Rural Missouri - January 2022 - 15

Church in Paris, related that Jack told him " to go help the
poor wherever there is a need and charge it to me. "
While he often traded political broadsides with the competing
Paris Mercury's editor, Tom Bodine, he was quick to
write a glowing tribute to his rival's deceased sisters in the
pages of the Appeal. He also offered the office of his paper,
including the staff and equipment, so that the Mercury
could publish while its editor mourned his beloved sisters.
" Jack is a better editorial writer than any man who
contributes to the editorial page of the dailies in St. Louis,
Kansas City, St. Joe and other Missouri seaports, " opined
the Macon Republican. " But he will probably live and die in
Paris, Mo., thereby showing more sense than some of the
rest of us who sought larger fields. "
Jack would indeed stay in Paris. He tried to retire twice,
the first time in 1941 when he was 71 years old. He returned
when his second-in-command, Si Colburn, joined
the Army. Once Si returned Jack again retired but continued
to come to the office twice a week to write his column.
Those visits grew increasingly longer until he was back
full time, perhaps prompted by ribbing from the GlobeDemocrat:
" We
herewith and to his face call Jack Blanton a quitter,
a fellow with a future who is deliberately passing it by
to dally down the primrose path with a niblick in one hand
and a fish pole in the other. "
Both Jack and Si were inducted into the Missouri Newspaper
Hall of Fame. The Appeal was named one of the Top
5 newspapers in the nation by Country Gentleman. Time
magazine did a story on Jack and the Saturday Evening
Post called him the best-known country editor in the
nation. The University of Missouri School of Journalism
honored his work with a gold medal for " Distinguished Service
in Journalism " and a silver cup for " most constructive
work in journalism on behalf of good citizenship. "
The Missouri Press Association, which Jack once led as
president, framed a copy of the painting along with a tribute
to Jack and donated it to the Monroe County Courthouse.
It hangs just outside the county history museum.
Residents of Paris honored Jack by dedicating a fountain
to him on the courthouse lawn. This came in response
to a column he wrote. " The Horse Editor wants to see an
artistic drinking fountain in Paris - a fountain with a
bowl for dogs, and a bowl for horses, man's most faithful
friends, as well as a drinking place for men, women and
children. "
Jack once told his readers that he " aimed to live to 100
or die trying. " He wrote his last column just hours before
his death in 1955.
In reporting his death on Page 1, Si Colburn wrote,
" Nowhere in the Appeal this week will appear '30', which
in newspaper circles is used to indicate the end. Jack
Blanton does not die. " Instead, he promised, Jack's legacy,
principles, practices and policies would continue in the
pages of the Appeal.
Tributes to his life's work came from far and wide and
included this one from the Mexico Ledger: " If there is a
newspaper in heaven, and we suspect there is, Jack Blanton
is writing editorials for it. They're rich and fine and
bulging with depth of meaning. They're fair and forceful
- the honest opinion of a square-shouldered man. They're
human of course. But more than that, reflect a humility
and humor rising above the smallness of mere self ... just
like they always were here on earth. "
The paper may have changed, merged and gone online
but it continues in the tradition Jack Blanton brought to it
so many years ago. If it's missing the politics and religion,
its current staff more than makes up for it by reporting the
local news no other media outlet is likely to cover.
" I think the worst thing that could happen is there
could be a day where a generation doesn't know what a
newspaper is, " Editor Lacey says. " That could be a reality
at some point, and an unfortunate one. "
You can find the Appeal at www.monroecountyappeal.
com and on Facebook. To see the painting and sketches
from Norman Rockwell's visit, search for country editor at
www.collection.nrm.org.
Left: Editor Lacey Schumard, left, and Publisher Robin Gregg hold a copy of the famous painting Norman Rockwell created for a feature called
" Norman Rockwell Visits a Country Editor " which appeared in the May 26, 1946 edition of the Saturday Evening Post. The print has faded after
hanging on the newspaper's walls for many years. Right: Becky Vanlandingham has many fond memories of staying at the Paris home of her greatgrandfather
Jack Blanton. The Blanton's welcomed many guests to their home, including Norman Rockwell, who stayed with them for three days.

http://www.monroecountyappeal.com http://www.monroecountyappeal.com http://www.collection.nrm.org

Rural Missouri - January 2022

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