Digital Commons Network^™

Tax Calculation Scratch Sheet

Isaac Ross Papers

This slip of paper contains what appears to be tax calculations for bridges and county.

Calculation Scratch Sheet

Isaac Ross Papers

This slip of paper contains math calculations for an unknown purpose.

Draft Of Statement Of Account Fulfillment, H. T. Ellitt On Behalf Of Isaac R. Wade, H. T. Ellitt

Isaac Ross Papers

In this draft of a probate account statement, H. T. Ellett states that under the seal of the Jefferson County Probate Court, Mr. Wade has settled his last annual account and no money remains due to him. The statement goes on to advise on further documentation on the account.

Draft Of The Will Of Isaac R. Wade, 188?, Isaac R. Wade

Isaac Ross Papers

In this undated draft of a will, presumably Isaac R. Wade states that he wishes to keep his plantation going as long as the debts are paid and the interested parties are agreeable but outlines how the proceeds should be divided should it be sold. He goes on to state his desire that his son, B. H. Wade, receive a larger portion of the estate as compensation for the care nursing provided by him to Isaac R. Wade during his prolonged illness. An envelope addressed to Judge Isaac R. Wade in Claiborn County, Mississippi and postmarked Frogmore, Louisiana is included …

Considering Ai Adoption And Use: Promises And Paradox For Rural Education, Elizabeth Wargo, Juhee Kim, Jeff Simmons

The Rural Educator

This article explores the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within rural education, with a specific focus on the rural context of Idaho. While AI offers new possibilities for educational transformation, its implementation in rural schools presents unique paradoxes. Using a mixed-methods approach involving a statewide survey, working focus groups, and associated documents, this study investigates how AI can empower and challenge rural educational practices. Drawing on Rogers’s diffusion of innovations theory, we illuminate the AI opportunities and barriers perceived by rural education stakeholders. We conclude by discussing implications for advocacy, policy, practice, and research to ensure just and …

Examining Self-Efficacy And Gender In Rural Secondary Engineering Education, Laine Schrewe, Tiffany Karalis Noel

The Rural Educator

Addressing the gender gap in engineering necessitates a thorough understanding of self-efficacy, and this study specifically focused on engineering self-efficacy of adolescent girls in secondary school. It identifies patterns linking rural students’ engineering self-efficacy to other areas of their lives to unearth trends for students with high engineering self-efficacy that could be used to help overcome this gender gap. The study used a mixed-methods instrumental case study approach and clarified the relationships between high engineering self-efficacy and various aspects of life for rural students, such as academic performance, extracurricular activities, and implicit gender beliefs, thus offering critical insights for educational …

Evaluating A Research Experience For Teachers: Benefits And Challenges For Summer Stem Professional Development, Mark T. Felts, Darcy Tessman, Emily Simpson, Mark Nanny

The Rural Educator

This focus group study examined the participant motivation for and potential impact of the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program on rural STEM educators. Due to geographic isolation and low wages in rural areas, STEM teachers often engage in summer work, which provides practical, real-world applications of STEM principles and enhances instructional methods during the school year. By fostering university partnerships and providing summer research opportunities, RET aligns with the National Rural Research Agenda’s (NREA) priorities of enhancing community relationships and bolstering teacher preparation, recruitment, and retention. Findings indicate that participation in RET boosts teachers’ curricular skills, professional networks, and …

Outdoor Learning In Rural Schools: Lessons From A Positive Outlier Case Study, Lauren E. Jacobs, Christiaan G. Abildso, Adam J. Daigneault, Jessica E. Leahy, Christopher J. Nightingale

The Rural Educator

This study explored the barriers and facilitators to outdoor learning and outdoor activities in a small K–12 case school in rural Maine. The case school was a positive outlier (PO), providing significant outdoor learning and activity opportunities to all students during the school day. Outdoor learning and outdoor pursuits in school settings can increase student physical activity, provide opportunities for students to reap the mental and emotional benefits from time in nature, and help them make important connections to local culture. The positive outlier methodological approach sought to uncover reasons for the case school’s PO status and find practical strategies …

