The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-02
Wardell Was
Right
By VIVA wINsLoW
(. by Mcclure Seusrap ger sypdiczts
MELf Service

f OF The morning Breeze. toii} beFtti
wns almost tempted TO draw her
T light coat closer about her, so cold
vas the gaze OF the clever execn.
tive. Instead she continued 10 look
steadily al him. her large brown
eyes as sincere as they were beau
ifuL
Il don't want TO be a society re
+ porter. Sir Wardell," she said with
draw that reminding one OF Il
+ lazy southern stream rolling through
Kentucky blue grass. added Infinite.
iy 10 the charm OF her low. throaty
voice.
I've been general assignment
reporter Tor two years. and ! want
10 continue 10 be one I'm twenty
three years old and hellbent 10 get
some@ here. and can't get there by
being n society reporter"
I'm sorry. Miss Dewitt" Wardeli
said curly. but as I've just said
Ne have no place here FOR you. ]
don't hire women reporters. ! don't
ike them
with which remark he lowered
nls eyes to some copy which lay on
his desk. so Tar as be was con
eerned the Interview vas over MOI
so with Polly.
Il don't think Il Is fair OF you to
lei personal prejudice against
women enter into business"
Ordinarily Wardell would have
ignored a remark Ike that but
somehow Polly's tone caused hlm
to look up at her again. Then he
said:
There are very few good women
reporters and those that are good
get married and quit their Jobs"
How do you know. II you've
never hired anyT flashed Polly.
The young managing editor was
about 10 answer her again when
Ted Lowry. the city editor, called:
Hey. Tom. where's Townerl There's
been an accident at Market and
Broad streets and haven't got any
body here to send out"
'Towner's out OF town." snapped
wardelL Get Blnny on the phone.
and tell him 70 go over
i can't" said the city editor.
Hes at the ere up In the North
End"
Polly bad been listening ayidly 10
the conversation Turning quickly
to the managing editor. she said:
let me cover this accident It'u
give you an opportunity TO learn
nru hand whether women are good
f reporters
E Wardell looked az her for a sec
ond. and then. smiling for the arsi
sime since Polly had been In the of
( aee said: ~okay. lady. 80 to H.
Let's see what you can do"
When Polly returned with the de
tails of the accident she sum
marized the story for the managing
editor. and asked
How much DO Jon wantT
about a hair column" Then
wlnklug AT the city editor. he add
ed and Il had better be good"
After reading polly's story. Ward
E eli tossed Il over 20 the city desk
without even looking at her. Ills
Z only comment was: Not bad for o
T girl reporter
do / get a job5@ asked Polly
Eyes. guess you're worth a trial
E Bu, you probably won't stay long
/ Just about the time you are begin
ming to get valuable to Us you un.
doubtedly win get married"
You needn't worry about that
I Polly laughed
Il won't" Wnrdell retorted.
One evening about two months
later the managing editor stopped
az Polly's desk. and said: "Put some
powder on your nose and come
along to dinner. | want 10 talk to
you"
so far I've been wrong about al
least one woman reporter" Ward
ell began, when be and Polly were
seated ln a restaurant near the OF
fee You've been doing tine work
Polly. but I'm going to give you one
more test II you stand this III
take back all said the day you
came In for a Job. n you don't
you're through"
what is the testf" asked Polly.
you're going 10 help me cover
the two state political conventions
and II Is going to be tough Job
The first one is next week"
Polly worked harder during the
next two weeks than she ever had
worked before. But she had glori
our time. She was sure her worl
had been satisfactory. for Tom haC
been unusually kind. even tender a
times and because OF this. Polly
hardly could believe her ears wher
be told ner she was through as 6
reporter.
"You will find two weeks extri
pay waiting for you at the office,
he said. as the special convention
train sped them homeward. You've
/ mad vour last assfvnmanf