School to discuss legendary work of Ernie Pyle

Ernie Pyle, a legendary writer for World War II will be the topic of tonight's discussion at Tri-North Middle High School. The discussion leads up to Sunday's live broadcast of "American Writers II" from Pyle's birthplace in Dana, Ind.\n"The discussion will be about Ernie Pyle's legacy," said Marian Clark, Community Relations Representative of C-SPAN. "His style of writing and more journalism in general."\nThe panelists include Indiana University History Professor James H. Madison, retired School of Journalism Placement Director Marjorie Blewett and Bloomington High School South teachers Pam Gunkel and Carla Gardner.\nJoe Teeples, C-SPAN's Production Specialist, says that the program is considered a supplementary video for a live program on Sunday.\n"This discussion will provide an opportunity for the local people to express their opinions and ideas about Ernie Pyle," Teeples said. "Who he was and what he represented as a writer of World War II."\nErnie Pyle's career had a very big impact within the journalism community. Blewett added her feelings about a former IU journalism student in the 1920's.\n"Ernie Pyle wrote in a simple way, which was his style," Blewett said. "He focused on common soldiers and described the war so people could understand it. He became the most famous correspondent for World War II.\n"Pyle's writing stands out even today," Blewett said.\nKatherine Sinn participated in the presentation of Ernie Pyle's honorary degree more than 55 years ago. One person who's expected to attend tonight's panel discussion talked about her memories of Ernie Pyle.\n"You can always discover something new when you read his columns because he related to what I call 'little people,'" Sin noted. "He was always interested in average people." Said Sinn.\nFollowing tonight's panel discussion at Tri-North Middle School, C-SPAN will air a two-hour live program on Sunday, May 19 from 2:00 p.m. in Dana, Ind. on Ernie Pyle's heart-moving career as a World War II correspondent.\nGuests scheduled to appear on the program in Dana on Sunday are James Tobin, author of "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II," Randy Roberts, history professor at Purdue University; Rick Bray, the Ernie Pyle site manager, and Evelyn Hobson, a local resident who was instrumental in the development of the Ernie Pyle site. American Writers II is aired every Sunday until July 7 on C-SPAN. Both events are open to the public and admission is free.