Grow Your Own Special Education Teachers: Lessons Learned, Jerrie L. Brooks

The Rural Educator

The special education teacher shortage is felt across the US. To address this challenge, 50 states and Washington, DC, currently have some type of grow-your-own (GYO) program. These programs often are an alternate route to licensure, preparing candidates who do not have an undergraduate degree in education to become teachers. The goal of GYO programs is to prepare teachers from the community for the community, with a focus on addressing the teacher shortage and increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce. The rural institution of higher education described in this article has implemented a GYO program for seven years. Through …

Identity And Autonomy: Schools And Lgbtq+ Students Amid “Don’T Say Gay” Legislation, Kathryn Watson

The Rural Educator

Iowa’s 2023 Senate File 496 prohibits schools from administering mental health surveys without parent permission, requires schools to secure parent permission for student nicknames, bans from schools discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation before grade 7, and bans from schools books that describe sexual activity. This exploratory interview study investigated how 30 educators and school board members across the state perceived Senate File 496’s influence on school micro systems, as outlined by Marraccini et al.’s framework for school-related influences on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors for LGBTQ+ students. The study also explored participants’ impressions of how the legislation influenced LGBTQ+ …

Teacher Preparation: A Foundation For Rural School Success, Sara L. Hartman

The Rural Educator

First appearing in “Why Rural Matters 2025: People, Place, and Possibility,” this article examines the policy landscape shaping teacher preparation for rural schools. Drawing on troubling policies being implemented across the United States, it identifies key trends that are contributing to teacher shortages and reduced teacher quality. The analysis highlights how these trends are experienced differently depending on the rural context and emphasizes the importance of innovative, place-based approaches. The article explores the consequences of policy decisions that do not account for rural realities and advocates for investments in strong, research-based teacher preparation programs. It cautions that the ongoing questioning …

Building Leadership Capacity In Rural Schools: A Regional University Partnership, Chelsea Feusner, Aprille Phillips, Po Hu, Michael Teahon

The Rural Educator

The roles of school building and district administrators in rural areas have expanded in the last decade. Expanded responsibilities are amplified in rural school districts where there are fewer administrators to assume a multiplicity of roles. Additionally, educator shortages make it increasingly challenging to recruit and retain school leaders. While larger school districts in metropolitan areas have developed ongoing professional development and support programs to help school leaders meet the ever shifting and complex expectations placed upon them, school administrators in relatively rural regions receive less support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore leadership constructs believed to …

Careers In A Box: A Promising Career Exploration Curriculum For Rural Youth, Kristine M. Ramsay-Seaner, Amber Letcher, Elizabeth Koob, Meagan Scott Hoffman, Laura Hasselquist

The Rural Educator

This article highlights a career exploration curriculum that was developed to support the vocational guidance needs of school counselors working in six rural, high-need communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. Based on social cognitive career theory, Careers in a Box was created to bridge existing gaps in career exploration curricula for rural middle school youth. This grab-and-go curriculum introduces participants to specific careers across the spectrum of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and provides them with hands-on activities associated with these careers. While program evaluation is ongoing, preliminary results indicate an associated increase in personal resilience in …

Application Of The Multi-Theory Model To Determine Predictors Of Initiating And Sustaining Stress Management Behaviors In Undergraduate College Students, Bishoy T. Samuel, Joshua Mann, Michael Welsch, Manoj Sharma, Vinayak K. Nahar

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Undergraduate college students face stress and concomitant mental health issues that can be mitigated by proper stress management behavior.

