MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Smith

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING "THE MAGEE COURIER" FOR 100 YEARS OF RECORDING HISTORY.

WHEREAS, for more than 100 years, The Magee Courier has recorded the events that have shaped Magee and Simpson County; and

WHEREAS, official state records show The Courier was founded March 19, 1899 by Will Jarvis, there is evidence that suggests a forerunner of The Courier was published as early as 1879, but newspaper records were destroyed by fire in 1928.

WHEREAS, although the first 30 years of the paper's existence is unclear, by 1903, Ralph Gray was the paper's publisher and Eugene Terry, editor. The name was The Magee Herald during this time; and

WHEREAS, in 1904, the name was changed to The Magee Courier and that year or perhaps in 1905, W.V. Watkins was editor and publisher; and

WHEREAS, a year's subscription then cost $1.00, and the paper was published on Friday; and

WHEREAS, by 1929, R.H. Watkins had become editor, and he sold the paper to A.P. Russell in 1930; and

WHEREAS, in 1936, the paper was sold to T.P. Bond. A year later the trustees appointed H.D. Gillis as editor, and two months later Harlan Hilburn assumed the position; Hilburn is noted as being the first editor to use colored newsprint in Magee; and

WHEREAS, Hilburn sold to C.C. Bryant in 1939; and

WHEREAS, G.O. Parker bought the paper from Bryant after his retirement in 1948; Parker led The Courier from hot metal into the offset era, installing a News King press in 1968; and

WHEREAS, in 1970, Parker sold to Tom and Betty Dickson. They installed the first compugraphic equipment; and

WHEREAS, in late 1984, the Dicksons sold to Owen and Lacy Lusk, who added four units to the press, and installed the paper's first computer-driven pagination and typesetting system, and when the paper was sold in 1993 to Emmerick Newspaper the computers were upgraded again; and

WHEREAS, The Magee Courier now employs 13 full-time and five part-time staffers; and

WHEREAS, The Magee Courier has been a source of historical data for the citizens who helped build the Magee and Simpson County area; and

WHEREAS, The Magee Courier has supported the children in their accomplishments and recognized the success of the people of Magee in their private and business lives; and

WHEREAS, The Magee Courier has worked diligently for the future of the City of Magee while reflecting on the past history of the citizens as they developed the area; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this outstanding publication for its considerable contribution to the civic and business growth of Magee and Simpson County, Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate "The Magee Courier" as it celebrates 100 years of recording history in Magee and Simpson County, Mississippi, and wish it continued success in the new century.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to Pat Brown, editor of "The Magee Courier," and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.