The Writer's Desk...

In Charlotte, N.C. there is a memorial in front of the ImagiOn Center to a writer named Rolfe Neill called “The Writer’s Desk” ..."Rolfe Neill, was a publisher of The Charlotte Observer and The Charlotte News, Larry Kirkland created whimsical sculptures of granite pencils, rubber stamps, a typewriter keyboard, and a tower of books to celebrate Neill’s passion for truth, the written word and the writing profession. Located on the Plaza of ImaginOn – a children’s learning center and partnership of the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County and the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, the artwork “serves as a place for people to gather, reflect, sit quietly or noisily, or create a spontaneous performance at an outdoor gathering,” said Kirkland. "

I especially loved one quote

In an article by John Brock, another Southern Newsman, I found an interesting quote from Neill..,

"Rolfe Neill, retired publisher of the Charlotte Observer, informed us one day that of the more than 600,000 words in the English language, only 43 words constitute 50 per cent of everything we say or write! This is not limited to Southerners but applies to the rest of Americans as well.

In fact, only nine words make up 25 per cent of all that we communicate. These words are: and, be, have, it, of, the, to, will and you. In this self-centered world, it is surprising that “I” is not in there somewhere.

Check it out. The frequency of the nine words in the following documents is: The Boy Scout oath, 25%; the Marines Hymn, 35.4%; The Miranda rights, 32.1%; the first five verses of St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians, 23.2%. You get the idea."