Anniversary and Archives

Lance and I have now been married five years. During that time, Lance has gotten to know women's page editors almost as well as I have as we traveled to archives across the country. He chronicled our adventures in his keynote speech "Tales of an Accidental Journalism Historian: What Four Archives in Four Months Taught a College Media Adviser About Pre-Women's Liberation Newsrooms." He gave the talk at last Spring's American Journalism Historian's Association joint meeting in his role as former president of College Media Advisers. (We met thanks to a student newspaper advisers panel at a conference in Orlando when I was an adviser at UW-Stout.)

Here's a link to the speech. It's great! He's a wonderful husband and historian.

For our anniversary, we visited the Orange County Regional Museum. That's an image of it above. It's a three-floor museum with strong exhibits about Orlando, "City Beautiful."

Drue and Obama

The media coverage of Obama being in Hawaii for the holidays reminds me of Drue Lytle. She was a Penney-Missouri Award-winning women's page editor of the Honolulu Advertiser in the 1960s.

She had something else in common with Obama. They both attended Occidental College, known as Oxy. It is a small liberal arts college in Los Angeles.

I plan to start collecting information about Drue's section during the course of the semester.

women's pages and housewives

The New York Times has a great essay about housewives in the 1950s, focusing on the witty writer, Phyllis McGinley. Here's a segment:

“A liberal arts education is not a tool like a hoe . . . or an electric mixer,” McGinley wrote, dismayed at a world she thought was conspiring to make women feel as though any acquired erudition would be wasted in a life of riffling through recipe cards. “It is a true and precious stone which can glow as wholesomely on a kitchen table as when it is put on exhibition in a jeweler’s window or bartered for bread and butter.” She went on to dismiss the already benighted suggestion that Bryn Mawr was a threat to what ought to get done in a kitchen. “Surely the ability to enjoy Heine’s exquisite melancholy in the original German,” she wrote, “will not cripple a girl’s talent for making chocolate brownies.”



She was known for her humorous writing. Erma Bombeck named McGinley as an inspiration. (Erma's column often appeared in women's sections.) The women's page editors valued both liberation and housewives. The grainy photo above shows women's page editors Marie Anderson and Marj Paxson with Erma Bombeck. Here's a link to a great online resource for Erma.

Women's Page Editors and Sports

Today, Lance and I are going to the Champs Sports Bowl Game in Orlando. The University of Wisconsin is playing Florida State.

Several of the women's page editors were sports fans. Miami Herald Club editor Roberta Applegate regularly wrote to her family about the Michigan State football and basketball teams.

The Fort Lauderdale News women's page editor Edee Greene began her journalism career as a sports columnist while in high school in Palatka, Florida.

The biggest sports fan on my list was the Miami News women's page editor Billie O'Day.
She was a big fan of the University of Miami football team and was a regular on the sidelines. That's her in the above picture.

Betty Preston Oiler memo

This memo is from Glendale News-Press women's editor Betty Preston Oiler to Gloria Biggs, a Florida women's page editor. Betty is writing to congratulate Gloria on becoming the first woman to be a publisher of a Gannett newspaper. The women knew each other through the Penney-Missouri workshops.

In later years, Betty, herself, would become an executive editor. Here's an earlier post about Betty.

This letter can be found in Gloria's papers in the National Women and Media Collection at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection. I am in the process of writing about both Gloria and Betty.

Jim Bellows

Jim Bellows was married to legendary women's page editor Maggie Savoy. I have an article about Maggie coming out this spring.

Bellows, Voltz and Christmas

For Christmas, Lance got me the book, 80:Our Most Famous 80 Year Olds. It is edited by Jim Bellows. Jim was a great editor at several major dailies, including the New York Herald Tribune and the Washington Star. Jim was an advocate for women at the newspapers he oversaw. He was married to influential women's page editor Maggie Savoy. (There's a chapter devoted to Maggie in the book shown in this post, The Last Editor.)

Here's a link to an interview with Jim. Here's another interview link.

Lance and I are working on a paper about Jim and other progressive male editors.



