Contact: Sammy McDavid
Henry F. Meyer
At an Oct. 3 public ceremony, Mississippi State officially renames its Student Media Center as a memorial to former university journalism instructor Henry F. Meyer of Starkville.
The program begins at 10 a.m. in front of the media center, which houses offices of The Reflector, the student newspaper, and "The Reveille," the yearbook. The center is adjacent to the University Florist on Lee Boulevard. (Rain location: Colvard Union art lounge.)
In addition to teaching journalism on campus for a decade, Meyer spent nearly three decades as adviser to The Reflector. Former owner and editor of the Starkville News, he died at age 87 in 2000, nine years after being inducted into the Mississippi Press Association Hall of Fame.
Joining Jimmy Abraham, interim vice president for student affairs, as speakers for the event will be Mississippi journalists and syndicated columnists Charlie Mitchell of Vicksburg and Sid Salter of Forest, both former Meyer students. Mitchell is managing editor of the Vicksburg Post; Salter, "Perspective" editor of the Clarion-Ledger.
Meyer's daughter, Marjorie M. Goldner of Huntington, N.Y., will represent her mother Mildred, brother Melvin and other family members. Mildred Meyer now lives in Florida.
"In naming the center for Mr. Meyer, MSU will repay in a small way the years of love and dedicated service he shared with this institution and its students," said Abraham. "We invite his former students, friends and colleagues to join us for this special program."
A Selma, Ala., native and a magna cum laude graduate in journalism and English of the University of Alabama, Meyer came to Starkville during the Great Depression to work in his family's wholesale grocery. In 1946, he and his brother Morris became owners and co-publishers of the Starkville Publishing Co., which produced the weekly Starkville News.
The brothers also ran a job printing and office supply business. They sold the newspaper--now the Starkville Daily News--in 1960 and the supply shop in 1965.
During Meyer's years as editor, the Oktibbeha County paper received more than 70 public service and general excellence awards from the Mississippi Press Association, Mississippi Safety Council, National Fire Prevention Committee, and American Legion, among others. The Starkville News also became the only United States weekly paper to be honored for "exceptional service" by the National Safety Council.
After several years in retirement, Meyer accepted a position in the late 1960s as journalism instructor at MSU, where he earlier had served for many years as both radio and public address announcer for football, basketball and baseball games. He also had been the traveling public relations liaison and scorer for MSU football and basketball teams.
Though he retired from the communication department after a decade in the classroom, Meyer continued as Reflector adviser until May of 1999--approximately six months prior to his death.
For more information, contact Denise Kellum at (662) 325-2374, dkellum@reflector.msstate.edu; or Frances McDavid at 325-8935, fmcdavid@comm.msstate.edu.