Greenbelt cooperator., 1939-11-23
First Editor Recalls Cooperator Start
By Louis Bessemer

their homes, Greenbelt's first hundred families be-
gan fraternizing, planning community meetings, dis
Gus Sd ng town politics, waiting arrdously for the
opening of Coop store, and hoping that town
newspaper would appear
Opened for occupancy october l, 1897, by mid
November the town had civic groups b1ossomdng
out Like daisies in Maytime. Two citizens had drawn
up petitions and obta ned signatures to "start
operative weekly" and one--R. S. Sowen had in
dustriously created "bmny", showing attractive
front-page design, M tn fl cures, Lines, and typo
graphical suggestions neatly worked out.
Naturally, in an atmosphere Of this sort, some
thing had to be done to find medium for public
preston, and to establish permanent record of the
life and character of our town. For this reason,
meeting of the Greenbelt Jona1i site Club held
November IL when fifteen original members mant-
mously agreed to the Greenbelt Cooperator.
"Greenbelt's Own Newspaper" Volume 1, Number
burst upon the November ~, 1897, exactly l3
days after the first club citing. Bearing variety
Of local items, the green pages OF the Cooperator
started Sally Rand the way to National prom
tnence again when her letter appeared in print with
conf ession regarding her pgpledty, and obvious
embarrassment, the Of nbrazen outdoor
clotheslinen. Sally confided that she had "always
dried little tid-bitS of wearing apparel the tow
Ell rack in the bathroom" and when she ventured out
doors for the first time in Greerb cit to hang up
her clothes "for the benefit of all the men" she
fled into the house to hide her crimson face in
shame. In due time, Of course, Sally adjusted her
self to Greenbelt's "great open spaces".
With memory that proved almost wcaxry, Town
Manager Roy S. haden could remamber the first name
Of practically every child in Greenbe1t-and he
cont ined to do this, remembering the Of par
in-ard then "his technique broke down. The first
ISSUE of the Cooperator announced that l6o families
had taken up residence in Greenbe1tI
Copyreaders, reporters, and technical staff,
plunged into the business Of getting out non-profit
weekly with wf1agging zeal. The first issue
of the Cooperator-as we'll succeeding copies ap-
peared in mimeogr hed form for abo ut year af ter
Whi ch numerous improvements In product were eff
fected. The first issue of 10 pages carried only
advertisenent-a full page for Greenbe1t Con-
Services, Inc.
The first staff Of the paper had turned in reports
the first grocery Coop, the progress of our gas
ol1ne station, Greenbe1t's youngest Cd cdtisen-nOnth-
old Sonia Fulmr, the Thanksgiving Dance and the
policies of the Cooperator. The first eH torta1
dec1are that "1ife In Greenbelt Is accident. It
is the re suit Of foresight, careful planning, and
engineering skill. IF it isn't a community for fl
nancia1 gain, it is a town for the enrichment Of
life, and for the encouragement of better housing in
America"
Pioneers" which still stands a classic among
Greenbelt letters, revealing t heart and spirit Of
this town. The statement widely quoted by the
metropolitan press at the time. In this issue
printed reports concerning the election of Of
ficers Of the Greenbelt Citizens AssociA on, and
the Aneri can Legion Posts petition for a charter.
note appeared regarding re creation here, infor-
nation about student council, and other mat
ters about Greenbe1t' 5 school with its 81 pupils
and six teache rs. The and platforms of IL
candid ates for Town Council given. Mention Is
made Of the ervice available at Greenbelt's Post
office. The first gun fired the very contro-
verdal subject Of Greenbelt's transportation head
ache by Robert R. (fransportation) Pcr ter.
In this first cooperator issue, which is now re-
graded coveted collectors item In some quar-
ters, you lean how George v. Bradford received an
inv1 tation to speak about cooperative Enterprises
in Greenbelt" before group Of George Washington
University students. I've still wonder If Ger got
that speech off his chest.
You learn, too, that MRS. GRENBET gave promise
Of being alert, enterprising, modern woman. With
the help Of Annis Mrdock, Fannie schein, shea1a
Cone, Ruth Falls Ruth Hayes, and Dorothy Rider, flour
Last named are no longer in Greenbelt) were GET
ting first bridge clubs, girl scouts,
hous ehold hints, and humorous size tches about
HCooperat1ve Bachelors" Who lived M tn Robert Jacob
sen, first general manager Of co-ops here.
AS the first issue Of the Cooperator went to
PRESS happily recalls hurried conferences bang
ing typertters, mligt& ed streets. and walks,
friendly nei bors the hard work and good cheer Of
Rae S. Sowell, first secretary of the paper, and the
tireless devotion Webster W.. McAchren al