Lance and I have spent the last two days cooking recipes from Jeanne Voltz's cookbooks. Jeanne was a food editor at the Miami Herald and the Los Angeles Times. Here's an earlier posting on Jeanne. I'm working on a book chapter about her years at the Times.

Merry Christmas.

Vera Glaser oral history

Yesterday I sent off a conference abstract about Vera Glaser. Here is a link to an earlier post about Vera. Last week, I received CDs of an oral history that Vera did with the National Press Club in 1994. This week, I've been transcribing parts of the oral history. It's wonderful to listen to her speak about her career.

Another Molly Ivins Tribute

I have a grant to go through Molly Ivin's papers at the University of Texas. Lance & I will go to Austin this spring.

Women's Page Biographies

Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Lance and I went to Brevard County yesterday to clean up the beach in an effort to help save the sea turtles. One of the most significant women in Florida conservation was Marjory Stoneman Douglas who helped save the Everglades.



Marjory was good friends with many of the Florida's women's page editors. Here she is with several of them, including Marie Anderson and Dorothy Jurney. (Marjory is the one wearing the hat.)

Marie Anderson's mother II

I just received the book Celebrating Florida's First 150 Women Lawyers in the mail. (My thanks to the folks at Stetson University for the suggestion.) It shows that Miami Herald women's page editor Marie Anderson's mother (who shared the same name) earned a law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1914. The photo with her biography (pg 9) looks very much like her daughter who is shown above.

Eleni Epstein column

Today I received the November 1978 issue of Ambiance after finding it on ebay. The magazine includes a column by Washington Star Fashion Editor Eleni Epstein. She was considered a national expert by the 1970s. I am finishing my manuscript on Eleni.

Maggie Savoy article finished

My revised Maggie Savoy manuscript has been sent off. It is scheduled to run in March 2009. Here's a link to more about Maggie.

Maggie died 38 years ago today.

Women's Page Editors on the Radio

In the book, The Encyclopedia of Women in Radio, 1920-1960, I was able to confirm that Billie O'Day was on the air at station WIOD in Miami from 1951-1955. She was at Miami radio station WCKR in Miami in 1957. (She went on to be a Penney-Missouri Award-winning editor at the Miami News.)



Fort Lauderdale News editor Edee Greene was an on-the-air talent at the St. Pete's WSUN in 1932. (The call letters stand for: Why Stay Up North?) I am looking into her career right now.

More on Sandra Wesley

Today I got a great email from Sandra Wesley. She shared many great stories about the Florida women's page editors. I really appreciate her memories that confirmed much of my research.

This letter that Sandy wrote to Penney-Missouri Awards Director Paul Myhre. It can be found in the Penney-Missouri Papers at the WHMC.

Maggie Savoy's son Billy

Today I learned that Billy Savoy died last December at age 65. He was a Santa Barbara DJ who went by the name "Billy Clarke." I had hoped to speak to Billy about his mother, women's page editor Maggie Savoy. I was sad to hear the news.

Here is his obituary.

Edee Greene's Ah Men Column

Yea! I just tracked down Edee Greene's daughter. I plan to speak to her after the holidays.

I also plan to collect copies of Edee's Ah Men columns like the one shown above.

Maggie Savoy letter

I am continuing my revisions on my Maggie Savoy manuscript for my deadline of the 18th.

This is a letter from Maggie to Paul Myhre and his wife Mary. Paul was the director of the Penney-Missouri Awards. Maggie and Paul became good friends over the years. This letter can be found in the papers of the Penney-Missouri Awards at the WHMC.

Dorothy Clifford

Tallahassee Democrat women's page editor Dorothy Clifford is in this photo. It was taken at a 1981 reunion of journalists. It can be found in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Dorothy won a Penney-Missouri Award in 1960. I interviewed Dorothy last year and hope to speak with her again soon. Here is a letter Dorothy wrote to Paul Myhre, the director of the Penney-Missouri Awards. It can be found in the Penney-Missouri Papers at WHMC.

Marie Anderson's mother

Marie Anderson's mother, Marie Willard, is included in these photos. (Marie Anderson was a significant women's page editor at the Miami Herald in the 1950s and 1960s.) They were taken in 1908 at a school in Bartow, Florida. The photos are from the Florida Photographic Collection.

