APSU, Byrns Darden Elementary collaborate on Literacy Press
Ann Waddle, literacy coach at Byrns Darden Elementary School, knew her idea of a partnership with APSU was a good idea.Actually, it was a great idea, as proven by the Great Ideas Grant the project recently received from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
The project–called The Byrns Darden Literacy Press–is a collaboration among the school and APSUs Creative Writing Program and Goldsmith Press.
Ann Waddle, literacy coach at Byrns Darden Elementary School, knew her idea of a partnership with APSU was a good idea.
Actually, it was a great idea, as proven by the Great Ideas Grant the project recently received from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
The project—called The Byrns Darden Literacy Press—is a collaboration among the school and APSU's Creative Writing Program and Goldsmith Press.
Blas Falconer, assistant professor of English at APSU, and five creative writing graduate students will work with 100 fifth-graders at Byrns Darden to produce short autobiographies.
Then 25 of the autobiographies will be given to the Spring 2005 typography class taught by APSU Art Professor Cynthia Marsh. Her students will design and print an edition of posters using the works.
In addition, Byrns Darden art teacher Leo Adames will work with his students to create additional artwork for the posters.
“We hope to produce 30 sets of posters, which will be distributed to the participating schools and their administrators,” said Marsh.
The project also will include bringing the Goldsmith Press and Rare Type Collection—a unique letterpress facility that includes thousands of hand-carved wood letters, typesetting materials and antique printing presses—to Byrns Darden.
The involvement of the press in this literacy project is especially fitting, since the press was named for Arthur Goldsmith, an advocate for public literacy in Middle Tennessee.
For more information, e-mail Marsh at marshc@apsu.edu.
—Rebecca Mackey