Harper's Bazaar

In the four years since John Cowles Jr., 35, succeeded his father as editor of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, he has added luster to the family name and papers. Intense and Harvard-educated, he also helped vitalize his community, led the campaign that raised $2,300,000 to build the handsome new Tyrone Guthrie repertory theater. Last week Editor Cowles branched out, geographically as well as culturally by acquiring a half-interest in Harper's.

The 114-year-old monthly, which has been owned all these years by the respected book-publishing house of Harper & Brothers (in 1962 it became Harper & Row), will henceforth be the property of a private corporation, owned jointly by Cowles and Harper. The book-publishing firm felt that it had grown too big to do justice to its venerable magazine. Cowles, on the other hand, has dreamed of running a magazine since his college days. Ten years ago, when he was offered a job on Harper's by his longtime friend Editor John Fischer, Cowles reluctantly refused in order to learn the ropes in Minneapolis. His wife is the stepdaughter of Harper & Row Chairman Cass Canfield.

No major changes are planned for Harper's. Since 1955, its circulation has increased from 190,000 to 280,000, its advertising revenue has quadrupled (to $1,600,000 in 1964). Says Cowles: What Jack Fischer's been doing suits me to a T. I want more of it."

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