Carlton Ward
Jordan Wong
James Earl Jones delivers his convocation address, "The Necessary Arts: From Fishing Lures to Fine Arts." Jones received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts during the ceremony.
Carlton Ward
Jones, surrounded by students, walks from Wait Chapel to Reynolda Hall after the conclusion of Founder's Day Convocation Tuesday. Later in the day, Jones signed copies of his autobiography at Corner Pages, the campus bookstore.
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Wait Chapel was standing room only Tuesday for Founders' Day Convocation, at which award-winning actor James Earl Jones spoke. Jones filled his speech with ancedotes illustrating how art is integral in everyone's life.
Students, faculty, and community members came to hear Jones deliver his address.
Those assembled received him warmly, breaking into applause and laughter as he began the body of his speech with, "To borrow from my friend, Darth Vader, `Come over to the art side.'"
Jones's speech centered on his encounters with art throughout his life, from early childhood through his acting career. He recounted his problems with stuttering as a child which were overcome during high school. Once he was forced to read his poem "Ode to Grapefruit" in an English class and did not stutter, he began reading out loud and on stage as often as possible. "In one way or another, in one form or another, we are all artists," he said.
"Art can be useful besides beautiful," he commented as he listed Scandinavian furniture, cave painting and Native American art as examples of folk art, which was also a main topic of the speech.
One story he told was of a New York police officer who makes fishing lures that are also collected as folk art. Even fish believe that one of his creations "couldn't possibly be a lure," Jones said. "The universe is rampant with beauty."
Jones also discussed his ideas for how art should be taught. "I believe that children should have little rigid training in art as possible." He went on to say that he believes rigid training stifles creativity. He described children's amazing potential for creativity and his belief that all children should pursue art in some form. "There is no one right way in art, just many original ways," he said.
Jones then described his vision of the state of the arts in America. Government funding of the arts is an appropriate way to allow beginning artists to receive some support, he said, but after an artistic endeavor builds public support it can be weaned from government money. "I believe it is distinctly important for government, private businesses, grass-roots organizations, religion and individual citizens to support the worthy effort of the arts," he said.
Jones congratulated the university for its efforts on encouraging wider awareness of the arts through the events of the Year of the Arts and then ended his speech as he began, with Star Wars. "May the arts be with you," he concluded.
Students, faculty and staff all had favorable reactions to Jones's speech.
"He was inspiring -- he was a poor kid out in the country, yet he still made himself into a star," said junior Nakea Alston. "Yet he's down to earth and still remembers his roots."
James Dodding, a professor of theatre and the co-chairman of the Year of the Arts Organizing Committee, said Jones's speech was particularly appropriate for the Year of the Arts.
"He seemed to be thinking exactly the way we (the members of the Year of the Arts steering committee) have been thinking all along," said James Dodding, co-chairman of the Year of the Arts Organizing Committee.
"I was impressed that he said art, even in informal ways, had been part of his whole life, and can be part of everyone's whole life," said John Friedenberg, the assistant director of the theatre.
At the conclusion of Jones's speech, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by President Thomas K. Hearn Jr..
Several awards were also given during the convocation. The university's highest honor, the medallion of merit, was awarded to retired professor of mathematics Ivey Gentry.
J. Kline Harrison, an associate professor of Business and Accountancy, won the Omicron Delta Kappa Award for Contributions to Student Life. Gloria Muday, an associate professor of biology, received the Award for Excellence in Research. Also, the Reid-Doyle Prize for Excellence in Teaching was awarded to Helga Welsh, an assistant professor of politics.
Later in the day Jones signed autographs in the university book store and then presented a master class for just over 100 people in Scales.
Freshman Allen Roda participated in the class.
"At the end, he asked for the autographs of all the students that performed for him," Roda said. "He was having so much fun he stayed for an extra half an hour."
"He said how impressed he was in the talents of our students," Dodding said.