| Description |
UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION almost out of a desire to help the weekly press succeed. He met with such popularity that when he found he could no longer carry out the function because of other duties, he was named Secretary Emeritus. In 1936, after many years of assisting in the association's progress -- a virtual ambassador-without-portfolio -- he was lauded by the grateful organization and in 1937 a posthumous plaque expressing appreciation was given to his widow. Constantly seeking additional newspaper members, UPA advertised, at Porte's urging, in a 1917 issue of The Bulletin, then its official publication: "An organization of progressive publishers of country newspapers in Utah. No benefits - the association does not promise the impossible, but seeks to help the country newspaper business as a whole. Meetings are held twice a year. If you are a live newspaper publisher, join in with us. It costs but $2 - now!" Porte had recognized early in tiny Hunter, North Dakota that job printing was the backbone of small weeklies. He studied it so diligently that he became a recognized expert and his pricing catalogue opened the eyes of many commercial printers who thought they were producing a piece of work at a profit but were quite wrong because they'd failed to consider some key factors. During the 1930s, USPA had, in Hendrik Romeyn, another part-time executive secretary. His principal occupation was being secretary of the Printing Industry of Utah and of the Business Men's Alliance. His affiliation with USPA came to an end at the 1941 convention when, in a controversial decision, he was ousted after a six-year tenure. The 17-16 vote reflects how divided publishers were on the matter. For many years between the Porte and Romeyn eras, the work ordinarily carried out by a secretary was conducted by publishers themselves. As a result, becoming an officer or director involved companion duties requiring considerable time and effort, particularly in legislative watch-dogging, advertising sales and convention planning. For a brief time in 1941, Merle Taylor was the association's secretary. He proposed to the Board of Directors in April 300 |
