A Word From The Publisher

This week marks the eighty-fourth anniversary of the first issue of The Garden City News, which made its debut on September 26, 1923, only four years after the Village was incorporated. While since its founding the Village has grown and changed, the purpose of the publishers of the paper has remained remarkably the same.

In that first issue, the publishers placed a statement of purpose on the front page, which still holds true today:

"In offering this paper, the Garden City News, to the public its sponsors are aware of the futility of disseminating news, as news is generally understood, but rather do they hope that this weekly bulletin will fill a real need, providing a means of acquainting the residents of the village with matters of local interest.

"In its columns will be discussed topics of concern to the taxpayer, parents of school children, lovers of outdoor sport. We shall keep abreast with village affairs giving our readers church and club notes, fire and police department news, and social items generally.

"The News will advocate common sense government and economy and efficiency in the administration thereof; uphold faithful public servants; praise when praise is due and criticize when criticism will be constructive.

"To accomplish this work your cooperation is required and requested. These columns are open to you and your advice and opinions will be welcomed."

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Astute readers may note that the volume and number listed on the masthead has not yet ticked over to 84. The paper has been published continuously since that time, with the exception of a short period of time during 1974 when the paper was in bankruptcy and was not published for several weeks.

My father, Robert L. Morgan, who already published other Nassau County weekly newspapers, acquired the paper at the court auction. (A little known fact is that when he attended the auction, he had privately set himself a spending limit of $10,000. The only other serious bidder also had apparently set the same limit, but my father started off the bidding, and thus reached $10,000 first, whereupon the other bidder dropped out.)

We hope that our readers enjoy reading about their neighbors each week. It may not be "news" like the big daily newspapers define it, but there is still a place for little local papers like ours in the life of the Village.

Meg Morgan Norris

Publisher