Oral history with Carol Johnston Lindley

              Oral history with Carol Johnston Lindley
F341.5 . M57 vol. 739
Funding for this project provided by The Mississippi State Legislature, The Mississippi Humanities Council, The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi.
This transcription of an oral history by the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage of The University of Southern Mississippi may not be reproduced or published in any form except that quotation of short excerpts of unrestricted transcripts and the associated tape recordings is permissible providing written consent is obtained from the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. When literary rights have been retained by the interviewee, written permission to use the material must be obtained from both the interviewee and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Please call ( 601) 266- 4574 for more information.
Biography
Carol Johnston Lindley is one of three children of Earl Ennis Johnston Jr. She taught school for twenty- six years in New Orleans, Albuquerque, Houston, Vicksburg, and North Forrest. Following in her father's footsteps, she wrote a column while in high school entitled " Teen Times" and one in college entitled " Carolettes." She now freelances with the Hattiesburg American. She also grades high school English papers and practices calligraphy, creating wedding invitations to release stress.
Mrs. Lindley's husband works at the Bank of Mississippi. The couple has three sons. Scott is an assistant manager at Wal- Mart in Petal and is a first lieutenant in the National Guard. Brent is in the pharmacy program at the University of Mississippi and is planning to work for his doctorate of pharmacy. Walker is studying at University of Southern Mississippi and considering becoming a nurse anesthetist.
The focus of Mrs. Lindley's interview is her personal observations of her father, Earl E. Johnston Jr. Johnston was born in 1917, the son of Earl E. Johnston Sr. and Grace Buchanan Johnston. The family moved to Grenada, Mississippi, in 1928, where Johnston attended Grenada High School. He played baseball, was a member of the band, and started the school's first newspaper.
While in high school, Johnston worked part- time for the Grenada Daily- Star. After graduating from high school he worked for the Jackson Daily News, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and The Clarion- Ledger. In 1942 he became full owner of the Scott County Times. With the help of his wife, Fay Martin Johnston, he was able to turn the fledgling newspaper into a profitable enterprise. Johnston served as the publisher of the Scott County Times for forty- one years, stepping down in 1983.
During his long distinguished career, Johnston earned many journalism awards. He was a frequent winner of Mississippi Press Association awards and was honored with the University of Southern Mississippi's with the Mississippi Medalist/ Student Printz Award for outstanding contributions to Mississippi journalism. He served as the second- youngest president in the history of the Mississippi Press Association in 1949 and was inducted into the Mississippi Press Association Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also a member of Sigma Delta Chi. mus- coh. lindleyc. doc Page 1 of 24