something to unite us.”

Speaking to an excited assembly of GCSU Early College students and other reading advocates at the Big Read Kick-Off celebrity speaker Mayor Richard Bentley officially declared October Big Read Month in Milledgeville. All activities center around Milledgeville’s featured novel: Ernest Gaines’ “A Lesson Before Dying.”

Dr. Elaine E. Whitaker, chair of the Department of English, Speech, and Journalism encourages all students to pick up “A Lesson Before Dying,” which chronicles a young man’s journey to discover his manhood before he faces the death penalty on a false charge.

“I’m excited for the Big Read,” Dr. Whitaker said.” I think we can wrap our minds around this book.”

“A Lesson Before Dying” is an exercise in forced friendship between Grant (the school teacher) and Jefferson (the convicted 21 year-old),” Whitaker said.

The Big Read kick-off began with introductions and encouragement from celebrity guest Mayor Richard Bentley as he welcomed students from Georgia College Early College and community members.

President Dorothy Leland discussed her appreciation for reading before reading a passage from Gaines’ novel.

“I care so much about reading that I am honored to read the opening,” Leland said.

Mr. Allen Martin, assistant superintendent of Baldwin County School, spoke directly to Early College students on the importance of reading, and encouraged them to not only pick up a copy of “A Lesson Before Dying,” but to actually read it.

“Please, don’t give up on reading,” Martin said.

The Big Read encourages everyone, including busy students at GCSU, to read for fun.

“Students have to read for their coursework all the time,” Leland said. “But they need to also read for pleasure.”

The kick-off concluded with participants being allowed to take a book home. Each partaker was encouraged to go on stage, pick their book, and sign their name on the inside cover commemorating the opening of the Big Read.

“People have disconnected from reading,” Milledgeville resident Irwin Gates said. ” The Big Read program is a good start to get the community thinking together.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 3 2008. 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