The Polishing Cloth
A Publication of Georgia Perimeter College

Selection Process|Featured Essay|Editorial Board

The Polishing Cloth is a collection of the best student essays from English Composition, Developmental Studies, English as a Second Language, and other disciplines. The publication complements the course textbook by providing accessible student models. Actual student essays written at GPC are not intimidating and easier for students to analyze and critique. Students see that they, too, can write essays that people will actually want to read. Essays from The Polishing Cloth have been reprinted in other textbooks, so that students from all over the country are reading work by Georgia Perimeter College students.

The publication was started in 1984 by Sarah Larson on the Dunwoody Campus of GPC. We are all indebted to Sarah for her foresight and commitment. The ability of The Polishing Cloth to maintain its vitality for over thirty years can be attributed to many factors, the most important being the talent that exists in the students of GPC as the essays here demonstrate.

The Polishing Cloth won third prize in the southern division of the 1997 literary magazine competition of the Community College Humanities Association.

History & Governance Policies

Faculty members are encouraged to choose and submit to the Editor the best writing from their classes. Each student must sign a form stating the work is original as well as granting permission to publish. Each paper is read by three members of the Editorial Board and rated on a four-point scale. Final selection is made from the highest rated essays, and the editors attempt to publish a balance of the best essays from as wide a selection of courses and campuses as possible.

An annual reception honors the student writers, and awards are given to three students whose essays are judged best in category.

Submission Form
 

Editor (16th Edition) - Michael Hall:

"The vitality of The Polishing Cloth has always been derived from its founding concept: that is, to use good student writing to inspire more good student writing, to use this year’s text to create next year’s text. This emphasis on individual student instruction and recognition is one of the hallmarks of Georgia Perimeter College."

16th Edition Featured Essay:

A Gentleman

Author:
Tywuante Lupoe

Dr. Valerie Dotson, Professor of English:
"This is an exemplary ENGL 0098 essay because it demonstrates mastery of the traditional essay format as it provides a fresh, interesting approach to the topic to which any reader can relate. Tywuante provides honest, useful relationship advice based on his own experiences that can benefit both men and women who are in a relationship or hope to find one. Tywuante is a model student, and I think it is fabulous that, through this essay, he emerges as a role model for his peers as both a writer and a gentleman."

Editor (17th Edition) - Na Keya Bazemore:

"I know that education is power, and being able to communicate with people is power. The Polishing Cloth gives students from every campus at Georgia Perimeter College the ability to do just that. They have not only empowered themselves, but the students in this edition want to empower others. Writing can be a challenge, yet the understanding of that challenge is measured in the words put on paper."

Editor (18th Edition) - Kenneth McNamara

Editorial Board (18th Edition):

The current edition is produced and distributed by:
Kendall Hunt Publishing Company