By DAVID GREER
Member Services Director

Plans are well underway for the second annual Kentucky Press Association Journalism Boot Camp at Georgetown College. Again this year, Jim St. Clair, associate professor of journalism at Indiana University Southeast, will be the boot camp instructor. Boot camp reservations will be accepted through Monday, July 1, or until all slots have been filled ñ whichever comes first.

Public inquiries about the boot camp are far ahead of last year's pace. By mid-May, more than 50 individuals had called KPA for more information. Callers are sent an information packet. That's more than twice as many as last year. Although the boot camp is primarily a service to KPA member newspapers, openings in the class are available to the public and have been advertised in a series of statewide classifieds. The boot camp can accommodate 24 students. Several individuals have already reserved slots.

This year, the boot camp costs $595 per person. That covers three weeks of intensive training in journalism basics, all materials and handouts, computer lab time, a continental breakfast and lunch. Boot campers can commute from home or they can stay in an area motel or with friends and family.

Last year, the camp had a two-tiered price structure with commuters paying $595 and those needing lodging paying $995. This year, the price structure was simplified with everyone paying $595. Those who need lodging can stay in area motels or make other arrangements.

The course, dubbed a "boot camp" because of the intensive training over a relatively short period, is designed to provide additional training for inexperienced newsroom employees or allow newspapers to hire a person from the community who has potential, but no journalism background.

The boot camp will run for three weeks, five days per week. Class times each day will be from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and there will be meeting times available with St. Clair from 4-6 p.m. daily.

St. Clair's career in journalism began as a sports writer for his hometown newspaper. While in the Army, he worked as a reporter for the Army Signal Corps. Upon leaving the service, St. Clair worked as a reporter and editor for the Bedford Times-Mail. He's worked for business publications in Louisville and has co-authored two books and a number of screenplays.

Kentucky journalists and First Amendment attorneys will also serve as guest instructors during the camp. Topics planned during the three weeks include: understanding and writing news, spelling, punctuation and grammar, conforming to Associated Press style, brainstorming story assignments, meeting stories, feature stories and photojournalism.

St. Clair plans for the class to produce a Boot Camp newspaper during the final days of the session.