December 17, 2013
91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Northeast Texas Community College Presidential Scholars Tyler Reynolds (left), and Kayleah Cumpian (right) presented their work on the long-term Northeast Texas Congressman, Wright Patman, at the Fall Meeting of Texas?s Webb Society. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †The meeting was held at the University of Houston at Victoria. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Student chapters of the Webb Society and their professorial advisors attended the meeting. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Webb societies, from universities and colleges throughout Texas, cultivate Texas history on their campuses and in their communities.
91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Cumpian, from Mount Pleasant, presented her research on Patman as the ?Last Populist.? 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †She argued that Patman?s early experiences with destitution led to a money fixation, a hallmark of nineteenth-century populism. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Patman, she noted, did everything possible to empower economically the residents of rural towns and villages, and showed zero tolerance for symbols of financial privilege, such as Andrew Mellon. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Reynolds, the executive producer of the film on Patman, next showed clips from the film. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †In one, Reynolds, from Pittsburg, playing the part of Andrew Mellon, confronts Patman. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †The movie, filmed last summer by 91¿´Æ¬?s Webb Society in conjunction with 91¿´Æ¬ Honors, is a feature-length work on Patman?s career, and congressional crusades. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †The film, to be released in early 2014, features Presidential Scholar, Noah Griffin, starring as Wright Patman.
91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Honors Director Dr. Andrew Yox noted: ?Cumpian?s coherent powerpoint, and Reynold?s film filled a good sized hall, projected on seven screens. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †I believe that even the university chapters were startled to see a student group so far advanced in their year?s main history project. 91¿´Æ¬ †91¿´Æ¬ †Of course, we have many others to thank for this, including Professor Chuck Hamilton for his film expertise, a Whatley Enhancement Grant and many others from the college and our community.?
