09/23/2016

ONA donates archives to Ohio History Connect

By Jason Sanford, Manager of Communications and Content

Much of our history was hidden at the Ohio Newspaper Association. Confidential accounts of the Ohio newspaper industry from a hundred years ago. A hand-written manuscript detailing the activities of Ohio newspapers. Limited edition memorabilia on the last U.S. President from Ohio.

The items sat on shelves and in filing cabinets in a backroom at the ONA for decades. But now, after being donated to Ohio History Connection (formerly known as the Ohio Historical Society), these historic items will help expand the organization’s already in-depth archives of the history and activities of Ohio newspapers.

“These items are an excellent addition to our collection and will be preserved for future generations to use and enjoy,” said Carla Zikursh, who oversees Ohio History Connection’s newspaper stacks and newspaper-related collections.

Items donated by the ONA include files and speeches of William J. Oertel, the ONA’s executive director from 1954-1981; limited edition letters and one-of-a-kind books on Warren G. Harding, an Ohio newspaper publisher who became president; and the original typed manuscript Ohio Newspapers, 1927-1977 by James E. Pollard, former Director of School of Journalism at OSU.  In addition, the ONA also donated bound copies of the Ohio Select List Bulletin of Daily Newspapers and additional archived years of the ONA’s Bulletin newsletter, filling out the Ohio History Connection’s holdings so they now have a nearly complete set of the Bulletin from 1935 through 2010. 

Ohio Select Bulletin

Among the most interesting items donated were bound annual collections of the Ohio Select List Bulletin of Daily Newspapers, a confidential publication covering advertising and other information of interest to Ohio newspapers. Originally published monthly, then weekly, the bound volumes covered the years 1911 to 1915, 1920 to 1921, and 1924 to 1957.

The publications contain detailed information on advertising along with news about Ohio newspapers.

The Select List Bulletin contains fascinating help-wanted ads, such as the following from May 15, 1915:

Paul W. Pence, manager Urbana Citizen, want to get in touch with a good man to take charge of the news end of the Citizen. Any member who can recommend a good man to Mr. Pence will please do so.

The help-wanted ads also feature individuals looking for positions, such as this one from March 13, 1915:

James E. Grube, who has been on the Xenia Republican as a reporter for a year is anxious to get on a larger paper. He has attended college and has had some newspaper experience aside from that at Xenia. Mr. Grube’s address is Box 200, Xenia, O.

The Select List Bulletin also contains detailed accounts of advertising in Ohio newspapers for the first half of the 20^th century, which might prove valuable to researchers.

To read a sample page of the Select List Bulletin, click here.

ONA Bulletin

The ONA also donated archives of the Ohio Newspaper Association Bulletin newsletter from 1975 to 2010. These archives join the already existing Ohio History Connection Bulletin newsletter archives from 1935 to 1974, which had been donated several decades ago by ONA.

There’s a ton of history in these back issues of the Bulletin, which just like today cover news and information of interest to ONA members. For example, the January 3, 1975, Bulletin describes the ONA’s plans for the upcoming year and the state of both the Ohio newspaper industry and concerns around legislative action on both the federal front under President Ford and in the General Assembly under Governor Rhodes. In a particularly amusing comment, the newsletter states that “Government regulation, always a threat, could increase as not-always-well-informed legislators grapple with problems they often do not understand.”

To read this 1975 page from the ONA Bulletin, click here.

All of these donations join the sizable newspaper stacks and newspaper history archives at Ohio History Connection. For more information on Ohio History Connection, go to www.ohiohistory.org.

Partial ONA Donation List

• Harding in Canada, 1924, The Vancouver Sun. A one-of-a-kind leatherette folio with 100 leaves containing original signed letters by political leaders and newspaper executives from across the US and Canada. The volume commemorates President Warren G. Harding’s visit to Canada a few days before he died. Harding was the first sitting president to visit Canada.
• Warren G. Harding in Memoriam, Seattle Press Club. A limited edition leather book. 1923.
• Bound annual collections of the Ohio Select List Bulletin of Daily Newspapers, a confidential publication covering advertising and other information of interest to Ohio newspapers. Originally published monthly, then weekly. Bound volumes cover the years 1911 to 1915, 1920 to 1921, and 1924 to 1957. Publications contain detailed information on advertising in the first half of the 20^th century along with news about Ohio newspapers.
• Ohio Newspaper Association Bulletin newsletter, covering news and information of interest to Ohio newspapers. Archived editions cover the years 1975 to 2010.
• ONA annual newspaper directories, listing all ONA’s member newspapers each year along with circulations and key staff. Directories cover the years 1979 to present.
• Ohio Governor’s Award annual presentation booklets, assorted years. From 1949 until it was ended during Governor Bob Taft’s administration, the Ohio Governor’s Award was presented by the governor in conjunction with the Ohio Newspaper Association. The award honored people who benefited the state of Ohio or worked to improve the state’s image. The booklets contain biographical information and photographs of a number of award winners from across Ohio.
• Cassette tape recordings of Ohio Governor’s Awards presentations, 2001 and 2002, featuring Gov. Taft presenting the awards.
• Two boxes of historical files from the Ohio Newspaper Association, 1950s and 60s (with a few files from later years). Contains copies of speeches given by William Oertel, ONA executive director in the 1950s and ’60s, along with information and brochures related to Ohio newspapers from that time period.
• Original typed manuscript Ohio Newspapers: 1927 to 1977 by James E. Pollard, former director of the School of Journalism, The Ohio State University. Pollard started the manuscript before his death and it was completed by William Oertel, ONA executive director. Manuscript is unpublished and includes letters from Oertel related to the history of Ohio newspapers.
• Open Records Report from the Ohio Coalition for Open Government. A biannual publication tracking open government and sunshine issues in Ohio. Issues from the 1990s and 2000s.
• Official List of Newspapers Published in Ohio compiled by the state supervisor of public printing, 1916.