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Sorry!
WE may have to change our masthead from that ambitious “monthly” back to our original “occasional.” There wasn’t any April Topix, because we had no time to publish one – and there’s no telling how many times in the future we’re going to skip a month. But don’t let that be cause for celebration – you’ll still have to read Topix as often as we can publish.
Exchanges
SINCE March we have exchanged copies of our paper with two publishers. One of these, the editor of The American Blare, is our friend of UAPA days, Willard Northrop. One of the contributors – and he wrote a stirring article – is our old friend, Corp. Sidney Cohen, of the U. S. Army.
The other publisher is our own Dr. Grayce Claire Barthel, whose School of Correct Speech publishes The Logos. We think all schools would profit by a newsy publication like this.
Bundle for March
WE were all alone in the mimeograph field as leonine roars ushered in March. But we did meet up with a Vol. 1, No. 1 this bundle – The Journalistic Dispatch. When the AAPA can add another to its “younger set” we’re all glad – they are our future leaders. Welcome to the ranks, Charlie, and show us what you can do!
Best paper in the bundle was Treasurer Riddle’s Fort Smith Ajayer. And not because it was printed, either! We know Chick would still be mimeographing in his excellent manner if he had a duplicator with him at Camp Peary. We like it for the 100% spirit it packs.
Siamese Standpipe comes out with the amusingly interesting military diary of that far-from-typical soldier, Pvt. Wesson. We could use more of this, but regularly.
We’re pleased to see that we still get The Hobo now that Ted is a soldier. We second the motion on paying tribute to the army and navy nurses. But, my friend, what would we ever do with a pound of sugar in a cup of coffee? We never used more than two spoonsful, Tex!
Bundle for April
THE printers swept us mimeographers out of the picture in rainy April – not even Topix held up our end. Best of them was (what, again?) The Chimes – it even sported a halftone cut. Gordon is cutting in on Welcome Mat when he introduces four new members – but we like it! And (pardon us while we repress a shudder or three) we enjoyed an exciting ghost story by Cadet Bob Maney. Laureate caliber!
Bill Smith stuck us with one of those “ironic twist” stories in Nassau Amateur, but his yarn about “Chaplain Robinson” helped make up for it. Incidentally, Willard, there’s an “a” in that word. Ask Chick Riddle.
The Texas Star was the bearer of another of the Harrington essays. Personally, we think that Dan writes the most humorous material in the AAPA.
The second number of Editor Kulzick’s volume of the American Amateur Journalist spreads the spirit of AAPA must show if it is to carry on during the war.
Rambling With Riddle
OUR able Treasurer – now Yeoman 30 in the navy – has been making the most of his spare time from Camp Peary. He has been traveling around to the lairs of his ajay friends – and in April he managed to make the journey to the Wonder City. We met Chick one morning at the Pennsylvania Station – he was asking all the civilians in the station if their name was Haywood, and we were $64-ing all the sailors, until we finally eliminated the rest – and from then on it was a hectic couple of days.
We introduced our Ozark tar to the mysteries of the Automat, tested every escalator in our path (Chick loves them – even if he fell flat on his face the first time he rode on one in Cincinnati!) and made a tour of The News plant. Both days he was here, we lunched with the head gal of the Ajay Hostesses, our own HAV. She and Chick took in the circus together when we had to report to work, but you’ll have to get the results of that out of one of them.
Our sailor also wanted to visit a few publishers of his favorite pulp mags, so we did a tour of editorial offices one morning. All in all, Chick kept us on the run during his all-too-brief sojourn in New York – and we’ll bet he gathered some interesting material for his Fort Smith Ajayer.
Service Men
Keep Welcome Mat informed of your latest change in address. Tell us – we’ll be telling the others.
Fossil Dinner
EVERY year, on the last Saturday in April the Fossils have their annual reunion dinner. The Fossils is the organization of amateur journalists of the past – all of them have been ajays for at least twenty-five years. We attended our second reunion as guests (this November will mark our 10th anniversary as an ajay) – and wouldn’t miss one of the gatherings. You might have an idea that the old-timers are a little slow because of their years – but you wouldn’t think so if you attended one of these get-togethers.
Secretary Cole presided as ranking officer, so the inevitable happened when Charlie Heins had the chance. Up he jumped with something to say, and was put right back on his haunches by the Chairman – who remembered that Charlie was the one who, at the NAPA convention in New York last July, insisted that those seeking the floor address the chair as “Mr. Chairman.” The Fossils elected able Frank Roe Batchelder as President for the coming year – and added to their ranks by admitting Louis Burton Crane and Mr. Delano, whose interest in ajay had just been recently revived. It was thrilling for us to meet once again those who have left our hobby such a real heritage, and we hope they will be on hand to greet us again in many more years to come.
Missed Again!
ONCE more it is our painful duty to make an apology for the absence of the Tillie’s Topix half of our journal. She has been, if it is possible, busier than we have. Perhaps we will be able to present her share again in an early issue, however, so do not despair.
NOTE: NEW addition to our mail address in the masthead.
A monthly publication devoted to the hobby of amateur journalism. Published and edited by William Haywood, New York, N. Y. Charter A-46, American Amateur Press Association.