A native Mississippian who has spent his professional lifesizing up talent for the show business industry is coming to thearts school this week to see what potential stars-in-training areresiding there.

Amory’s Sam Haskell, a retired agent who served as vicepresident and worldwide head of television for the entertainmentgroup William Morris Agency, will make his rounds at theMississippi School of the Arts Wednesday to meet and counsel thestudents, see the facilities and sign copies of his book, “PromisesI Made My Mother,” a memoir about his principled journey throughthe industry. The book signing will occur at 4:30 p.m. and is opento the public, and $10 from every sale will be donated to the MSAFoundation to help the school weather the tough times.

“I am in awe of the Mississippi School of the Arts inBrookhaven. They have beat the odds, stayed strong – and open – inspite of funding being cut and support dwindling,” Haskell said inan e-mail. “That’s why I want to go there, speak, sell my book anddonate the proceeds to support this wonderful school and theircurriculum.”

The book signing will be the perfect opportunity for the publicto meet one of Mississippi’s most successful sons, but it’s whatHaskell sees and the message he delivers beforehand that might leadto the development of the next famous name from the MagnoliaState.

“Every student exposed to the arts … will benefit,” he said.”Exposure to the arts gives every student a complete education,gives them more of a presence and a confidence when speaking inpublic or in private that students not exposed to the arts simplydon’t have.”

MSA Director Suzanne Hirsch said Haskell’s advice could givestudents an inside track in their arts careers.

“For many of our students who want to go into the entertainmentindustry, he can bring them an incredible amount of expertise,” shesaid. “He can talk to them about what standards to expect, what tolook for, what pitfalls to watch out for as they start to move inthis area of their career.”

Several of the arts disciplines taught at MSA deal with publicperformance, and many arts students are aiming for a life on thestage.

“Our literary students want to be published, we have studentswho want to be commercial singers, classical singers, theatrestudents who want to make it in Hollywood,” Hirsch said.”Everything from the classical to the commercial side of things,(William Morris Agency) represents.”