More on Vivian Castleberry

Today I found former Dallas women's page editor Vivian Castleberry's notes on the death of Benazir Bhutto. She was the keynote speaker at a Dallas Peacemaker event several years ago. (Vivian was a co-founder of the group.)

Here is a link to the tribute that Vivian led.

I am working on a book about Vivian.

Anna Maria Island

Lance and I spent Thanksgiving on Anna Maria Island, near Sarasota. While there, we visited the AMI Historical Museum and looked at old newspapers. None of the newspapers had a separate women's section.

USA Today ran a feature about Anna Maria Island in today's edition.

Edee Greene and the Giraffe

Today, Lance and I went to the Brevard Zoo where visitors can pet and feed the giraffes. The zoo is in Melbourne, Florida - the area that Sen. Lori Wilson used to represent.



Fort Lauderdale News editor Edee Greene used to collect giraffes. (This is a photo of Edee with her collection.) She liked giraffes because she said women who wanted to make a difference had to stick their necks out.

Sen. Lori Wilson Reflects

Billie O'Day profile

Mary Lou Butcher

Today I am working on an article about Mary Lou Butcher. Mary Lou's discrimination lawsuit against the Detroit News opened the door for women at the newspaper. (Mary Lou started out in the women's pages and moved on to the suburban news side. She was demoted after applying for a bureau chief position.)

Mary Lou is in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame and in the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.

Mary Lou is part of the Women in Journalism oral history project. The transcript is not available online. I ordered a copy from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection last winter and have been going over the transcript during the past few weeks.

Malvina Stephenson

This week I received a pack of photos of Malvina Stephenson from the The Carl Albert Center at the University of Oklahoma. Malvina wrote the political column "Offbeat Washington" with Vera Glaser in the 1960s.

Malvina has some papers at the Albert Center. She also has papers at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection. I've gone through the papers at WHMC.

Here is a link to a photo of Malvina. (She's at the far left.) It can be found at the University of Iowa.

Malvina was part of the Women in Journalism oral history project.

I hope to investigate more about the "Offbeat Washington" column in the future.

More Eleni Epstein revisions

I am revising my article about Washington Star fashion editor Eleni Epstein. She held that position from the 1940s until the newspaper went under. I continue to find more material about her. This week I found a 3-part series from 1949 that she wrote. For the series, Eleni went behind the scenes in the New York fashion industry.

This photo of Eleni, pictured with Julie Andrews, can be found in her papers at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection. I have gone through her papers several times.

Florida Senator Lori Wilson

Billie (Womack) O'Day

I am trying to find more about Miami News women's page journalist Billie O'Day. (Her real name was Billie Womack but while working a radio station, she was given the name Billie O'Day. She continued to use that name when she went to the News.)

In addition to being a Penney-Missouri Award winner, she was a symphony conductor. I haven't been able to find out too much about her other than an A.P. story about her. There are no references to Billie in the Miami News archive at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

Colleen "Koky" Dishon UpdateII

I have sent off my revised article on the Chicago Tribune's Colleen "Koky" Dishon to a history magazine. Koky was a women's page editor at several newspapers, including the Milwaukee Journal and the Milwaukee Seninel. The previous post is video of a lifetime achievement award for Koky. This image is of Koky and her husband Bob.

Colleen "Koky" Dishon Tribute

Anne Rowe with Elvis

I just found this digital image of Anne Rowe with Elvis. Anne was a women's page editor at the St. Pete Times and the Evening Independent in the 1950s and the 1960s. More about Anne can be found in the book A Sacred Trust.

Edee Greene's son

The Greene Way in Orlando is named for Edee Greene's son James Greene. James Greene, who died several years ago, was the chair of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority during the years the East-West Expressway was built. He was a member of numerous civic organizations and a leading businessman.

An award is now given out in Jim's name to honor civic involvement. This is more about Jim.

I'm hoping to track down his children to learn more about their grandmother.

Edee Greene Fort Lauderdale example

I'm still gathering information on Edee Greene, women's page editor of the Fort Lauderdale New in the 1960s. I'm trying to track down her children. I will be presenting a paper on Edee's career at a conference in the Spring.

