St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-08-24


acquired.
Since that time with the excep-
ton Of engravings Of photos and
etchings, the entire production Of
the papers has been done under
one roof. the newspapers own
plant.
From their beginning the papers
have supported the religious life
and organizations of each Of the
cities. At least 1000 inches Of
space a year is devoted to the
communal activity Of the churches,
without charge. Most Of the lead
ing churches run small advertising
cards and some Of them run reg
ular paid publicity for special
events.
The leading congregations have
learned that the most economical
way to inform the general public
Of their special and money raising
efforts is through liberal use of
space in the Spokesman and Re-
corder papers.
Since the organized church re-
mains the chief bulwark Of pro-
gressive, orderly, and forward
looking communities the space
which these papers have devoted
to the church life and activity, free
of charge, has been Of value to
the communities, as a whole.
The top ministers who serve the
leading churches in the Twin Cities
have found their projects sup
ported in the columns Of these
papers through the years, espec-
tally when programs were designed
to aid the entire community, as
well as the respective congrega-
tons.
II the Twin City congregations
had to purchase the space which
the papers give them free an
nually the total cost would be ap-
proximately $13,44O per year.
On the other hand, the churches
have played an important part in
the growth of the papers. Zion
Baptist church in Minneapolis in
the first years of the SPOKES-
MAN allowed the paper to be sold
on Sunday mornings in the church.
Mount Olivet Baptist in st. Paul
did the same with the RECORDER
and has been most consistent in
its advertising support Of the
paper.
In st. Paul today, ten Of the
leading young men are former
newsboys for the paper, and many
young matron earned money
during high school days folding
and mailing the paper, at a time
when Negro girls were not en-
ployed on downtown after-school
jobs.
Today there are over 40 young
sters earning money selling the
papers from house to house. Many
of the boys supplement the income
of parents with large families.
In the early days the office Of
the paper in Minneapolis especial
ly, served as a combination free
advice-free employment - free
social agency and political con-
sultant. There was nothing too
small or large to bring to the
newspaper and while the staff was
happy to be of help to the COM
munity individually and collective
ly, it found that its main purpose
for being, the publishing Of a
newspaper, was hampered by the
"extra-curricular" activities which
the people seemed to think was
also the papers job.
This Is one of the reasons why
the papers promoted and support
ed such groups as the Urban
League and NAACP and other
organization, both as a need and
in economic defense.
/ The burden of intervening in the
courts for some hapless individual
who had ran afoul of the law; the
time consuming task Of treating
with welfare officials in an effort
to get additional help for families
who had difficulty in presenting
their cases adequately to social
workers; the constant job hunting
and pressure upon employers for
jobs for Negroes; the countless in
vesigation of alleged and real dis
criminatory practices against Ne
groes; the constant appeals for
loans from individuals who thought
a weekly newspaper was a money
making business - all placed ire
mendous pressure on the strugg-
ling papers in the early years. The
years and emergence Of communi-
ty organization and leaders have
somewhat modified the picture, but
there Is still too much expected Of
the papers in fields other than its
principal area.
MASTER BREAD baked by