My long engagement with newspapers

At age 93 I have been reflecting about how long has been my engagement with ‘Newspapers’ –– Daily Argosy, Daily Chronicle, Guyana Graphic, Evening Post, Booker News, the last of which I was briefly, but excitingly, a part, along with Winifred Gaskin, then Martin Carter.

Later I was to engage with David de Caires who had to battle to import material in order to produce the educative Stabroek News. There was a period when ‘Women’ (female) Editors were read and indulged. How much of their valued perspective I have missed! (More latterly there has been Kaieteur News).

On the other hand I wonder about colleagues grandfathers now titillated by still oversized photographs of children’s (not childish) sports teams. I also wonder whether at all these identify any exemplars for their own progeny to emulate.

I recall my Queen’s College colleagues who initiated the magazine ‘The Q.C. Lictor’ whose first editor Dennis Harewood was son of the contemporary editor of the Daily Chronicle. That first edition not only contained amusing stories, but also detailed reports on individual as well as team achievements in sports, drama, and of course scholarships. Interestingly many of these winners also excelled at First Division Cricket, Football, Hockey, Table Tennis and at the National level. But it was Athletics which attracted our annual International participation with encouraging successes – specifically at Easter and August Holiday weekends – the climax of all House Competitions.

Along the journey one learnt how to compete :Teams-manship

:how to lead

:how to lose and congratulate the winner

:that nobody is as smart as everybody and more productive writing than ineloquent photographs.

Yours faithfully,

E. B. John

Sprint Champion 100 & 220 yds.

1950.