"KILPO' - RIP -- Just A Minute Radio for Wednesday 100818

            Wonderful to have you with us today –

 

            We engage in a bit of memory today since I just found out from reading newspapers yesterday that an old friend and editorialist to many of you (and me) passed away in Washington’s Georgetown University Hospital on Sunday.  His son, Kevin, said the cause was congestive heart failure. He was 89 years of age and would have attained his 90^th birthday on November, First.

 

            James Jackson Kilpatrick, born the son of a lumber dealer in Oklahoma back in 1920 -- is reported to have learned to read at four – and ultimately earned a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. In his early summers he carried papers -- and ultimately he aimed to be a journalist.  Eventually he ended up in the Virginia offices of the Richmond News Leader under the hand of the renowned biographer and editor, Douglas Southall Freeman, a Pulitzer prize winner – who wrote  highly acclaimed biographies of George Washington and Robert E. Lee – and profiled other Confederate Generals.

 

            Over the years I had occasion to communicate with “Kilpo” -- as he was known to his close associates – and found his books humorous and his interest in the correct and proper use of words – particularly in journalism – to be intriguing and most helpful.  He moved to a Virginia country place and used as his dateline – “Scrabble” – (near Woodville) in Rappahannock County -- commuting to Washington for interviews and TV appearances on “60 Minutes.”  Eventually, he took up a slower pace in Charleston, SC where I believe his first wife had relatives.  Later he returned to Washington where he loved to write especially about the Supreme Court. He took (and even presently some of the main-stream-media throw brickbats at his reputation) a lot of criticism for his defense of Sen. Harry F. Byrd’s  “Massive Resistance” to the Court’s sledge-hammer approach to integration of Southern Schools. He himself said about his writings at the time: …” Very few of us, I suspect, would like to have our passions and profundities at age 28 thrust in our faces at 50.”  

 

            So we have a skilled and professional journalist, holding his several views with passion and conviction, rather unfairly barred from the rarified elevation of the “Pulitzer” ranks because the political current of the times runs at rip-tide velocity in a direction out of sync the present journalistic ‘fashion’.

 

It’s too bad, but in my view “Jack” Kilpatrick, both as a thinker and writer, is head and shoulders above the vast majority of what passes for in most cases as scribblers in the “Fourth Estate.” I’m glad to have known him at least from a distance and benefitted from his love of “the right word” and passion for excellence in his profession.  He gave it his best.  I join with those who knew him better and found him universally respected as a gentleman who held and advocated his views with verve, honor and propriety. 

 

OK….  enough for a Wednesday. Time to put it to bed. (J)

 

Cordially, IN HIM

 

Jack

 

Delayed audio link:

 

http://www.wmuu.com/blog/category/audio/just-a-minute/

 

“JUST A MINUTE”

 

“KILPO” - RIP

 

MizP: Just A Minute:– You look sad, Mr. Jack – Somethin’ wrong?

Jack:  Sorry -- didn’t know it showed, Miz Pearlie.

Homer:  You jist seem a little subdued, Mr. Jack.

Jack: I just found out yesterday a friend I knew in Washington passed away Sunday.

BB: Sorry Mr. J… Ennybody we know?

Jack:  Possibly -- his name is James J. Kilpatrick.

MizP: Oh I ‘member  -- He uster write a  column ‘bout usin’ rite words.

Jack: Or using words right, Miz Pearl.  He died at Georgetown University Hospital.

BB: That-ut’s where they took Prezdint Reagan when he  was shot – right.?

Jack: Right, Mr. Billy.  Kilpatrick was also on 60 Minutes.

MizP: Oh yeah… I dint see hit much -- he had argamints with a lady journalist.

Jack:  They sort of set the pace for all the arguing we see on TV these days.

Homer: He wrote frum out in th’ country, place called Scrabble… ?

Jack:  Actually, it was a rural place he  had in Rappahannock County, Virginia.

MizP; Virginia. – You frum Virginia ain’t you Mr. Jack.

Jack: Yes… My brother still lives near Roanoke.

MizP:  Ahm sorry you los your fren. 

Jack:  I collected a few of his books… about writing. For about ten years he was the Editor of

            Richmond News Leader and wrote a lot about the Supreme Court.

MizP: I member him writin’ ‘bout usin’ too many words… unnecessary words.

Homer: Ah remembers that-ut too…

BB: Homer, seems like we drowns in words these days…

Jack: I learned a lot from him and his books – I believe he wrote nine.

Homer: How many you have?

Jack: Four I think … Anyway… we’ll miss him… he stopped writing his column in 2009.

MizP: Ah’m sorry Mr. Jack…

Jack: Thanks Miz P… The important thing though is to remember is to be ready…

MizP: Tha-uts rite, Mr. Jack… an thank you fer remindin’ us.

Homer: And th’ truth kin make us free…

Jack: Excellent Homer… Times up… see you next time … I’m Jack Buttram.  (END) 

         

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