...Perhaps it
is this legacy that cemented the early settlers, native and European alike,
to the river and the land. For whatever reason, a great institution
grew up among the tall pines and rolling hills near that river. This
is that story...
The land and the people that
populated the lower Pearl River valley were a people of vision. A
mixture of Scots Irish settlers who came from the eastern seaboard and
northern timber barons...these people found richly forested lands.
When they came, the area was covered with a virgin pine forrest filled
with ancient pine trees measuring 3 to 4 feet in diameter and 120 feet
tall. Most of the old pines were 200 to 300 years old.
These same people brought
with them a vision of a better life. Pearl River College was one
realization of that vision. This documentary tells about the vision
and the college it became.
the narrator
Dr. John A Grant, Jr. brings
a special feeling to the narration. His life has been intricately
entwined with Pearl River College since he was a child. The son of
a instructor of physics at Pearl River, some of Grant's earliest memories
are of growing up on Pearl River's campus.
After graduating from Pearl
River College, Grant went on to finish his formal education at the University
of Mississippi.. He began his teaching career at Harrison Central,
where he taught for 3 years, then he came back to Poplarville where he
spent 8 years at Poplarville High as a Mathematics instructor. In
1979 he began teaching Physics at Pearl River College. He became
the department chair in 1990. In 2000, Grant became the Dean of Academic
Affairs at Pearl River Community College. Grant serves as an ex-officio
member of the Museum Advisory Board.
Grant resides in Poplarville,
Mississippi where he serves as a city alderman. He is married to
Gwen Gandy and has 2 children.
the director
Ronn Hague, born in Poplarville,
is a graduate of Pearl River College and now serves as the school's webmaster,
year disk advisor and museum director. He wrote the script and directed
the documentary.
Hague spent more than four
years researching the school's history in preparation for this project,
and the project was almost two years in production. A skilled director,
his ability behind the camera has earned him four College Public Relations
Association of Mississippi awards in the past two years, and his writing
has gained him numerous accolades.
Hague also wrote and produced
the music for the documentary. He has been composing, arranging and
performing music for more than two decades. He has performed his
works on radio and television. He wrote and performed the theme song
for a nationally syndicated, Houston based television show in the seventies.
the dvd
The documentary recently
(2005) won the Certificate of Commendation from the American Association
for State and Local History (AASLH). The national honor was awarded
at the 2005 Awards Ceremony in Pittsburgh, PA.
The documentary is available
on DVD. This documentary covers the entire history of the school
and includes some local history that sets the background for the school's
history. The 71 minute program is divided into 29 chapters for easy
access to particular parts of the history.
To purchase the DVD, mail
your check for $25 (please include $3 for postage) to
The Pearl River College
Story
PRCC Museum
101 Highway 11 North
Poplarville, MS 39470
Make your check payable to:
PRCC Development Foundation. On the "for" line, write museum
fund.
