The News Review Open House was a new venture for the paper. Although it regularly welcomes visitors, it has never before in all its years held a planned open house like Sunday’s. Perhaps it is merely 79 years of pent-up curiosity, but over 120 Greenbelters picked up their press passes and joined the paper’s staff to experience how the paper comes together and to learn about its resources.
The phrase “I had no idea” was heard frequently as attendees realized the rich treasure that is the News Review. With a complete archive of the paper from 1937 and artifacts gathered over the years, it is a repository of Greenbelt’s social and political life since the town’s inception. Arguably it is also a microcosm of American history during the same time period. Reflected in its pages are a small town and domestic perspective on the Depression, the war years and the economic and social impacts of the second half of the 20th century and now the beginnings of the 21st.
Listeners were rapt hearing Editor Mary Lou Williamson recount how and why the paper changed its name from the Cooperator to the Greenbelt News Review in 1954. For some months the paper’s masthead was blank as a struggle went on behind the scenes to change the paper’s tone and persona. There are hundreds of such stories.
Visitors were equally impressed at how the paper uses modern software like InDesign to create a fully electronic product to deliver to the printer and maintains an evolving electronic presence.
The 1920’s typewriters were a big hit. Kids and adults were enchanted by them – for different reasons. The adults reminisced about their typing teachers of yesteryear, lamenting that Miss X from their high school typing class would be appalled at all their mistakes. Two young ladies in their teens spent about 45 minutes typing merrily away, carriages returning briskly to the sound of a bell, unaware perhaps that a couple of generations ago a roomful of young women slightly older than themselves would have comprised the corporate typing pool. Little kids loved the clickety-clack and dinging sounds and all the mechanisms that let the paper roll and the carriage slide.
Some visitors (and some of the members) were engrossed selecting photos and stories to design their personal Greenbelt News Review front pages. Others came up with imaginative captions for old and new cartoons drawn by current cartoonist Peter Reppert and the iconic Izzy Parker. Some of these creative captions will be featured in future issues of the paper.
The overall impression was one of camaraderie. It was like a successful party – with a pleasing buzz of conversation and laughter. Many visitors were charmed to see their birthday week paper – and if there were extra copies, the fortunate individual carried away an original issue.
What did the paper hope for and what did it get? The paper hoped that at least somebody would show up and that perhaps a few Greenbelters would get a better picture of what it takes to put out a 12- or 16-page paper every week. It hoped to inspire individuals to volunteer their time and talent and to show how the paper moves with the times and the technology – blending old and new to create a workplace friendly to people of all ages and skill levels, yet in tune with the times.
The high attendance and palpable sense of warmth, energy and support exceeded the News Review’s expectations. The staff that attended left feeling joyful and optimistic, realizing that their weekly investment really is valued by the community and that the bread they cast so generously upon the waters comes back multifold. A plus was that members who come at different times during the week got to mingle with those whom they’d not previously met in person. The community gained new insight into the newspaper and the weekly roller-coaster ride of publishing it. It was a high-five occasion for everybody.
Thanks to the Greenbelt Community Foundation and its sponsors Paradyme Management and Beltway Plaza for underwriting the event as part of its Explore Your Greenbelt campaign.
Heartfelt thanks especially to Sylvia Lewis and JoEllen Sarff for all their many hours of work and care in preparing for the event – their hard work and attention to detail paid off in a multitude of ways. Thanks and kudos to all the other News Review staff who were there to explain their roles to visitors and assist with activities: Jill Connor, Deanna Dawson, Bernie Gormally, Amy Hansen, Rebecca Holober, Suzette Joyner, Tom Jones, Sue Krofchik, Cathie Meetre, Elaine Nakash, Patricia Novinsky, Peter Reppert, Pat Scully, Lola Skolnik, Alan Turnbull, Mary Lou Williamson and Karen Yoho. Thanks to community members who helped restore the typewriters: Jerry Bonnell, Ray and Lisa Zammuto, Steve Skolnik and Margaret and Tom Morris. Hats off to Rick Meetre who designed and built the signpost based solely on the vague spousal direction of ‘Make it look like Winnie-the-Pooh’ and to the Farmers Market for allowing the signpost. Thanks to businesses in Roosevelt Center and around town for making brochures available to their customers.
Should the paper do the open house annually? Send editor@greenbeltnewsreview your comments and suggestions.