Purpose: This article examines the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior as a predictor of change in the primary outcomes of initiation and sustenance of relaxation-seeking behavior in undergraduate college students for the purposes of stress mitigation. The two main research hypotheses tested were that (a) participatory dialogue, behavioral confidence, and change in physical environment have statistically significant effects on initiation of behavioral change, and (b) emotional transformation, practice for change, and change in social environment have statistically significant effects …

Farmers Markets And Produce Purchasing Behaviors Among University Faculty And Staff, Kritika Gupta, Laurel Lambert, Jangwoo Jo, Selby Rebecca Entrekin, Georgianna Mann

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: This study explores produce purchasing criteria (PPC) and produce purchasing frequency (PPF) among university faculty and staff, a population often underrepresented in dietary behavior research.

Purpose: To identify distinct PPC profiles among university faculty and staff and examine how these profiles are associated with PPF and farmers market usage, while also assessing the role of demographic and behavioral factors in shaping these relationships.

Methods: Using a 29-item online survey administered to faculty and staff at a southern United States university (N = 175), three distinct PPC clusters were identified: health/label conscious, utilitarian, and no-specified-criteria consumers. Statistical analyses — including …

Telemedicine Kiosks: Can Technology Solve Rural Mississippi's Healthcare Crisis?, Babu George, Martha Ravola

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Mississippi’s rural counties face hospital gaps, clinician shortages, and limited broadband/device access that collectively delay care and constrain telehealth uptake.

Purpose: This paper assesses whether telemedicine kiosks can improve rural healthcare access in Mississippi while also supporting viable local entrepreneurship and community development.

Methods: A conceptual, policy-and-market analysis integrated narrative literature synthesis, secondary data and policy review, and 5-year financial modeling under two cost-allocation scenarios: an Operator Model (subscription fees covered by partners/grants) and a Network Model (subscription fees borne by the kiosk operator).

Results: Kiosks with embedded connectivity and diagnostic peripherals can deliver device-independent virtual care and directly …

Promoting A Culture Of Academic Integrity In The Context Of Artificial Intelligence: Lessons From One School Of Public Health In The Southeast, Gregory Pavela, Lindsay C. Aycock, Mercy Aula, Angela Sullivan, Matthew Fifolt

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

No abstract provided.

Supplemental Data For Gulf Coast Walleye Edna Survey, Kevin W. Jones

Research Data

This file contains the full eDNA collection and amplification dataset for:

Jones, K.W. (2026). Development and application of an eDNA protocol for the detection of Gulf Coast Walleye (Sander vitreus) in Mississippi [Thesis submitted for publication]. Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University.

Lauren Rogers' Library, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white photograph of the Lauren Rogers' Library in Laurel, Mississippi is pictured on this postcard. Street lights and tres are spaced on the green space between the sidewalk and the street in front of the two story, brick library. Six sets of double columns are at the front porch. The title of the card is written in white in the lower right of the image. An inscription is written on the back of the card.

The Underpass, U. S. 11, At Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of cars driving U.S. Highway 11 beneath the Southern Railway System overpass in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. The name of the railway system is lettered on the side of the overpass. Green spaces with flowers are on either side of the highway and people or depicted walking on the sidewalks beyound the green by the highway. The title of the card is printed on the upper right of the card.

Aeroplane View Of Masonite Plant, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of an aerial view of the Masonite Plant in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. Buildings, trees, a water tower, and several rows of materials are depicted. The title of the card is printed along the upper edge of the card.

Eastman Gardiner Lumber Mills, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A color illustration of the Eastman Gardiner Lumber Mills in Laurel, Mississippi is depicted on this postcard. Two buildings with smoke stacks beside them and a grain elevator beside a smoke stack are depicted behind several logs that appear to be floating in water. The title of the card is printed along the upper left of the image.

Episcopal Church, Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white image of the Episcopal Church in Laurel, Mississippi is pictured on this postcard. The church, a brick building with an arched porch entrance, a small steeple on the right, and arched windows is situated behind some trees, hedges, and bushes. The title of the card is written in white in the lower left corner of the image. An inscription is written on the back of the card.

