At fifteen he left the elementary school to enter the Middletown
High School, living with his sister, Mrs. John Q. Baker, whose
husband was a teacher in the High School and owner of the
Middletown Signal. Board was paid in working as a printer's
devil until the apprenticeship was served and the county
newspaper business was mastered from both the counting room and
the editorial side. Upon completion of his high school course,
the young man passed the county examination and obtained a
position as teacher of the school he had in earlier years
attended, but a pedagogical career was not to his liking and he
returned to work on the Signal staff. He became also the local
correspondent for the Cincinnati Enquirer and attracted the
attention of the main office by a neat scoop which he landed
regarding a railroad wreck. Graduating into the reportorial
work, he became assistant telegraph and railroad editor of the
Enquirer. He retired from the newspaper life for a time to
become Secretary to Congressman Sorg, remaining in his capacity
until his 28th year, when he purchased the Dayton News, giving
$12,000 in notes and beginning with a capital of just $80. The
times were hard enough for the young chap with creditors
constantly upon him. Once his paper was forced to suspend by
reason of an unpaid bill, and the opposition paper heralded its
death. The struggling publisher retaliated with an "extra"
announcing its continuance.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93