To:  Catherine Hampton & the MHS Journalism Students
 

First in the NATION!!!  Are you SERIOUS???

It is still impossible for me to get my mind wrapped around what a tremendous accomplishment you have achieved.  I am so very proud of you!  Please accept my sincere congratulations.

You know, Marshfield (Coos Bay Schools, in fact) has a very rich Journalism history.  When I first started working for the district, the high school had another Super Star Journalism teacher by the name of Lois McKenna.  Marshfield had a full on news press in the basement of the Main.  When the newspaper ran the room actually vibrated.  The noise was deafening.

As a young teacher, I wanted to teach a journalism class at Michigan Avenue School (where Sunset is now).  So I went to visit Mrs. McKenna so I could learn a few things.   She was the best, but she was scary.

Back in the day, when I taught journalism, all the typing was done by the teacher (that was me) on wax coated mimeograph paper.  If you made a mistake, you had to recoat the wax and re-type the word or letter.

To make the margins justified, we had to graph out the article line, by line before it was typed.  You hoped you guessed correctly as to how many lines would fit on a typed page. After the paper was typed, we put the mimeographs on a machine that we hand cranked to roll out each page.  Then, the pages had to be folded and assembled.

We took our own black and white pictures and developed the prints.  My classroom constantly smelled of photography chemicals.  But, we were determined to publish a paper and so we did.  I recognize that determination in The Marshfield Times journalism students.

It will probably be years from now that you truly realize the total impact of this award.  I cannot think of any other group of students from Marshfield that was best in the nation.

When Heritage Hall gets built, I am sure you will have your pictures and monikers proudly displayed among other “greats” from Marshfield.

I am awed by your accomplishments, to be sure, but I am impressed by your values and your ethics.  They will carry you through any problem life throws at you.  And, when they come, you’ll know what to do.

Way to Go!

Mrs. Christensen

Marshfield Librarian