Anne Rowe

Anne Rowe (later Goldman) was a Penney-Missouri Award-winning women's page editor at the St. Petersburg Times. She was born in New Jersey and moved to St. Petersburg when she was young. A few days after her graduation from St. Petersburg High School, she was hired by the St. Peterburg Times' library. She rose through ranks to the women's editor of the St. Pete Times and the sister newspaper, St. Pete Evening Independent. In 1966, she became the newsfeature editor. It was the first time in the history of the newspaper that a woman oversaw a section with as many men as women.

Anne was friends with several of the Florida women's page editors including Marie Anderson, Gloria Biggs and Edee Greene. Anne wrote letters to Paul Myhre about how to improve women's page journalism. I have through these letters at the University of Missouri.

Sandra Wesley

Sandra Wesley was another great Florida women's page editor. She won three Penney-Missouri Awards in the 1960s while writing for the Boca Raton News.

She was born in Buffalo and grew up in Detroit. She earned a journalism degree from the University of Detroit.

She spent seven years at the News before moving on to the Palm Beach Post in 1971.

Sandra is quoted in this article about the Boca Raton News.

Here is a bio of Sandra with great background on her career.

Edee Greene Clip

Florida Media Coverage of the Equal Rights Amendment

I've received a revise and resubmit on my article about Florida newspaper's coverage of the Equal Rights Amendment and Sen. Lori Wilson. Sen. Wilson was the only woman in the state senate at the time and was the sponsor of the E.R.A. (She was also the wife of Gannett executive Al Neuharth at the time.) I'm working on the revisions now.

Many women's page journalists supported the ERA. But, in the 1970s, when the final states needed to be ratified, the sections were eliminated. The new sections were often headed by men. For example, Marjorie Paxson lost her job twice.

Molly Ivins Tribute

Vera Glaser obituary

Vera Glaser's obituary (written by Patricia Sullivan) ran in the Washington Post today. Here's a link to it. It's a great explanation of the role Vera played in both journalism and feminism. I'm also glad Sullivan included the story about Vera's friendship with Catherine East - another great woman. The photo is from Vera's family.

Carol Sutton reference

There's an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal today about a restaurant closing that features a reference to Carol Sutton:
"For women and African Americans, however, it was another story. Mazzoni's desegregated earlier than other restaurants, but like the rest of Louisville it was in its earlier days for whites only. And women, by the way, didn't gain the right to drink at Louisville's bars until the early 1970s.

I well remember accompanying a group of women from the newspaper, including the legendary editor Carol Sutton, to Mazzoni's at noon after the Board of Aldermen approved the ordinance allowing women to stand at the bar and drink like men. Carol took pleasure in ordering me, the only male in the party, a martini and carrying it over to our table. She stood at the bar; I sat."

My article about Carol has been revised for a "revise and resubmit" to a national journal.

Florida Editor Edee Greene

Catherine East & Vera Glaser

This letter shows the friendship between Vera Glaser and Catherine East. The newspaper series that Catherine describes ran in newspapers across the country. Vera received several fan letters after the stories appeared. Those letters and the one here can be found at the University of Wyoming.

I am writing an article about Vera and Catherine's friendship and advocacy.

Maggie Savoy article

I learned this week that my article about Maggie Savoy will be published by a history magazine. It will come out next March. I'm glad that such a significant woman will be recognized.

This photo is of Maggie speaking at the banquet at the Penney-Missouri Awards in 1967. It can be found at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection. Here's a newspaper article announcing Maggie as the speaker.

Here is a link to a timeline of Maggie's life.

Here's a link to one of Maggie's columns.

Vera Glaser

I learned yesterday that Vera Glaser has died. She was an amazing reporter and columnist. Her stories were some of the first to explain feminist issues.

She was friends with Marie Anderson, Catherine East and Dorothy Jurney. I am working on a paper about the friendships and the social change these women encouraged.

This is my earlier post on Vera.

Here's a link to an article that mentions the "Offbeat Washington" column that Vera co-authored.

This is a favorite Vera story.

Here's another link to an article Vera wrote.