The morning call., 1891-08-12
NEWSPAPER WOMEN.
An Interview With Mrs. Sally Joy
White of The Boston Herald.
The Story Of Would-Be Woman Journalists
Early Struggles to Obtain Foothold
in the Profession.

Mrs. Sally Joy White of the Boston Her
aid, whose name has for years been the in
SEPARATION, as Ter work has been the admira-
lion of the feminine journalistic aspirant,
east and west, north and south, in this great
land. is staying at the Lick House in this
city, and to a CALL representative who
waited upon her yesterday she gave an in
tereSting account of some of her expe-
Iiences in the journalistic line.
The greatest newspaper woman in Amer
lea must be past middle age, though she is,
in appearance, at once charmingly youthful
and yonthfully charming, as woman IS
apt to be whose life has been spent in ac-
tive, healthful mental labor.
Her account of how she entered journ al
ism was full of interest. One could al most
see, as she told about her. the trem bling.
nervous, yet determined girl marching up
TO tile editorial rooms of the Evening Post,
making the cool proposition 10 the man
aging editor that she be sent By that paper
to Vermont TO report great meeting to be
held there by the leading New Englanders,
in hope Of bringing before the Legislature of
that State recommendation to introduce
woman suffrage clause in the State Consti-
tuition.
Il had always intended to be a writer"
she said to THE MORNING CALLER, "but
newspaper work had never entered my
head until l was introduced to a woman re-
porter from the New York Tribune at
woman suffrage meeting in Boston Just after
the war.
Il was young girl, still in my teens. l
had had eight months experience as q
teacher, in which calling L successfully
demonstrated myself to be an entire, ignO-
IN n HiSrraapfu1 faiIura and I tunE a
mighty resolution TO leave that work.
so | went to the editor of the Post. |
was very young and very small, and felt
still younger and smaller when that stately,
courteous gentleman, rising and looking
down upon my inslguihcance, asked me
kindly:
what can l do for you. my dear?'
81 don't know as you can do what want
you TO-, 1 stammered but l am going to
ask And l made known my errand, add
ing that if New York could send woman
reporter to Massachusetts TO report a suffrage
meeting | thought Boston ought to send one
TO Vermont to report another.
"'What do you know about Vermont?
was his next question.
That was my strong point. had been
born and raised there. 1 know all about
the State l replied, and nearly every one
of note in it, He talked with me about
fifteen minutes, and then wrote me out
check for $780, and told me to go and report
eral weeks, during which time 1 wrote a
series of letters to the Post that attracted
some little attention, and when | returned |
was given a regular position on the paper.
Il was the first woman reporter who ever
worked on Boston paper. | went to the
city editor every morning, took my detail
and went about 1t. If l was sent to write
up show window put the same energy
and th0roughneSS into my story as | would
have put into a far loftler effort and that
has hHRU Tuia all life / ramainaI
with the Post until | married, and then
thought to retire from newspaper work and
be devoted and dutiful wife. Soon after
my marriage, however, the Telegraph made
me hue offer, and, my husband telling me
TO do as thought best, [ decided to accept
it. After several years with the Telegraph
l was offered an advantageous connection
with the Herald, with which paper l have
been for ten years, being still identified
with H."
The pleasant chat then branched off upon
personal "reminiscences, in which Mr.
White, who has accompanied his wife to
this Coast, took part. On the mantel be-
side Mr.. White stood four photographs of
the children of this happy couple. Two
beautiful grown daughters, grown son
and charming miss Of II, who apparently
inherits her mothers genius, as, young
though she is, she has already had story
accepted by Wideawake, anu is the re-
cipient Of orders for special articles.
" Have you ever done night work, Mrs.
WniteY asked the caller.
- have taken my morning paper home
from the Office" replied the lady, land
read it before going to bed. l have done
every description of work and have never
In my life received any discOurtesy at the
hands of newspaper man. / have always
found them kind, thoughtful, helpful and
respectful, as l believe every woman Will
who does her work faithfully, in earnest
womany fashion, maintaining her self-re-
spect and minding her own business"
Mrs. White spoke with great enthusiasm
OF her chosen profession as adapted to the
abilities and capabilities of women. Women
are needed on the daily press. They have
a definite work to do, and if they take hold
Of il, bravely, earnestly, self-reSpectingly,
there is no reason why they should not
succeed, if their taste lies in that direction.
Journalism affords a grand field for true
work by men and women.
The CALL representative Thoroughly en-
joyed the half-hour. The fact that she has
been engaged in newspaper work for a score
OF more years has not left asinge blue-stock-
Ing faint upOn Sally Jay White. She is
above medium height, with well-rounded,
graceful figure, mass of dark, unsilvered
hair, most bec0mingly arranged about a
face of unusual attrRctiveness. Her dark
eyes are full of friendly shrewdneSs, her
strong. shapely hand is given those whom
she greets, with the warm grasp of thorough
gOodfellowship, and she is, in appearance
attire and manner a charming woman, as
Nas well as brainy one.
Mrs. White goes East in few weeks, but
will return, during the winter, to be with
her husband, who being forbidden by his
physician to brave the rigOrs of the East
eIn winter, has been persuaded TO open a
studio in this city.