This is a best of Jim’s Jottings, that was first published on November 26, 1970. Please enjoy!
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Through my nearly two decades of newspaper work I have made some mistakes that have been real beauties. I’m not referring to misjudgments or things done in poor taste.
In news stories, I don’t use the title after the full name is first mentioned. It’s Jim Sherman first, and after that it’s just Sherman. However, as the woman caller pointed out, leaving off the title on a death notice shows lack of respect for the dead. I agree.
The only mistake involving a dirty word I can recall being responsible for came while working at the Gladwin County Record. As a proofreader, I missed a bold faced headline that read Mystery Sister Party.
Naturally the story was from a church related group and the sixth letter in the alphabet replaced the “P” in party. Shortly after the paper hit the streets, as the big city boys say, publisher Paul Moon got a call. He in turn called me.
He said the caller had threatened to sue the paper for blackening of character. Right now I think he was joking, but I didn’t then.
Generally, mistakes are just that and can be amended or laughed at. Hopefully, the most recent big blunder (it could have been our biggest) was taken lightly by the man involved. His letter pointing out our mistake would indicate this.
The guy we ‘picked? on was N.C. “Red” VanNatta. He was supervisor of Springfield Township until the Nov. 3 election. Some years ago, Red lost his left arm in an accident on Telegraph Road. Another car sideswiped his and he had his arm resting out the open window at the time.
In his campaign for re-election, Red ordered an ad with us in The Clarkston News. It showed him sitting at a desk signing some papers.
Well, you can guess what happened. In this mixed up offset printing operation it’s real easy to get a picture reversed . . . and we did.
There, big as can be, sits Red signing a paper with his left hand.
He sent a note with his check for the ad that read, ‘Enclosed please find check covering your invoice of Nov. 10. It is a real cheap price to pay for the rejuvenation of my left arm. I enjoyed it immensely.?
Red, I love your sense of humor. I’m not sure I would feel the same and I know many others wouldn’t have enjoyed our mistake a bit.