The History of
The Steepelcock News
1948-2002
written by Dr. Raymond VanderWyk

This Chapter in the History of our Church organizations is dedicated to those individuals who editorialized and published the Steeplecock News for the past 54 years. It describes the work of editors, co-editors, typists, typewriters, mimeograph machines, floppy disks, computers, cutters, pasters, proof readers, collators, staplers, envelope stuffers, stamp lickers, dead lines, and trips to the Post Office down Main Street, all working together, so that the news of what was happening in our Church might become known to our members.

For many years prior to 1948, few efforts were made to distribute notices to Church members describing the various activities of committees or members. The Sunday Bulletins were the major source of publicity, and news of coming events. But you had to come to Church to really learn what was going on. It was decided, therefore, to get the news out to everyone in the Church and the result was Vol. I, No 1 of the Steeplecock News in September, 1948, consisting of four pages professionally printed.

The first article was submitted by Rev. Harold Leland, in which he stated: "The Steeplecock News is now in your hands. I am enthusiastic about it, and I know you will be, too. We have long needed what this paper will do for us month after month. It will keep us informed of what is happening in our Church. It will contain certain items designed to lift eyes beyond the horizon of Waltham to our world-wide Christian task of Kingdom building. From month to month, it will enable me to share with you some of the thoughts in my mind and heart, and it will provide a means for the announcement of plans for our Church organizations."

In the first issue, we learned that the November Fair is to be called the "Steeplecock Trading Post". The Women's Association graciously consented to dispense with their customary Annual Fair, and the members were working hard to make the November fair a great success. The column known as School Bells reported that F. Lee Bailey had been accepted at Kimball Union Academy, Louise Owen, at Franiingham State Teacher's College, Ann Guba at U. Mass, and Jane Flagg at Jackson College. A Program in the Waltham School system, called "Released Time for Religious Education" was begun where students were excused from classes for one hour each week to receive religious instruction. Pupils from North Junior High were sponsored by the Waltham Council of Churches, of which our Church member Fred Flagg, was President, and Rev. Harold Leland was Vice-president. Classes were held in our Church, and instructed by Rev Erwin Shaver, who was also a member. The "Who's Who" column featured Fred Birch, who was quoted as saying that our first organ, which was destroyed in the fire of '25, was a hand driven, water pump affair.

The new Steeplecock News was published seven times that year by a "Publication Committee", consisting of Mrs. Dora Gummerson, Mrs. George Dewsnap, Annette White, William Slayton, (Superintendent of the Waltham Public Schools), and William E. Hays. Subscriptions were set at fifty cents per year.

The practice of printing the Steeplecock News by an outside professional printer was dropped in 1963, when a mimeograph machine was purchased, and a 5.5 "by 8.5" booklet was issued. The word from the printing staff at the time was that there were many "inky hands" during the learning process.

In 1979, an electronic stencil making machine was purchased which saved typing and printing time, and the format was changed from booklet to a 10" by 14" spread, which provided more space for news. It also was decided to publish weekly, so that many weekly schedules of various organizations could be made known. At that time, King Chittenden was Editor. He reported that in 1979, there were 39 issues, each having a distribution of 350 copies. It was a three day operation involving sixteen devoted staff members, working almost full time. On Monday afternoon, a rough draft was prepared by the Editor who had been urging every contributor to "Get your items in on time". Tuesday was taken up to produce the stencil, and layout, and finally to proofread, and print. On Wednesday morning, the Steeplecocks were folded, run through the addressograph machine, collated, and prepared for mailing. King's Report further stated that Frank Honey "lugged them" to the Post Office down Main St. In 1981, when Joan Turner was Editor, she estimated that a year's number of issues of Steeplecocks required 95,000 pages.

On December 2, 1986, our venerated Steeplecock caught up with the new technology, when it was computer generated by Pastor Hal McSwain and Secretary Mary Bourque as Editors. Paula Porter (with Elizabeth's help) followed Mary and following them, Marilyn became Administrative Assistant, and Editor. Together with Lily Blodgett and a staff of Church members, the name, "Steeple People" was coined. Marilyn edited until 2000, producing many excellent and attractive issues. For a short period, the Steeplecock contained news from the Worldwide Church of God, and their Pastor, Allan Ebeling served as Editor. At the present time, 2002, the News is published only by our Church in the hands of Ruth and Bill Anderson as Editors.

Editors and Steeple People

There is little doubt, but that the Steeplecock News Letter represents the heart and soul of our Church, because it is truly a labor of love for so many members, for such a long time.

This issue is an attempt to recall their good works by listing the names of those contributors, who deserve our thanks over the past 54 years. Fortunately, in most instances, the names of the Editorial Staff, and of the "Steeple People" were included in each Issue. Sometimes there were Co-Editors, and many people worked hard to produce a single issue. Editors are listed chronologically, and include the number of years each served.

In 1995, the editors submitted the November 23, 1994 issue of the Steeplecock News in a nation wide contest along with 130 other entrants. This contest is held every year by the UCC Office of Communications. Although our entry did not win first place, it was judged as a "very good newsletter, having "excellent contributions about Advent and Parish History". In its comments, the judges stated that they would have preferred "more news about the wider Church, with a booklet type format". We received a copy of the second place winner. It was highly professional, with numerous photographs, but I thought at the time, that it lacked the personal, intimate flavor of our entry, with its focus on people, and their lives.

Following are the names of our Steeple People through the years.

EDITORS AND CO-EDITORS 1948-2002

1948- Dora Gummerson, Mrs. George Dewsnap
Annette White, William Slayton, William E. Hays
1949- 1951 Miss Nancy Leland
1952-53- Bernice Hepler, Nell Stewart
1954- 1958- Grace Mitchell, Dora Putnam
1959- Phillip Janes, Earl Arnold
1960 -Dorothy and Ernest Sullivan
1961- 1964 Cloyce Reed
1965- 1969 Nancy Putnam
1970- Nancy Putnam Gabine
1971- 1976 Frances VanderWyk
1977- Jeanne Falzone
1978- Grace Macfarlane, King Chittenden
1979- Elsie Miller, Miriam Hussey
1980- Grace Kennedy, Miriam Hussey
1981-82- Grace Kennedy, Miriam Hussey, Joan Turner
1983- Grace Kennedy, Miriam Hussey, Alma Pontz
1984-85 Alma Pontz, Miriam Hussey, Shirley Brown
1986- Carol Turmel, Ethel O'Mara, Hal McSwain
1987-1988 Mary Bourque
1989-1990 Etta Potter, Anna Irving
1991- Etta Potter, Paula Porter
1992- Etta Potter, Grace Kennedy
1993-1994 Carol Turmel, Paula Porter, Hal McSwain
1995- Marilyn Larkin, Lily Blodgett
1996-1999 Marilyn Larkin
2000- Ruth Anderson
2001- Ruth Anderson, Allan Ebeling (July-Dec.)
2002 Allan Ebeling (Jan.-June) Ruth Anderson
2003 Ruth Anderson

The Steeplecock News was often used as a means by church members to publish their personal experiences, or news items of interest. Such an article appeared in the Dec. 2, 1982 issue, written by Bill Hays. It was titled simply, "Fold-de-rol". It is a delightful, humorous account of his experiences as a worker while preparing the Steeplecock Dinner. It will be published in the next Steeplecock News, but first look up the meaning of the word, "folderol," Don't miss it!

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Trinity Church
(First Congregational Church of Waltham)
730 Main Street
Waltham, MA 02451
Copyright 2002