Waynesboro High School, Waynesboro, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

A black and white photograph of four groups of children and their teachers standing in front of the Waynesboro High School is pictured in this postcard. The school building is a one story, dark, clapboard structure and there are trees on the school yard where the groups are gathered. The title of the card is printed beneath the image.

A Man On A Horse In Laurel, Mississippi

Pine Belt Region

This black and white photograph of a man riding a horse on a residential street is mounted on a two toned matte with "Laurel, Miss." written on the bottom of the matte. The man is wearing a three piece suit and bolwer hat. A white house behind a white picket fence is pictured to the right of the man and horse.

Early Childhood Echo (Ec Echo) Start-Up & Operations Manual, Lisa Long, I. Michelle Gaither, Ruby Brenner, Bradley Long, Emily Mcclelland, Malcolm Huell, Lauren Elliott, Katerina Sergi

Publications

The Early Childhood ECHO (EC ECHO) Start-up & Operations Manual is a practical guide to launching case-based telementoring and professional development using the Project ECHO® model. Prepared for early childhood programs and agencies. Adapted from Mississippi’s EC ECHO implementation (2023–2025) and aligned with Project ECHO® guidance.

Exploring The Attributes Of Varied Interventions To Reduce Firearm Violence Among Youth And Emerging Adults: A Systematic Review, Vickie Blakely Reed, Lashanda D. Brumfield, Maaz Ali, Traci Hayes

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

The death rate among children and adolescents, 14-26 years old, from firearms has increased 46% from 2019 to 2021. Among this demographic population, Black and Latino youth account for most firearm deaths. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used in conducting this study. Studies from January 2020 to October 2025 were identified through a search of PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases. Searches for the review included but were not limited to terms and phrases such as “gun violence prevention interventions for youth” and “firearm violence prevention interventions.” The purpose of this systematic …

School Climate As Primary Prevention: Mental Health And Violence Outcomes Among Lgbtq+ Youth In The U.S. South (2015–2024), Latarsha H. Michael, Brieah D. Hudson, Kenya T. Horne

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) adolescents in the U.S. South experience disproportionately high rates of bullying, discrimination, depression, and suicidality. Supportive and inclusive school climates are identified as key protective factors that can mitigate these risks and function as primary prevention against violence. This systematic narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed research and high-quality survey reports published between 2015 and 2024 that assess school climate, mental health, and violence-related outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth with representation from Southern states, including Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, 1,167 records …

Violence And Abuse Against Adult Stroke Survivors In The Deep South: Epidemiology, Risk, And Public Health Responses, Dawn S. Mclendon, Shaneka S. Patterson, Shreyas Gangadhara

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Adults living with neurologic disability, particularly stroke survivors, face disproportionately high rates of violence and abuse. This vulnerability is amplified in the Deep South due to elevated stroke burden, structural disadvantage, and persistent community-level disparities in both violence and health care access. We conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed, along with relevant surveillance and policy reports, to synthesize current evidence on the burden, patterns, risk factors, and prevention opportunities related to violence among adult stroke survivors. The review focused on elder mistreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, caregiver abuse and neglect, and financial exploitation. Findings indicate …

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Length Of Hospital Stay And Discharge Disposition Among Male And Female Gunshot Injury Patients In Jackson, Mississippi., Okechukwu Erinne, Deanna Howington, Sarah Mcgraw, Jonathan B. Lowrie, Matthew Kutcher, Alyscia Severance, Masoumeh Karimi, Leila Seidfaraji, Lei Zhang

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Gun violence remains a public health concern in the United States, with Jackson, Mississippi, ranking among the highest in gun violence rates. Understanding how sociodemographic factors influence clinical outcomes is essential for improving care delivery and resource allocation. 

Purpose: This study examined the association between age, education, employment, and insurance status with hospital length of stay (HLOS) and discharge disposition among adult male and female firearm injury patients residing in Jackson, Mississippi.

Methods: Data were obtained from the electronic health records of adults (≥ 18 years) presenting to the University of Mississippi Medical Center emergency department …