The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-28
THE FIRST PAPER
1t Was Owned and Edited by
Woman in 1902.
Editors Having Lively and
Pleasant Time i'm Topeka.

! a woman" declared Mrs. T. O. PETER,
of the Eureka Herald, in speaking
Monday afternoon before the members
| of the Kansas Editorial association.
] The subject of the paper read by
Mrs. PETER was women in Journal
| ISM
This woman was Elizab beth Mallet
! and the Cate was 1902. Womanlike her
paper was reformatory in it's aims.
THE first newspaper published in
America was the Massachusetts Ga
zette and Reconsideration the death
of the editor his widow edited it in
most spirited manner for two or three
| years.
The many and varied lines of work
which falls to the lot of the owner or
a weekly newspaper, who is book
| keeper, solicitor, editor and business
| manager combined, have seemed to me
at times to be quite overwhelming.
The days are too short to do much
work along editorial lines.
'At rare intervals 1 am possessed of
an idea which leads me to think that
| perhaps something worth while might
| be evolved Then it is that the de-
linquent subscriber drops in to tell us
to stop the paper-he never reads it
anyway-then it is that word comes
| that the foreign subscriber whose adj
dress has been changed four times in
four months, is not getting the paper
and wants all the back numbers that
he had missed forwarded; then it is
that the transfer man comes in with
freight bill of $12.97 that hadn't been
figured in the months expense bill;
then it is that the boy comes up from
the press room to report that the spark
plug in the gas engine has worn clear
of'-'she refuses to go'-and what shall
he do? When these and attendant
wrongs are temporarily righted, and
a systematic search is begun for that
idea, it is gone, like the friends of
youth, far, far away
Again. when the prospect for one
good newsy paper seems fairly good,
then it is that the makeup man gets
the birth notice mixed up in the real
estate transfers; then it is that three
or four letters drop out of the dis
play lines of the best customers ad;
then it is that my own mistakes in
proof reading stare me out of coun-
tenance, and I sit down on Thursday
night firmly convinced that all is
vanity and wonder if I can possibly
begin Friday all over again.
The meeting Monday afternoon was
IN interesting one. 1t was joyial af-
falr. Personalities were hurled among
the members just in fun, and interest
ing stories of experiences in the bust
ness were told. The editors footed
their own horn. 1t was generally
agreed that the Kansas country pa
pers and the larger dailies were the
best on earth. A spirit of good nature
prevailed.
One of the interesting papers of the
session was read by Eugene Howe of
the Atchison Globe IT was on 10
Gals and Pay Locals" J
The Atchison Globe is noted for the |
mum Der of pay locals run.
"One local that brought US good re-
turns was the story of the ice wagon
and the fire department. Two neigh |
bors in Atchison one day used the tel |
ephone at the same time. One called |
up the local ice company. which prides |
itself on quick delivery, and the neigh |
Dor called up the fire department, her
gasoline stove had exploded. The ice |
wagon made it's delivery before the /
fire department arrived. Tt made a |
good story-and the ice company was |
glad to pay for it at advertising rates. !
"a good news item, according to my |
fathers definition, is a two-line local |
that everybody will read, and then !
say, Heaven sakes!' And that is the /
idea we follow In filling our news col |
umns'
Newspaper English is the only
English that the people today under
stand" wrote Charles J. Dillon of the
State Agricultural college, who was
not able to be present at the meeting. |
f. f. Kelley of the Toronto Repub
lican read a paper in which he dis
cussed carefully the subject News
paper English
LAS a country correspondent for
Southwest of Town. said he. ST
learned that there was such thing as
English.
THE editorial page of a Kansas
country newspaper is becoming more
and more a marked feature. 1t is in
a class by itself. Kansas editors do
not buy much editorial page dope. In
We find frequently the highest type
of newspaper English
Editors Present at Sessions.
From the standpoint of attendance tie
twenty-first annual meeting of the Kan
sas Editorial association is a record
breaker. Those who are here
Earl Akers, Stafford Republican.
Charles II. Browne, Headlight-Commer-
cial, Horton
]. Byron Cain, Belle PLANE News,
Anna Carlson, Lindsborg News
Herbert Cavaness, Chanute Tribune,
l.. NJ. Christy, Larned Chronoscope.
Clark Conklin, Lyons Republican.
A F. Converse, Wellsville Globe.
NJ. P. Gretchen. Sedgwick Paragraph
Roger Gunningham. Kansas City, Mo-
Bert Fockele, CIafTin Clarion.
Frank Fockele, Leroy Reporter.
Click Fockele. Leroy Reporter
L. n. Flint, Graduate Magazine, X. L.
F. G. Flory, Grenola Leader.
s. P. Gebhart, Pratt Union
f. D. George, Mankato Monitor.
A NJ Gilmore, Westmoreland Signal.
w. NJ. Glenn Tribune Republican.
W ]. Granger, Netawaka Talk.
Robert Nj. Green, Kansas City, Mo.
George Harmon, Valley Falls New Era.
Grant Harrington, Kansas City Key.
H. A. Hart, Hutchinson Gazette
NJ. c. Hemenway, Hope Dispatch.
w. II. Hill, Scanda Journal.
w. F. Hill. Westmoreland Recorder.
Irwin Hogue. Greenleaf Sentinel
N. W. Hustin, Manhattan Nationalist
E. f. Jones, Golf Advance.
Phil L. Keener, Scammon Miner.
E. E. Kelley, Toronto Republican.
lillian A. King, Topeka Issue:
Clyde H. Knox, Sedan Tisnes-Star.
f. D. Knox, Alma Signal.
Grant Landrey, Kansas City, Kan, Re
publican.
Harry NJ. Leslie, Robinson Index.
o. W. Little. Alma Enterprise. |