The Sign of the George Press is the educational letterpress of King University, a program within the Digital Media Art and Design (DMAD) program. Originally founded in the 1970s by Dr. George P. “Pat” Winship, Jr., professor of English, to instruct students on typography history.
From 1994 to 2014, the Sign of the George press laid dormant in the lower-level of the Fine Arts Building, but in 2015 DMAD students in the Digital Media Business Practices course led the charge to revive the press as a teaching tool unique to the region; adding another valuable resource to the DMAD program. In the Spring of 2015, the Digital Media Art & Design students in the “Entrepreneurship for the Digital Media Professional” course led the charge on reviving the press as a teaching tool unique to the region, adding another valuable resource to the DMAD program.
Students were split into two groups and challenged to create an innovative and sustainable business plan to bring the presses into the 21st Century. Under the mentorship of Ellen Myatt and David Winship, son of Pat Winship who originally ran the press, students dusted off the moveable type and began to produce handprinted invitations and greeting cards in an effort to re-engage the King community with the Sign of the George.
In 2024, David Winship, son of Dr. Winship, was appointed Director of The Sign of the George Press. The Press is engaged in producing hand typeset documents for the University and community partners. During the Spring 2024 semester, printed copies of the King University Alma Mater were made for use at official university functions such as graduation, a workshop on using a poster press for the Birthplace of Country Music Museum (held at the museum), and production of a student-design, custom poster to celebrate the 93rd anniversity for Paramount Bristol Theater.
For further information, contact dbwinship@king.edu or hljones@king.edu
To purchase hand set and pressed products from the Sign of the George, please visit the Tornado Alley Shoppe website, here.
Sign of the George Photos
