This Democrat column is posted out of sequence. The photo i posted on FB earlier this week accompanied that column. It was written in 2009. Coach JB walked over that bridge in 2011. He remains a beacon for all journalists who have the goal of doing it the right way.
SAN DIEGO – This column is positioned, date wise, to address 2011 beginnings, but this is more about ending than beginning.
In last Friday’s “Second Thoughts” column, Lynda Leftwich Newton, Jim Leftwich, Barbara Leftwich Froula, and Jack Leftwich announced their father would no longer be writing his weekly column here.
My first inclination was to describe this conclusion as the “end of an era.” But J.B not regularly contributing to print journalism in Middle Tennessee is so much more than just a simple end of an era.
The man and his contributions to journalism are not only woven into the fabric of our town but will continue to positively influence journalism in the future.
J.B. has been associated with the Democrat for 72 years. He was also a reporter for the Nashville Tennessean. His direct impact on journalism in Middle Tennessee cannot be overstated. The Democrat; Tennessean; Nashville Banner; and our other local newspaper, the Wilson Post, have benefited from J.B’s writing and photographs.
J.B. Leftwich’s indirect impact on journalism is even more widespread and will continue to have a positive influence across our country for generations.
He has been far more than a prolific reporter, columnist, and photographer of great repute. He has been a teacher, coach, mentor, counselor, disciplinarian, father figure, and friend for at least five decades of journalists. A week ago, I once again sought and received his wise counsel.
He has guided us through the principles of effective news reporting and editing. He has taught us how to market and sell advertising, maintain financial records, transfer skills from the linotype (hot lead) layout and makeup to the computer age cold type pages of today without losing the smudges of newsprint on our hands, the smell of newsprint running off the presses, or the ink in our veins.
Many of his students departed to apply J.B. Leftwich’s principles in other careers, in their writing, and in the way they walked the halls of their businesses.
Some with newspaper infused into their bloodstreams, went off to other pursuits, only to return in some fashion to the world of journalism. I am one of those.
Many never stopped the pursuit J.B. discovered for them. They worked at their craft and succeeded to the highest levels at newspapers across the country. In doing so, they passed on the legacy of J.B. Leftwich.
All who have fallen under his guidance have found his lessons reach far beyond the discipline of print journalism. We have been exposed to how to live one’s life well, how to remain steadfast, loyal, and how to live our lives by doing what is right.
I considered eliciting quotes from former editors of The Castle Heights’ Cavalier, the national award winning high school newspaper, and The Adjutant, the school’s annual. I almost picked up the telephone and called David Hall. David, a cousin of mine, is one of the most successful Leftwich products.
David Hall’s success carried him through the Tennessean; Chicago Daily News; Chicago Sun-Times; Pioneer Press and Dispatch in St. Paul, Minn. where he was managing editor and executive editor; the Denver Post as editor and senior vice president; editor of the Bergen (N.J.) Record, and editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. David became the first Pulliam Visiting Professor of Journalism at DePauw University before his retirement.
Before I elicited quotes or called David, Rob and Susan Hosier, the couple who keep Castle Heights and its memories alive, sent me a list of former editors of the two Heights publications. The count ran to almost 100. Then, I realized there were many more who carry the Leftwich legacy. For example, