Author Archives: Doug Cumming

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About Doug Cumming

Doug Cumming is an associate professor emeritus of journalism at Washington & Lee University with 26 years experience at metro newspapers and magazines. After getting a Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill in mass communications, he taught multimedia reporting and feature writing at Loyola University-New Orleans and at W&L in Virginia. Earlier, he worked at the newspapers in Raleigh, Providence and Atlanta; was editor of the Sunday Magazine in Providence; and helped launch Southpoint monthly magazine in Atlanta. He won a George Polk Award and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard.

A mentoring program that needs volunteers

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Doug Cumming

Every Monday afternoon during the school year, Path to Shine brings adult volunteers together with a hand-picked group of about 12 students from Avondale Elementary School. The goal is lofty. The students have potential for academic success, even for college … Continue reading →

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‘Worldview’ Cul-de-Sac

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Doug Cumming

A favorite book of intellectual conservatives is “Ideas Have Consequences,” by Richard Weaver, a University of Chicago academic who dug deep into a lost intellectual culture of his native South. In another book, “The Southern Tradition at Bay,” he unearthed … Continue reading →

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Music School Scholarship Honors Former Student

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Doug Cumming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 19, 2023 Sarah Cumming was a dedicated student of songwriting, singing, guitar and harmonica at the Frank Hamilton School, a music school in Decatur built around the vision of legendary folk music figure Frank Hamilton. Sarah, … Continue reading →

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The Prickle of Truth

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Doug Cumming

Yes, we need to be careful about saying there are multiple “truths,” your truth and my truth. But I know for a fact that there are these two truths – the truth of an individual and the truth of the … Continue reading →

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Unsung Hero

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Doug Cumming

Ed Davenport, a high school classmate, died on 9/11 this year. His family asked me to write this obituary, and later, to say a few words at his memorial service, which I was honored to do. Edward E. Davenport, of … Continue reading →

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A prison ministry

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Doug Cumming

“I was in prison, and you visited me.” – Matt. 25:36 Twice a year, in the gym of Phillips State Prison in Buford, Ga., the love of Christ pours out on more than 50 inmates selected to be in a long … Continue reading →

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An Oregon Trek

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Doug Cumming

Oregon, for the last two weeks, took us to burned-over pine forests and evergreen mountains, Lavaland and the High Desert, dazzling cool days and 105-degree smog so thick the sun was like dried blood. We crossed the Columbia and we … Continue reading →

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Across the Fractured Land

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Doug Cumming

We flew for four and a half hours across the land, stuffed into a full Delta airliner four rows apart, no view of the land. No earbuds, no room to reach them in my shoulder bag under the seat, I … Continue reading →

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The Frank Hamilton School of Music

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Doug Cumming

[from my profile of Frank Hamilton in Salvation South] I guess you could say I became part of the Frank Hamilton community before I met him. I realized this one Sunday afternoon as I sat listening to the Showcase, a … Continue reading →

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Mushroom magic

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Doug Cumming

A “mushroom hike” is a slow-moving thing. The two organizers of our hike last Saturday were debating which trails to follow, thinking the 14 of us would cover a mile or two. But one of our two guides, Sam Landes, … Continue reading →

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