Not the Last Picture Show

This photo was taken in October 1951. Here's what's written on the back of it: "Parkie in the process of getting undressed when he got sidetracked with the funnies."

That's right, that's me – the G.O.E. – in the picture. Just proof that I was, ahem, attracted to newspapers at an early age.

This is also the last post of the Grumpy Old Editor blog. I've been keeping this up daily for more than four years now, and I think it has run its course. It's time to move on to something else.

That something else is a continuation of what I've done here the past several weeks – "Picture Box" – a gallery of old and interesting photos from the archives of the O-R and area historical societies, and from boxes in attics and cellars all over Southwestern Pennsylvania. You can find the new blog here.

Answering complaints, sharing my gripes and telling serialized stories has been fun and rewarding, but this blog is starting to get green around the edges and smell funny. Besides, I've taken on some additional duties lately and must turn my attention to the editorial page in the old-fashioned paper newspaper.

I do thank all of you regular readers for your loyalty, your comments and for buying my book.

Your grumpy old friend,
Park

Picture Box

This West Middletown girl managed to scoot around town 100 years ago in her wagon powered by a one-goatpower engine. I guess before there were go-karts there were goat-karts.

Picture Box

I call this one, "Shave and a haircut, two bits." It's yet another photo from the West Middletown collection, circa 1910.

Archie update

Longtime blog readers will remember Atyom "Archie" Sergazinov, the kid from Kazakhstan who worked so hard to live in America before Immigration told him to scram. Here's the latest from him...

"Yesterday I arrived in Austria. The country is truly beautiful - seems like everything was just built the other day. I've met some of the staff from my university; everyone is friendly and helpful so far. I moved in my dorm. It is a huge apartment! Sebastian and Christopher are the names of my Austrian roommates. There is a room for each of the three of us with pretty much everything in it. There are a kitchen, a toilet, and a bathroom that we have to share. Everything is clean and nice!"

(We're happy for you, Arch!)

Picture Box

Here's another photo from the West Middletown collection, this one of the West Middletown School, circa 1910.

Picture box

Here's another scene of everyday life – this one of basket weavers – in West Middletown 100 years ago.

Picture Box

Banking, as it was done 100 years ago in Avella.

Picture Box

Here's a typical family portrait from perhaps the 1920s. It was taken by the Harbaugh Studio. Like so many group photos at the time, bodies do not touch, even though it is obvious that the photographer urged the people to move closer together.

Picture Box

Here's what Washington looked like in the 1890s, during the height of the oil boom. Hundreds of wells in and around the city produced as much as 18,575 barrels a day from the Washington field.

Picture Box

I call this one "Children of the Corn." It's from the West Middletown collection, circa 1900.

Picture Box

This is difficult to make out, but I like it because it is rare: a photo from the 1880s that is not posed. It is a scene of the east side of North Main Street in Washington, when the Observer offices were located there.

Picture Box

I could use some help on this one. That's the very recognizable Jessop Steel structure in the background, but I have no idea when this photo might have been taken or who the workers are. The photo was taken by Washington photographer Charles Rodgers.

Picture Box

Remember when gas stations looked like this one operated by the Andy brothers? This photo was taken sometime during the 1940s, but I can't determine the location. City directories from that period do not list the station under this name.

Comments and questions

Q: Since the Postal Service has now found itself in a loss of mailing business, would it not be cheaper, now, for you to have the paper once again delivered through the mail?

A: No. Back in the 1970s, most of our home delivery – all of it not delivered on foot – was delivered by mail on the same day. It worked well for a while, and our circulation grew dramatically. But then the U.S. Postal Service began raising rates, placing more restrictions on content, and demanding that the papers be sorted and delivered to the post office earlier and earlier.

Eventually, it became more cost-efficient for us to hire independent contractors to deliver newspapers by vehicle. Going back to mail delivery would be impractical an illogical. Many subscribers now complain that delivery of their newspaper by 7 a.m. is not early enough; certainly, they would not stand for papers being delivered later in the day by mail. Postal rates keep rising. There is no mail delivery on Sunday, so we would still need to maintain a delivery service for that day, and we can't imagine why the Postal Service is still delivering mail on Saturday.

Picture Box

We stopped sending our photographers to ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings years ago. Here's a good example of what we used to publish – grim white men in shiny suits engaged in silly ritual. This was from the opening of the Franklin Mall in June 1970.

Picture Box

Here's another detail from that photos of the plasterers in Washington around 1912. All of them are splattered with paint or plaster, but what's with the businessman in the suit in the middle of this group?

Picture Box

This is a detail of a photo I found of a painting and plastering crew. The photo was taken in Washington around 1912. There are about 30 men in the original photo.

Today's gripe

You'd think it wouldn't be too much of a problem selling one stinking copy of the newspaper, but let me tell ya...

Got an e-mail from a guy yesterday who lives out of the area, wanting to read about his hole-in-one that was published on the sports pages recently. I wrote back that we didn't publish everything online, such as the sports agate, but that he could order a copy of the newspaper from our circulation department, and I gave him the toll-free number. He writes back, "That's about as cheap as one can get. Thanks but no thanks."

So, I answer, "And someone who is too cheap to buy even a newspaper..."
He answers, "No thanks to you and your newspaper I did have someone buy a paper for me and send it to me at no cost to me. Can you say your paper would have sent it to me postage paid?"
I answer, "Of course not. We are in the business of selling newspapers, not giving them away, or mailing them at our expense."

Today, he writes again: "I will sleep soundly knowing you have never given a complimentary copy of your paper away to anyone for any reason. Even if asked for by the president of the United States."
So, I answer, "Let me know when you become president."

Jeez Louise! The Sunday paper costs a buck. Let the moths out of your wallet, pal.

Absurdistan

After I've made a commitment to read a book, I'm rarely disappointed so much that at finishing it I feel as if I've wasted my time. But that was the case with this novel by Gary Shteyngart.

This is a story about the obese son of a Russian oligarch, educated in the U.S., who gets caught up in a civil war in a country bordering the Caspian Sea. It is satire that pokes fun at what Russia and Russians have become, at American imperialism and at capitalism. There are already 109 reviews on the book on Amazon.com, and most of the reviewers seem to find the book hilarious. I found it so deeply cynical as to be remarkably unfunny.

The hero – sometimes called by his nickname, "Snackdaddy" – is a spoiled, overweight, glutinous, impulsive, naive, pill-popping, well-intentioned, sentimental buffoon. I couldn't help but feel some offense, seeing him as symbolizing the United States.

The best thing about this book is its title because it so aptly describes the content. All events in the novel are taken to the extreme, to the point at which believability evaporates, to the absurd. Maybe I just prefer my satire more subtle.
Not recommended.

Picture Box

Another photo from the West Middletown collection, circal 1910... I call this one "Cowboy."
West Middletown and Avella have had a significant black population since before the Civil War, and this collection of photos is evidence.