ometimes journalists leave behind impressions that survive long after yesterday’s paper has been tossed. Jock Lauterer originally photographed and interviewed Joe Henson, a Christmas tree grower from Crossnore, N.C. (Avery County), in 1982 for a story on the impact of Christmas tree growing in western North Carolina. The photo above shows Henson in 1982 with his granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Hicks.

Lauterer and Henson stayed in touch, but Lauterer didn’t know how proud of the photo Henson was until one Christmas Eve 15 years later, when Lauterer went Christmas caroling at Henson’s home and saw the old photo displayed prominently. So Lauterer photographed Henson and his granddaughter again, this time holding the original photo.

From 1969 to 1983, Lauterer founded, coedited, and published two community newspapers: This Week, in Forest City, N.C., and the McDowell Express in Marion. Recently he returned to Carolina, his alma mater, as lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and founding director of the Carolina Community Media Project.

"The project’s mission is teaching, research, and outreach in the belief that great community newspapers help strengthen great communities," Lauterer says. And because 97 percent of American newspapers are community papers that tackle local issues, he says, "It makes good sense for journalism students to acquire a deep appreciation for the type of journalism they are most likely to be practicing upon graduation."

Discuss this story.

© 2000 Endeavors, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. All rights reserved.