The Barrere boys in the newspaper business, Part 10
Lead Summary
By
Steve Roush-
Ladies and gentlemen, if they would ever decide to do a “Mount Rushmore” of Highland County journalists, Granville Barrere would have to be up on that mountain.
In our colloquy last week, we examined how Granville Barrere, who was born in 1878, actually set out to be an attorney, like his relatives Granville Barrere (1829-1889) and Nelson Barrere (1808-1883), both Highland County natives who also served terms in Congress. After studying at Ohio State University and Miami University in Oxford, Granville went to a New York law school, but in 1908, he took over running the newspaper his father,
Col. George Washington Barrere (1831-1913), founded in the 1880s.
He went on to be publisher and editor of the Hillsboro News-Herald for nearly half a century, and became known as one of Ohio’s outstanding weekly newspapermen.
When he took the job, however, he had no newspaper experience or knowledge of the printing business. But he learned soon enough, and although he retained his interest in law over the years, he said he never regretted his venture into the world of ink.
“It is interest, never dull,” Granville once said. “Not very remunerative but a good living and a fine opportunity for community service and to frankly state your opinion on local, state and public affairs.”
In fact, it was Granville Barrere’s editorials that made him well-known in Highland County and beyond.
His long career saw a considerable change in the newspaper business itself. Back in 1908 when he took over for his father at the News-Herald, all of the type for the paper was set by hand. Because of the work that entailed, most issues were about eight pages, with four of them being ready-made plates that required no time.
Later, he purchased the first type-casting machine ever in Highland County. After that, the News-Herald grew in size.
Very early in his editorial life, Granville Barrere made an important decision – to write regular opinion offerings. Back in those days, few smaller newspapers ran editorials, but Granville, somewhat of an individualist from the start, decided he would – and for the next 46 years with hardly a miss – pour out his thoughts and convictions on the editorial page every week.
It has been said that when Granville set forth into the editorial woods, he decided that he would express his sincere belief. He admitted that he was often wrong in his opinions and changed them, but he kept on writing and kept the faith with his decision to the best of his ability.
He once told a group of editors, “I am convinced that the editorial page should be second only in importance to the front page. A newspaper should have this personality and individuality. This can only be true only if the paper has a good editorial page with editorials written locally. A newspaper without editorials is without color and is like a person who is drab without opinions or views on any subject.”
For his devotion to that duty, Granville won both state and national recognition over the years. Other newspapers often quoted his editorials because they knew they were the honest and original effort of a small town editor.
Folks, I have been a journalist for two decades and have seen a lot over the years, but I can only imagine running the same family owned and operated newspaper for nearly a half century. And it was written that in that nearly half-century as a Hillsboro newspaperman, Granville found many pleasant experiences as well as disturbing ones.
“The nicest part of newspaper work is to report the successes and honors that have been won by citizens and former citizens of the community,” he once said. “The most unpleasant part is to record the trials, troubles, tragedies and sorrows which have befallen its citizens.”
Through the years, Granville took an active hand in many local projects. A few examples were reorganization of the village government when it was in dire straits, creation of a playground system, and lower electric rates for the village.
He was once sued for $25,000 in a libel case, but the case ended up being dismissed without trial. He was also threatened with beatings a number of times back in the early days of his career.
Press associations and similar groups recognized his newspaper many, many times. It was selected more than once as the best weekly newspaper in the state of Ohio, and the publication won numerous awards for its editorial page, news coverage and community service.
Let’s pause for now, and we’ll continue next week with more on the Barrere boys in the newspaper business.
Steve Roush is a vice president of an international media company, is vice chairman of the Highland County Historical Society Board of Trustees and is a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.
In our colloquy last week, we examined how Granville Barrere, who was born in 1878, actually set out to be an attorney, like his relatives Granville Barrere (1829-1889) and Nelson Barrere (1808-1883), both Highland County natives who also served terms in Congress. After studying at Ohio State University and Miami University in Oxford, Granville went to a New York law school, but in 1908, he took over running the newspaper his father,
Col. George Washington Barrere (1831-1913), founded in the 1880s.
He went on to be publisher and editor of the Hillsboro News-Herald for nearly half a century, and became known as one of Ohio’s outstanding weekly newspapermen.
When he took the job, however, he had no newspaper experience or knowledge of the printing business. But he learned soon enough, and although he retained his interest in law over the years, he said he never regretted his venture into the world of ink.
“It is interest, never dull,” Granville once said. “Not very remunerative but a good living and a fine opportunity for community service and to frankly state your opinion on local, state and public affairs.”
In fact, it was Granville Barrere’s editorials that made him well-known in Highland County and beyond.
His long career saw a considerable change in the newspaper business itself. Back in 1908 when he took over for his father at the News-Herald, all of the type for the paper was set by hand. Because of the work that entailed, most issues were about eight pages, with four of them being ready-made plates that required no time.
Later, he purchased the first type-casting machine ever in Highland County. After that, the News-Herald grew in size.
Very early in his editorial life, Granville Barrere made an important decision – to write regular opinion offerings. Back in those days, few smaller newspapers ran editorials, but Granville, somewhat of an individualist from the start, decided he would – and for the next 46 years with hardly a miss – pour out his thoughts and convictions on the editorial page every week.
It has been said that when Granville set forth into the editorial woods, he decided that he would express his sincere belief. He admitted that he was often wrong in his opinions and changed them, but he kept on writing and kept the faith with his decision to the best of his ability.
He once told a group of editors, “I am convinced that the editorial page should be second only in importance to the front page. A newspaper should have this personality and individuality. This can only be true only if the paper has a good editorial page with editorials written locally. A newspaper without editorials is without color and is like a person who is drab without opinions or views on any subject.”
For his devotion to that duty, Granville won both state and national recognition over the years. Other newspapers often quoted his editorials because they knew they were the honest and original effort of a small town editor.
Folks, I have been a journalist for two decades and have seen a lot over the years, but I can only imagine running the same family owned and operated newspaper for nearly a half century. And it was written that in that nearly half-century as a Hillsboro newspaperman, Granville found many pleasant experiences as well as disturbing ones.
“The nicest part of newspaper work is to report the successes and honors that have been won by citizens and former citizens of the community,” he once said. “The most unpleasant part is to record the trials, troubles, tragedies and sorrows which have befallen its citizens.”
Through the years, Granville took an active hand in many local projects. A few examples were reorganization of the village government when it was in dire straits, creation of a playground system, and lower electric rates for the village.
He was once sued for $25,000 in a libel case, but the case ended up being dismissed without trial. He was also threatened with beatings a number of times back in the early days of his career.
Press associations and similar groups recognized his newspaper many, many times. It was selected more than once as the best weekly newspaper in the state of Ohio, and the publication won numerous awards for its editorial page, news coverage and community service.
Let’s pause for now, and we’ll continue next week with more on the Barrere boys in the newspaper business.
Steve Roush is a vice president of an international media company, is vice chairman of the Highland County Historical Society Board of Trustees and is a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.