The Voice

Issue date: 4/23/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Sam Adamopoulos WCC music performance professor John E. Lawrence visits class and performs a song on guitar.

Many instructors rely solely on textbooks to teach their respective subjects, but Jon Lockard dares to be different by bringing real life examples to his classroom.

Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., students of various genders, ages, and ethnic groups gather in room 161 of the LA building. Their collective purpose: to learn about African-American Art and Culture. Lockard created the ART 143 class in 1972 and has been teaching it ever since.

The traditional pen-and-book style of teaching works in most cases. However, no book-regardless of how well written it is-can show the resounding power of the spoken words of poetry. Likewise, people cannot open a book on the history of music and hear melodies from it.

Lockard believes that, ideas have to be demonstrated and illustrated by using technology if necessary, and actual artists if they are available. This way the student can more readily identify the living arts and cultures in the environment."

On April 4, local African-American poet Debby Mitchell visited Lockard's class. A week later, the class welcomed John E. Lawrence, WCC's director of musical performance. These two artists share at least one thing in common; Lockard, who Mitchell refers to as her "father in the arts," has influenced both herself and Lawerence.

Lawrence, who is now an accomplished musician and artist, met Lockard through Morris Lawrence, WCC's Jazz Orchestra director.

According to Lockard, "Morris Lawrence introduced me to John and said, 'Jon, this young man is a seed, plant him.'"

Most of the students enrolled in Art 143 find the class interesting.

Their opinion showed in the presence of these two guests. They clapped rhythmically to the powerful, spoken words of Mitchell. The same interaction took place when they heard the blues-courtesy of Lawrence's electric guitar.

Recently, a few students enrolled in ART 143 were asked about what they think of the class.

Matt Stevens, finds the class interesting, and said "you have to understand the perspective of the time period."

Many examples of African-American art connect in some way to either slavery, or the struggle for civil rights.

"I'm learning a lot I didn't know," said Granetta Brooks.

Even though people seem to have fun in this class, a few things slightly discourage students, as well as Lockard. Some people are very shy; according to Mike Murray, "lack of participation makes (the class) boring at times."

In a recent interview, Lockard said, "I enjoy the act of teaching, yet it is painful to try and capture so much in such a short period of time."

Despite this negative factor, Lockard still teaches and influences many aspiring artists in his class, much like he did with Mitchell and Lawrence.

Although they may be unconventional, Lockard's teaching methods seem to be working out so far. Who knows what artistic talents rest within the students currently enrolled in ART 143?

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