This afternoon I am working on revisions for the article I am working on the women’s section of the Milwaukee Journal. I am focusing on the work of fashion editor Aileen Ryan – a three-time Penney-Missouri Award winner. During her first summer of work in 1921, Ryan attended a meeting to hear Milwaukee Journal Editor Marvin Creager say he was happy to have females on the staff because “women have cleaned up newspaper offices.” Ryan later recalled the statement made her feel as though she had been hired to use a mop. Ryan started under the editorship of women’s page journalist Elizabeth B. Moffet. Moffett had been recruited from the…

Today I went through letters between Paul Myhre (director of the Penney-Missouri Awards – the top recognition for the women’s pages in the 1960s) and Drue Lytle, women’s page editor at the Honolulu Advertiser. By the early 1960s, Drue oversaw 15 reporters including stringers from eight major military bases on Oahu. Her section placed at the Penney-Missouri Awards in 1962 and 1963. Yet, despite her recognitions for her work, she was in a constant battle with management to improve her section. She wrote in a 1964 letter to Paul Myhre: “My pages seem uninspired and I don’t know much to do about it. I have so much mish-mash that the…

Today I went through letters between Paul Myhre (director of the Penney-Missouri Awards – the top recognition for the women’s pages in the 1960s) and Drue Lytle, women’s page editor at the Honolulu Advertiser. By the early 1960s, Drue oversaw 15 reporters including stringers from eight major military bases on Oahu. Her section placed at the Penney-Missouri Awards in 1962 and 1963. Yet, despite her recognitions for her work, she was in a constant battle with management to improve her section. She wrote in a 1964 letter to Paul Myhre: “My pages seem uninspired and I don’t know much to do about it. I have so much mish-mash that the…

Yesterday was Father’s Day. We spent the weekend visiting big trucks (that’s son Curtis James featured above in a fire truck) and then at the beach. My son is forever connected to the women’s pages. He is named for Curtis Castleberry – the husband of of Dallas women’s page editor Vivian Castleberry. He is the wonderful father of five daughters. The two Curtises met last fall at a celebration for Vivian. His middle name is in honor of James Bellows – the husband of women’s page editor Maggie Savoy and a wonderful editor, himself. Jim died while I was pregnant with Curtis. I did get to interview him about Maggie…

Yesterday was Father’s Day. We spent the weekend visiting big trucks (that’s son Curtis James featured above in a fire truck) and then at the beach. My son is forever connected to the women’s pages. He is named for Curtis Castleberry – the husband of of Dallas women’s page editor Vivian Castleberry. He is the wonderful father of five daughters. The two Curtises met last fall at a celebration for Vivian. His middle name is in honor of James Bellows – the husband of women’s page editor Maggie Savoy and a wonderful editor, himself. Jim died while I was pregnant with Curtis. I did get to interview him about Maggie…

I am doing some work on Hawaii women’s page journalist Pat Hunter today. Above is her story – one in a series – about divorce law in Hawaii. Hunter won two Penney-Missouri Awards for investigative reporting – one for a story about child abuse and another about LSD in which she used the drug as part of the story. A wonderful librarian in Hawaii has located Hunter’s obituary and an editorial tribute to her at my request. I plan to create an outline about her career and impact.