This is Buck Taylor and Shirley Smith. They were the newspaper editors in 1943 and 1944. Taylor won a national prize for his paper -- believed to be the first at the paper, the first of many, many (we won two in my day). His time as editor was cut short, though, because of his Army obligations.

The paper they're reading? You can read it today, January 14, 1944.

Taylor was a senior from Mobile, and he was studying business. More on him in a bit.

Smith was the first female editor of The Plainsman. Her first paper was June 8th, 1943. One of the top stories was a local boy, a university graduate, who died in a Japanese prison camp.

Smith, no relation, was from tiny Springville, Alabama -- less than 400 people lived there. She was studying science and literature. She was also on the publicity committee for the local War Chest Appeal. There, she was rubbing elbows with publishers of the two local papers and the radio station. Just as The Plainsman won All-American honors the previous year under Buck Taylor, the American College Press gave them a second honor under Smith's tenure.

And then, she quickly drifts away from what the web can tell us. I blame the last name.

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