Post Scripts: Small town weekly newspapers

Most Americans understand that weekly newspapers do not have the power or glamour of The New York Times, but weekly newspapers are a vital role of their own when it comes to spreading the word. The Times is unlikely to print photos of a beaming boy holding up a snake he just shot or Ms. Jane’s giant squash, the high school’s cheerleaders or pictures and news about the local Chautauqua.

There is no question small town newspapers have great influence in the towns they serve and play a role that is much different from the big city dailies. Many out of town people take the local weekly newspaper anxious to read what the editor has to say, what is happening in the local government, school programs, or other daily happenings in their hometown. Checking who had passed away, who had a new child or grandchild that week are things that they can’t get in city papers.

Weekly newspapers do more than report about unusual events. They are important "record keepers" especially about people whose names often appear only twice during their lifetime – the day they were born and the day they die. Often personal clippings from their hometown weekly newspaper are found in soldiers pockets after they were killed during the war, too.

The editor is always available for subscribers to talk to. I remember once when a young girl came into the office and wanted to talk to the editor. I went to the counter, leaned over and peered into the eyes of a winsome little girl neatly dressed, who held a piece of paper in her hand.

"This is for you, if you are the editor," she said, and thrust the paper in my hand. I could see at a glance it had been constructed out of Big Chief Tablet paper and the stamp had been drawn with a blue pen and the cancellation mark had been applied with a black marker. I immediately guessed who had prepared this special letter and I said: "You made this nice letter just for me?" "Yes, I did," she replied, "because it is very important." I immediately opened the letter carefully, and she stood by while I read the contents.

"Dear Mr. Snyder: My daddy is pastor of the Assembly of God church. You have been putting our name in the paper wrong. You have been putting Bray and it is T.W. Hook. Thanks a lot." Joycelyn Hook.

I assured her we would make the correction immediately. That is probably the last time I saw her but I had put the letter in my scrap book along with other important letters from readers and special people.

Some years later The Kansas City Star reported Joycelyn’s death. She was then a young lady of 17, and was killed in an auto accident while returning from a church camp. I put the clipping in my scrapbook along with the letter she had written some years before and I will never forget Joycelyn.

One time a man came in the office and threw an obituary on the counter, and he ask how much it would cost to run it in the paper and was told it would cost five cents an inch. He got a funny look on his face and replied, "Good Lord, Uncle Otto was six feet seven."

Accidents happen, too, Kathy was often the main proof reader and I remember when she tried so hard to get one particular wedding story correct, but when it came off the press, the word "bride" was spelled "bridge." She was heart sick.

These are a few examples of things that could only happen in small town weekly newspapers.