Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-12-02
BELTS POPULAR POSTMASTER
TAKES HIS PEN IN HAND TO
DIRECT Our FERRANT MAILING
By r. H. Bemis

VI amusing yOd SAoAkn nVPC Fo@
will read it because I viii try to in
sert considerable useful information.
to the public in general among the
mass Of words the Editor has kindly
: permitted space. | do not pose as a
distributor Of knowledge, but while
have the opportunity l see no harm
in calling attention to a few matters
that, if corrected, might possibly
make my job little easier. That is
one reason for this effort, but if il
was the only one, wouldn't think of
writing at all. What / really wish
to do is to give few suggestions TO
the public which / hope will make
for better postal service.
do not think there is business
on earth--and by the way the United
States Post Office Department is thA
biggest business il, the wJrld--whcru
the employees are mr., loyal to the
service, han tina; Of the postal sys-I
tam There is faseinatnn IN thal
work Of the post office. especially in
small town like ours, that is har0
to define. / think possibly It lies
chiefly in the opportunity given to
cultivate the acquaintance, and
friendship hope, Of everyone IN TIE
community. The post office is often
the agent for good news and we on
the inside Of the wicket get = real
kick out OF smiles with which the re-
pected message Of affection, friend
ship. sentiment OF relief, IL received
OF course at times, we are compelled
to pass out 4 sorrowful communities
tion, and II this BY chance Is made
known TO as we feel regret ~
forced bearer Of bad news. We can
not help but learn much Of tn
affairs Of our community, for we ars
often made the confidant Of our pat
rvssAs We soon ieArn. indeed, we are
by official and very strict
rules, to hold in absolute confidence
III matters affecting the private
sffairs of our patrons which may
:ome to our notice.
At the general delivery window
he postmaster meets young and old
md while the average observer might {
wonder why and how he ever ac-
Iuired such a frozen, vacuous and
Utterly blank countenance. ! will ex !
,lain that incessant passing Of ala I
ndiess variety Of humanity, gives q
lin no chance to meet each and '
veryone with an expression reflec- ?
ing the mood Of the one that he is q
Ding business with at the moment I
t would require the facility Of aiil
and besides, impose ala a
ntolerabIe strain upon the facia p
muscles. Notwithstanding this out s
yard semblHnce Of imbecility, ! as Il
ert- the postmaster really feels 4 IN
irect interest in the affairs Of hi. h
atrons. He rejoices in their happin e
SIS and synpathizes in their SORROWS. g
ecause he realizes that IN way he Il
a small part of the system which a
ontributes in measure to both. Il
Before attempting any suggestions CT
,r the betterment Of the service I a
ish to say that during my four o.
ears work in the local post office pi
y relations with the public have 10
zen exceedingly pleasant. / do not d
tempt to say that my administra- hi
on has been free from mistakes, for lie
has not. No system formulated by bs
lman agency is perfect, nor prop tr
,ly ever viii be. but we are striving ne
the time to make the postal SER al
ce better and the main purpose Of er
is article is IN that direction. And tn
w we want little help from you. W,
Custom has decreed that the it
amp on a letter be placed on the
per right-hand corner Of the en-
lope. There is an important reason tn
r this from the postal viewpoint. ou
enables the convenient facing Of DR.
letters for cancellation and post TOD
Irk. This Is 80 well understood bs suI
; public that / venture to say that lee
lety-nine but Of hundred observe ma
But we do get a letter occasion pla
y with the stamp in the wrong lob
zee and quite often with the cit
iress 50 high up that the cancel pos
ion obliberates It altogether or in the
feres with its legibility. Write the
address enthe lower half Of the bun
Telope, thus leaving plenty Of anC
m for the. cancellation and post ger
rk. Also place the name and the stu
Iress Of the sender in the upper the
TT corner Of the envelope. This ira
.er is one Of the important sug- ser
tions for the betterment Of the jan
tai service.