Starting our 135th year years ago
With this issue the Marion County Record has completed the 134th year milestone and starts the 135th next week.
The "Ol' Thing" as she often has been affectionately called, has seen a lot of history transpire and recorded much of it. The happy events of the times, as well as some of the sadder moments, were carried as news items on these pages. Many of those items were snipped with shears and pasted in other pages or put between the leaves of books to be laid up among the archives and as family mementos.
The task of putting out a community weekly is frustrating at times, but we can think of no calling in life more fulfilling.
There always has been a great amount of controversy among those of this fraternity as to whether or not journalism is a profession. We aren't even certain weekly newspapering is journalism, and care not as to the professional classification. But we do know it gives the staff a heck of a lot of satisfaction.
When we receive letters to the editor, flattering ones or those that take you apart, it makes us feel good. We know we've done our job. Someone thought enough of the newspaper to take the time to sit down and write a letter. With that act he/she admitted the paper is the community voice. That person flattered us highly by writing a letter. It is "his/her" newspaper.
But enough of that. What is the Ol' Thing line, now that she begins year 135? Well, her health is fine, thank you. She is fat and sassy. Her circulation is good, in fact it was never better. We are happy to report her entering the year in much better condition than she entered the first back in 1869.
We won't do much to mark this milestone. We see little cause for a big celebration at this time. Today's paper is just another issue, starting another volume.
We do invite one and all to drop in for a friendly chat on Friday, and promise to have the coffeepot hot. We'd like for you to look around the office and back shop a bit. We won't put on the dog, but might sweep the floor. Nothing special. We do invite you, and will be mighty proud to have you enjoy our birthday with us.
Bill Meyer
