The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-02-03
Turning Over An
Old Leaf
By PHILLIP A. GLADHEIM

There were faces to remember in the
Valley of the Shadow;
There were faces unregarded, there
were faces to forget;
There were fires of grief and fear
that are a few forgotten ashes;
There were sparks of recognition that
are not forgotten vet"
The passing of William Allen White
should remind US that the newspaper
office has successfully viewed with
the classroom and study in develop
ing men in the front rank of Ameri-
can culture.
There was a time that the student
Of culture and affairs produced his
best work within the cloister or aca-
demic hall. But today one finds the
culture-man in news office with
stacks Of papers, several telephones
and typewriter on his desk. Here he
plugs away with rolled up sleeves,
taking down hurried notes and striv-
ing to complete his copy before the
"dead-line." This regularity, coupled
with the necessity of making copy,
has been rigorous discipline for those
who could take it. The impervious de-
mands of reporting living history has
stimulated the best minds to a high
degree of alertness. And amidst the
daily routine of reporting events of
momentary significance many of these
men who developed a big nose for news
also sharpened their wits in many
another intellectual pursuit. And what
is more to the point, these culture men
of the news office succeeded in remain
ing human, interesting and accessible,
while their contemporaries in the
lecture-hall often became Unfortunately
dull.
Throughout America, in places large
and small, one finds newsmen that are
accredited by even the intelligentsia
as the best informed men of culture
in their community.
No one in New York City during the
present generation was more deserv-
ing Of the highest laurels than John
Finley, editor Of the New York Times
Finley was perhaps the most engag-
ing after-dinner speaker of his day.
His Witticisms were dressed in the
most fluent and classic English, and
his reservoir of anecdOte was equal to
any occasion.
John O'Ren, who writes Down the
Spillway" in the Baltimore Sun, is
none other than Gerald Johnson,
whose books and articles have a most
creditable place in contemporary
American literature.
And there is Folger McKinsey, the
Bentztown Bard, whose column, Good
Morning" has been a mine of beauty
and edification for many years.
Coming closer home, we have Paul
Dillon, editor of the Cumberland
Times, who writes Snapshots Along
the Way" signing himself as "The
Wanderer.' Mr.. Dillon's penchant is
chiefly that of the American theatre
His association with the theatre has
been over a lifetime. He is one of the
best informed minds of the legitimate
stage and has been in constant init
mate association with its leading fig
ureS.
For forty-eight years Frank Lee
Carl has been a member Of the staff of
Cumberland's newspaper. Mr.. Carl
was born in Hancock, Maryland, on the
Old National Pike. AS boy he could
look out on four arteries of traffic-the
Pike, the c. & O. Canal, the Potomac
River and the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. All four arteries were filled
with traffic in his boyhood This early
experience made a lasting impression
on him. He, from boyhood, was famil-
lar with humanity as a never-ending
professional current of life. Thus he
Las ut'NOGtu II.S ldltIlIS W manning W.
servations of living history.
With such background and expert
cnce, it was but natural that Mr.. Carl
became at very early age we'll versed
in local history, During his lifetime
he has seen the external changes af-
tecting the human stream, yet he has
not forgotten the past out of which
the modern procession took its rise.
Two years ago | was invited to his
home. Here in several rooms and in
both Railways one found library that
is most unique. Alongside collection
Of classics in English and American
literature, one finds rare volumes
dealing with the history of the tri-
state area. Many of Mr.. Carl's books
don't track mud on the carpet, don't
let the roof leak, or the furnace