Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-12
Thoughts on The Old "FiIe.'

LII redulDS UQc proceedings OF Ule
Wisconsin State Press Association
which convened in Milwaukee the
past week we were pleased with the
following short article on 1.-The Old
File" from the pen of Mrs. Geo. G.
Ginty, Chippewa Falls:
What shall | Gull from this bou-
quet of faded events and historic
yesterdays to bring back TO life, like
the little Rose Of Jericho to lay
at the base of our iftieth mile
stone? Herein is folded and pressed
the history of the years, the lights
and shadows of the past half century'S
politics, religion. power, glory, ambi-
ton, honor, science, courage, hone,
the deeds of the great and the mighty
and the miSdeedS of lOwly and wicked.
One column brings to our ear youth
and the joy-bells of happy marriage;
another the solemn peal as on the day
| our beloved Mckinley passed to bis
heavenly inheritance. The worst and
the best life-wOrk of all humanity is
garnered here in the volume of the
Old File In everything reminiscent
and retrospective it is SO difficult to
avoid sadness.
1.-THE past is SO apt to be colOred
with a touch OF gloom; the passing of
friends, the fading out of great events
the closing of centuries make this So
The Hind0O prOverb is very true:
Find the flower which can bloom in
the silence that follows, not that
which precedes the storm. All. if
those of our fraternity who founded
the old File and brought the first
contributions in the early days of the
stage coach and Indian mail runner,
could revisit US, they would certainly
quote with Shakespeare, The times
are out of joint, when they looked up
on the contents of the old File when
they read of the fast white mail, the
twilight limited, the ocean grey
hounds, the long distance telephone,
the liquid air, the automobile, the
electric lights, the wireless telegraphy
the rag time music, the hospitals for
stray dogs and cats.
''In the footprints of the years,
found in the old File,' blossom those
missionary flowers, the early day
country newspapers; strong, heroic,
healthy: those of the early days always
make me think of the hollyhock,
which l call the missionary flower, as
it first broke the harsh outlines be-
tween the grim old forest and the
settlers cabin, so those early day
newspapers came up strong, bright
and cheerful under difficulties,
through great tribulations, this
wholesome leaven which has leavened
the whole lump. Formulated, printed
and frequently edited by men of mea-
ger education, but great intelligence,
they often succeeded where higher ed
ucatiOn has failed"
Those who enjoy a long acquaint-
ance with Mrs. Ginty as we do will
say Its just like her." bright whole
some motherly woman who is highly
regarded by every member of the
Press in this state. A good woman
the widow of an old time editor
whose memory is revered by those
who enjoyed his acquaintance, and
his family has always been connected
with the Press Association. The
thaughts expressed in the above arti-
Gle bring back to our memory many
pleasant recOllectiOnS of our aSsOcia-
tions with Colonel George Ginty and
family whose history is interviewer
with that of Chippewa Falls and North
ern Wisconsin and the early history Of
the Wisconsin Press Association as
probably no other family in the state.
We enjoyed Mrs. Ginty's short article
and hope that herself, son and daugh-
ters are enjoying good health and the
good things of this world as we know
of none that are any more deserving.
We are sorry that business matters
prevented our attendance upon the
fiftieth anniversary of the Wisconsin
State Press Association in Milwaukee
the past week.