March 4 Issue

The night of March 3, 1933 and all the following day brought an avalanche of news to editors' desks throughout the land. Herbert Hoover was leaving the White House. Franklin Roosevelt was going in. ... Banks all over the country were being closed by decree. ... A wild stockmarket. . . . Jehol fell to the Japanese. . . . Mayor Cermak was dying. . . . President Roosevelt asked extraordinary powers. . . . Extra session to deal with banks. . . .

It was the kind of day that keeps make-up editors tearing their hair and remaking their pages. And on this particular day all make-up editors had to think not only of their regular readers, but of a professional event of much importance--the third annual typographical competition in Philadelphia sponsored by N. W. Aver & Son advertising agency. The contest this year was to be based on issues of March 4. Editors of 1,386 dailies sent their papers of that day to Philadelphia.

On a floor of the Ayer building, the 1,386 sheets were spread over 5,000 square feet of space. Three judges--Editor Fred Fuller Shedd of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Editor Marlen Pew of Editor & Publisher tradepaper, Fred W. Kennedy, journalism director at University of Washington--walked gravely up & down the rows, dropping ballots upon sheets which caught their favor for excellence of typography, make-up and presswork. Last week the "sweepstakes" winner was announced: the New York Times. Prize: a silver cup bearing the name of Francis Wayland Ayer, late founder of the agency. Honors also were awarded in two other classes. Among newspapers of 10,000 to 50,000 circulation: the Rockford (Ill.) Register-Republic. Among newspapers of 10,000 or less: the Chambersburg (Pa.) Public Opinion.

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