The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Linder Moves To Editor

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

Shirley Linder, Assistant Editor of the two weekly newspapers of Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc. has been moved to the position of Editor.

Shirley came to work at The Henderson County Quill newspaper in Stronghurst 15 years ago, December 6, 1986.

She took the part time position of long-time employee Cornel Flynn upon his retirement working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays.

At that time, she called for news, took care of subscriptions and daysheets.

Prior to that, she had filled in as proof-reader for Ann Wetzel during an illness.

Taking Cornel's position, she ran the Addressograph which made address plates for subscribers, and stamped sacks with addresses for all the subscribers each week. Later she helped with bagging and mailing, pasting up the news, and typesetting.

She began her typing along with Betty Schaley on a Compugraphic. The computer converted the type into a code by punching holes into paper. The paper was then fed through another machine and converted into columns on photographic paper which had to be run through chemicals and developed. Then it was cut and waxed and pasted into the newspaper.

As Shirley quickly learned skills and was eager to help out, other tasks were added. Soon she was working four and a half days a week and many times works extended hours.

Today she sorts all the mail, posts the checks on the computer, makes deposits, does bookkeeping and billing by computer for subscriptions, classifieds, legals, and display advertising, marks advertising from the papers and logs them into advertising customers accounts, monthly attends the Stronghurst Village and Stronghurst School Board meetings, and writes them for the paper, sells advertising, does the weekly post office reports, receives and sends faxes, and emails, teaches new help, manages employees, weekly sends articles to the web page, answers the phone, takes care of customers, keeps the publisher informed, and a slew of other jobs which pertain to the running of a weekly newspaper.

With Shirley's new role as Editor, she will be making more decisions on news to go in each week, special promotions, and on news that is to be covered by our correspondents.

"It is hard NOT to think of Shirley when you think of The Quill," said Dessa Rodeffer, Publisher and former Editor. "Shirley is so much of what keeps The Quill going, and of what keeps the communication going between the newspaper and its readers. We at The Quill, along with our readers are fortunate to have such a loyal, hardworking, dedicated Editor in charge of our hometown newspapers.

"I hope the citizens will continue to help in getting the news out by sending in news and keeping us informed.

"The jobs are many here, and for two small county newspapers to remain 'newsy' with the events, discoveries, and activities of your families, schools, churches, and social events, we definitely need our readers help in writing of events and news and then sending or brining them in to us."

Shirley is assisted whenever possible by her husband, Gilbert of 47 years, who is retired from the grocery business. They are active members of the Stronghurst United Methodist Church, and keep busy with odd jobs for others including mowing yards. They have four children and three grandchildren:

Sherry McCarty and her husband Mike live in Moline where she does office work at Short Hills Country Club and enters crafts and handiwork in the fairs. They have a daughter Katie.

Larry Linder, a computer specialist at General Dynamics lives in Massachusettes. He also designs web pages and puts together and maintains The Quill web page. He has a son Patton.

Marvin Linder, of Stronghurst is a mechanical designer at J.I. Case, Burlington, Iowa and does wood working, photography, and is a volunteer fireman and ambulance driver and has a son Andrew.

Their fourth child, Barbara Kay, lived at home with a mental defect, and died at 20.