NEWS

Jack stories, Appalachian folk tales topic of talks in Jackson, Hertford

CHAPEL HILL -- Jack tales and southern Appalachian folk tales will be the topic of free public talks Oct. 25 in Jackson and Oct. 26 in Hertford.

The speaker, University of North Carolina psychology professor Dr. Joseph Lowman, is a native of western North Carolina and seeks to further the region's storytelling traditions. He has won teaching awards including UNC's Tanner Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching and wrote the best-selling book "Mastering the Techniques of Teaching."

The Northhampton Memorial Library at 207 W. Jefferson St. will host the Jackson speech at 1 p.m. For more information, call 252-534-3571.

The Perquimons County Public Library at 110 W. Academy St. will host the Hertford speech at 2 p.m. at the library. For more information, call 252-426-5319

Settlers of the Southern Appalachian region, mostly from Scotland and Ireland, brought with them a colorful oral tradition that remained strong because of the area’s isolation, Lowman said. Some of the most popular stories involved a boy named Jack, hence the name "Jack tales."

Lowman will tell stories, discuss their origins and take questions. Some of the tales, like "Jack and the Bean Stalk," are children’s classics, but he also will present stories for more mature audiences.

The talk was arranged by Carolina Speakers at UNC, a statewide outreach program. Since 1993, the program has brought more than 90 faculty members to business, civic and community groups. The

speakers share their expertise on more than 150 topics, including 46 on North Carolina and the South.

For more information or to schedule a Carolina Speaker, contact Sandy Roberts at 919-962-1993 or sandy_roberts@unc.edu, or visit the Carolina Speakers web site at www.unc.edu/depts/uncspeak.

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Contact: Sandy Roberts, 919-962-1993, sandy_roberts@unc.edu