Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-10-20
LISTEN FOR A MINUTE


Modern life shows an increasing tendency among the
generation to forsake the old home dhe cali
is do the greater things the bg world where adventure
and achievement holds out its lure E 81 years the
Belt Valley Times has witnessed chroned the depart
of young and young home community
into the great unknown fields of endeavor and has found
keen pleasure noting their progress its rcked back
the old home nest by letter occasional visit From the
thousands of small town communities recruited the
that makes the nation what it is today We often wonder
how much the inspiration to accomplishment is given the
people of the community by the accounts of the
of those from the home who have gone
world and their good fortune made known through the col
of the Belt Valley Times.
This is only idea that occurred to in analyzng
the place of the country newspaper the community The
interest that the old home paper has to who soourn
ing in the outer world well known that there no
ssity for enargng that question The real question
what does the home paper do for you What its
real status and where does fit into community life?
Personally, opinion is that all country weekles
good thing the community but some are better than
others. Perhaps few things that have tried to do with
our paper viii give better idea of personal opinion
taan abstract theorizng the subject. First of ALL
newspaper, whether country weekly city daily, is
business enterprise depending mainly its advertising
columns for 1t must have circulation in order
give value received for its advertising To get the crcua
ton its columns must be filled with the happenings of
the day and the week. which must be written in
acceptable and interesting to its readers well balanced
must contain all the interesting advertising in
modern display type and an editorial department. The
value of the latter be questioned but is accepted
such and well established part of newspaper of any
standing 1t is what is done and how well done in these
three departments that determines the of any
How has the Belt Valley Times fulfilled these require
ments W9hght dispose of the question by stating that
it has been published continuously for q years and let it
at that It fairly complete answer, but leaves
altogether the aims ambitions and the of failures and
shortcomings that have occupied the minds of the publishers
at various times in that period AT times thought
doing fairly WE'LL other times there has been
feeling that should have done much better
Beginning with the editorial department, will say
frankly that we have made tt sattempt mold public
opinion We felt qualified for that large task and
have been merely satisfied to give views upon any ques
tion of live interest in clear capable
debatabe question We have tried to be consistently
loyal to all home interests and believe that editorial col
ums have reflected that loyalty at all times.
t-T To many of readers say that have
oieed with their parents at their birth have ympathzed
with their youthful escapades given timely publicity to their
progress in school and graduation into the struggle for
livelihood 1t has been of greatest pleasures to
write of the made by the boys and girls of the old
home town who have elected to seek fields and
glad to that has been enjoyment frequent
ece we nave peen called upon 10 voice sorrow IN times OF
when language povertystricken thing
trey inadequate to convey feelings For mistakes
failures prefer the light and easy touch pass them
along with as little detail consistent with obligations
newsgatheres In the matter of news like to write of
the brighter things upbuiding optimistic things
that point toa better future but the of things
must be what the life of the community
In its and editorial columns it is intensely human and
must contain the shadows we'll the high lights of life
Our ambition and aim is and has been to make the Belt
Valley Times the best country weekly in Montana How
are to that pinnacle of enence is matter for
shall continue long permitted guide its
nies In furtherance of that end the mechanical equip
nent of the Times has kept with the progress of the
printers art Mechanically our paper speaks for itself
The foregoing is prelude to the campaign for ncreas-
ng our circulation during "Od Home Town Paper week.
which begins November We our paper to 90 into
very home in the Belt Valley. In of them does now
'ut want it in every hong We honestly believe that
worth every cent of the price asked for yearly subscrp
ion.
Another matter that almost forgot to mention is that
many families have daughters other relatives
Who establishing have established themselves in
lew and distant homes. Could you think of gift that
would be appreciated than subscription the
I'D home town paper Or perhaps you yourself sometimes
hnk of childhood and wonder what is going
he old home town If so the Belt Valley Times will be
lad to take subscription and forward to the pub
sher of old home town paper, and honestly believe
will get out of that two dollars than Of anv
imilar amount you have spent in time