| Show THE UTAH NEWSPAPER HALL OF FAME Prairie Kansas where Claude became publisher of the weekly Times He would continue to do so until his death in 1950 Charles who not surprisingly was nicknamed Charlie by some -but preferred as his family did Clay -graduated from Kansas State University in 1926 withdegree in jour nalism Fortime he was newspaper-employed in Orlando Florida then moved to the Ochiltree County Herald of Perryton Texas as advertising manager His publisher there Van Stewart was great influence on my life Clay frequently observed It was in Perryton that he met his wife Peggy Alwayne Pansy Conley known to her friends as Waynie They were married June 1927 in Hutchison Kansas In December 1935 they moved to Liberal Kansas where Clay became partowner and editor of the Southwest Daily Times It wassmall paper he reminisced and Waynie and together with Bill Long who was my city editor often worked 24-hour days getting it together printed and delivered Those were de pression years across the nation and times of drought duststorms and crop failures for the agriculturally-oriented Midwest Even keeping the paper in operation waschallenge he remembered pointing out You could buyton of newsprint for only 25 the problem was finding the 25 Here he beganprogram he would religiously follow throughout his publishing career -selecting young men of promising potential to train in the mechanical department as printers With remarkably few exceptions each of them became skilled Linotype operators and backshop people under his tutelage and proved to be not only capable but loyal employees Shortly after the outbreak of World War II the Claybaughs and Bill and Jane Long purchased the News and Journal from owner Ed Ryan The paper coalition formed in 1938 was the survivor of six different mastheads the first of which dated back to 1890 Selling his interest in Liberal Clay moved to Hayes Kansas where he wasflying instructor while awaiting call to active duty in the Navy which came in June 1943 Though hehoped to be assigned aspilot or 459 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
