From newsboys to newspaper carriers

Newsboys were once an integral part of the newspaper industry. In major cities, they sold -- or hawked -- newspapers from a busy street corner, a newspaper stand or a cart.

The newsboy occupation existed from the late 1800s, through the early 20th century and even into the 1940s. The job of hawking newspapers to passers-by was not an easy one, and many poor, homeless children competed for the meager money that could be gained from the position.

Over time, newsboys became newspaper carriers who delivered newspapers along a regular route. At first they walked, now they drive.

It is not likely the Southeast Missourian employed newsboys who worked street corners, according to Southeast Missourian librarian and archivist Sharon Sanders, because the city was small. Newspaper carriers, however, were plentiful.

The earliest records available indicate that in 1972 there were 28 newspaper carriers, and one was a female -- Susan Lange. Other carriers were Tim Leuckel, Stephen Dumey, Bill Black, Kevin Reynolds and Roger Ziegler.

Bud McCutcheon of Cape Girardeau had a route in 1972.

"You betcha, I delivered papers for about a year or so," said McCutcheon. "I was 11 years old. I was even named Paper Boy of the Month once. I rode my bike with a basket full of papers, and my dog followed me quite a bit. I delivered in the May Greene School area and south Cape."

McCutcheon doesn't remember how much he was paid, but customers often gave him Christmas cards and envelopes containing a dollar.

"The people were friendly. I just bought a house on Themis and I introduced myself to a neighbor, and she said I used to be her paper boy," he said, laughing at the coincidence.

Donald Sweet started his newspaper route when he was 13. He delivered on and off for about three years starting in 1972. When he took another job, his sister and brother took over the route, but he'd fill in for them if they were sick.

He was hired by a man named Norm Chapman. "I walked the route at first then decided riding a bike was a lot faster," Sweet said.

Sweet delivered about 85 newspapers, starting right after school at 2:45 p.m. and finishing by about 5.

"I went down Ellis Street to Broadway, a couple blocks down Broadway, then down Sprigg and some of Good Hope. I made a big circle of about 10 blocks and ended just two blocks from my house."

Mary Clubb of Cape Girardeau has two sons who delivered newspapers. She and her husband sometimes helped.

"Danny Jr. had a foot route when he was 13, and he delivered in our neighborhood," she said. "When he got older, he had a big driving route, and his brother, Brian, took over his neighborhood route. We sometimes took Brian around in our truck, especially if the weather was bad."

Danny Clubb Jr. now lives in Schererville, Ind., having moved from Cape in 1981. He started delivering papers in 1975.

"We had a lot of good times ... I had rubber band fights with other delivery guys," he said. "When the papers were delivered, we had to fold them and put rubber bands around them. If it rained we had plastic bags to put them in. I delivered maybe 75 papers after school."

John Dirnberger did two stints as a newspaper carrier -- in 1969 and 1972, at ages 12 and 15. During his first stint, his route covered about 100 houses along Benton, Ellis and Pacific streets. The second time he delivered papers, his route was in the old Saint Francis Hospital area.

Back then it was an afternoon paper. "I rode a bike, and yes, I did get chased by dogs but never bitten," Dirnberger said.

Dirnberger had a booklet with the names of all his customers. Once a month he would collect the money owed and, after keeping his percentage, turn it in to the Missourian.

"During my second stint, I came up with a good idea," he said. "I would order extra newspapers and get them at a discount, then sell them directly to patients at St. Francis Hospital. That gave me some extra spending money."