Madison County Democrat

'Life Begins At 40' Year's Service Society Editor For Madison Press Company For Forty Years Still Enjoys Pleasure Of Working With People
The first million dollars is always the hardest to save, and the first forty years on a job are generally the most difficult, but Miss Margaret A (the A doesn't stand for anything) Converse, society editor for the Madison Press Company doesn't think of her work as difficult.
To her it sometimes becomes "not so easy to fill a page" but the pleasure of working with people overbalances any trace of difficulty, even after more than 40 years with the same job on the Madison Press Company staff.
Shortly after she observed her fortieth anniversary with the Madison Press Company this summer, she was featured in an article in the Columbus Sunday Dispatch.
Just last week she was featured in the Publisher's Auxiliary, a national trade newspaper for the newspaper industry.
But all this doesn't add up too much with Miss Converse . . . she still values her associations far above the publicity.
Of her work during the years, which actually started earlier than 40 years ago, she had this to say:
"Now that there is all this stir and recognition about a society editor having been on the job for 40 years, I shudder to think how nearly I came to "missing the boat."
"It all came about back in 1917 when the late Col. Raymond M. Cheseldine, Ed S. Neese and L. C. Payton, purchased the old "London Times" from the late R. K. Shaw.
Manning the staff were Mr. Shaw, owner, publisher and editor: the late Austin K. Chenoweth, "AKC" reporter; Anne Neff, typesetter (by hand), who also ran off the 4-page paper on the big cylinder press which she "fed" from a large platform on the side and I, who was then filling in about two days a week doing anything there was to do, helping set type, running back and forth to the office of the Madison County Democrat which was the proud possessor of a "linotype" machine. etc. etc. etc.
"When the change-over came, the other three were taken and I was without a job.
Suddenly it occurred to the new owners that most newspapers had a society editor—would I be it?
Certainly I would. and here I am today.
, "The record itself, of course, is
but it's not the record that pleases me most.
IT'S the wonderful folks I've been surrounded by through the years who have made it so very pleasant to "hang on" for such a long time, and the thousands of friends made through association with the paper, that are the sources of my greatest pride and pleasure.
"In the ensuing years, under the direction of publisher R. B. Howard, and for the last nine years
After more than 40 years, the telephone is still the most powerful weapon used by Miss Margaret Converse in her work as Society Editor for the Madison Press Company.
During her work. shown active in the left photo, she has never gone the route of many metropolitan society editors, that is, a steady routine of free meals and parties to collect the news.
She has successfully depended on the publicity directors of the various clubs, churches and organizations.
And in using Mr. Alexander Graham Bell's instrument, plus her contacts in the office, she has made thousands of friends, and can probably call more people by their first name than can anyone else in London.
In the picture at right, on a busman's holiday, she spends her spare hours reading.
But if she had her way, she would also include flowers as part of her pastime.
"Flowers and reading add the extra touch of intimate relationship with nature and the outside world".
Actually, for Miss Converse, there is little spare time if people don't call her at the office, they wait until she is home and place their calls to her house, placing her on a full 24 hour day, and frequently, she feels that the days have even more than the 24 hours.
(Press Democrat Photos)
with Publisher J. R. Conway, my long years of work have been most rewarding.
It has been (and continues to be a genuine pleasure to associate with the people of the Madison Press Company family. which includes the thousands of readers and advertisers, as well as the people who do the publication work.
With the many years of experience in the Madison Press Com-
(Continued on Page Two)
Society
(Continued from Page One)
company office, it has become a habit
for readers to look upon Miss
Converse as the unofficial historian
of Madison County. One visitor
to the office was trying to
verify an incident which occurred
more than 100 years ago, and un-
consciously turned to Miss Con-
verse for the facts. Of course Miss
Converse didn't remember 100
years ago, but her familiarity
with the history of Madison County
actually supported the facts for
the interrogator.
Retirement is frequently mentioned for people with as much
service as Miss Converse has, but
the word isn't in her active vocabulary. As long as people get married,
have babies, attend parties
and go to club meetings, she will
still have a worthwhile interest in
the newspaper life. And she gets
a pleasure of each and every caller.
Outside the newspaper, she is a
faithful member of the Presbyterian
Church. is an active member of
the London Business and Professional
Women, was their charter
president, is a member of the
Bridgettes Club which has met
weekly for more than 35 years,
and has been active in numerous
other organizations. including the
late "Why Be Sensible Club". But
right now the church, the Bridge tetts and the BPW get most of
her attention, after her work at
the desk.