July 13, 2010 —
The editor:
I used to work for The Morehead News in 1934; my salary was four dollars a week and a free pass to the picture show. Talking picture shows were new in Morehead, and the piano was still sitting down by the stage for silent pictures. The newspaper was owned by the Fords, a brother and sister team. I was 13 and Grace Ford was like a mother to me. We had five part time employees: a linotype operator, the Fords, a typesetter and me. As I remember they were wonderful people but real old, probably 35 or forty.
My job was to turn on the linotype machines at six o’clock in the morning, and make pigs for the linotype machines. Pigs were a metal that the machines used to make letters of metal for the newsprint. From there they were placed on a table, placed in a vice to hold them together, and ink was spread on them with a roller (like a paint roller). Next we placed the paper on the print and a huge roller was run across the paper, and bingo, we had a newspaper.
On Saturdays I was a “gopher” or any other dirty job that needed to be done. Folding papers and getting them ready for distribution was always a big job. At the time the paper was located on Bishop Avenue behind what was later the Dixie Grill. I believe that where the Dixie Grill was later, was then a shoe shop for the C.C.C. camps, and the picture show cost ten cents.
I will always fondly remember the Fords as good American citizens and pioneers for The Morehead News.
Cliff Barker
Morehead
Letters to the Editor
Early newspaper pioneers
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Elliott County outreach changes
On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Elliott County Christian Community Center became an incorporated service organization. Christian Social Services congratulates the leaders in Elliott County for their enthusiasm, compassion and dedication to the people of Elliott County.
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Bring better movies to Morehead
Don’t you love a good movie? We certainly do BUT for me that does not include “R” rated films. Of the seven movies advertised in the 1/20/12 issue of the News, five were rated “R.”
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Abortion advocate change of mind
As the new year begins, it is quite common to see printed in a newspaper or magazine a list of the names of prominent citizens who passed away in the preceding year. I recently came across such a list, and the name of one individual in particular caught my attention: Dr. Bernard Nathanson.
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Large sign is unsightly
While driving to Morehead today, I was dismayed to see that Cracker Barrel has erected one of their typical ultra-high “signs on a stick.” I somehow thought that Morehead’s sign ordinance would protect our community from this unsightliness and that the sign would be the same height as those of surrounding businesses.
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Political cartoon was off the mark
I don’t know how the political cartoons you publish are chosen, but I take exception to the one in the Dec. 27, 2011 issue of the paper. The cartoonist obviously does not agree with Time magazine’s choice of The Protester as Person of the Year.
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Business owners say thanks
We would like to take this opportunity to thank The Morehead News and Noelle Hunter for the lovely article about the loss of our small business, Clay Makin’s.
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Contest helps learn about energy use
As the New Year approaches, many of us are thinking of ways to save money. One way to do that is to reduce your energy usage. This will save you money and save resources.
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Thanks for supporting speech team
The Rowan County Middle School Speech Team members and coaches would like to extend a heartfelt “THANK YOU” to Mr. Tom James, Kentucky Bank Branch Manager and father of 8th Grade speech team member Haley James and all the staff of Kentucky Bank for their recent generous and most appreciated financial gift to the speech team.
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Thanks for Haldeman Christmas program
The Haldeman Community Center board members would like to say “Thank You” to all who attended and supported our Christmas Program. We all enjoyed the play “The True Gift,” the man in the red suit and all the wonderful snacks.
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Storybook Christmas appreciates support
On behalf of the Storybook Christmas Committee, I would like to thank the community for generous support of our project again this year. Storybook Christmas is an annual project of the Adult Basic Education and Literacy (ABEL) Council and the MSU Adult Learning Center.
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Elliott County outreach changes
