Lake County IL Archives News.....Son of Editor Gets Out Paper October 31, 1923
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Kathy Stinson findingthepast@comcast.net January 19, 2014, 5:18 pm

The Lake County Register - October 31, 1923 October 31, 1923
SON OF EDITOR GETS OUT PAPER

Wauconda Leader Despite Publisher's Death Comes Out on Time

Number 36, volume xxx, of the Wauconda Leader duly appeared Friday, edited by 
fourteen-year-old, Francis Blanck, whose father John P. Blanck, the former one 
man staff of the publication, died suddenly last Sunday.

"My father would have wanted the paper to appear" said Francis that morning, as 
he finished taking from the press the last few copies of the day's edition.  "Tt 
was my job to carry on.  That's all."

And so Francis went ahead after the funeral services early in the week assembled 
copy for the Leader's eight pages, had it set up, read proof, superintended the 
printing, folded, he finished paper and finally helped to mail and deliver them.

"My father did all that," he said simply.  "I did it too except for the 
linetyping."  My hands aren't big enough for that.  The paper had to come out."

PRINTS STORY OF DEATH

The pages of this week's Leader for all the tragic circumstances of its 
publication are professional enough to satisfy any big town newspaper man - and 
professional enough to satisfy its 14 year-old "man."   A double column head 
carries the news of his father's death -- a simple statement reading, "John P. 
Blanck, owner and editor of the Wauconda Leader, died suddenly Sunday morning of 
apoplexy."  A long obituary follows.  The rest of the paper carries its regular 
columns of local news, announcements and out of town material.

Francis is an alert, clear-eyed youngster with a businesslike abruptness which 
helps to hide the pain of his father's sudden death.  He says modestly that he 
had always understood that newspapers must go on.   No matter what happened to 
the staff or the printing plant or the personnel; the paper itself as a living 
institution must survive.  There was nothing for him to do, he concluded to play 
the game.

KEEPS UP CLASSES, TOO

He goes to school, too -- that is a complication.  He doesn't know how long he 
can swing both jobs -- maybe not for many more weeks.  But he'll do his best.  
Some day he hopes to be a real newspaper man, he says.  Perhaps his friends 
think he hasn't far to go.  

In a black-bordered box on the front page of the Leader Friday Francis inserted 
a brief announcement reading simply as follows:

"This issue of the Leader is being published with the mechanical assistance of 
the Barrington Review.  It has been impossible to make any definite plans for 
the future, but subscribers may be assured of receiving the Leader next week at 
the usual time."

The announcement is signed, "Francis Blanck."

That's all. 

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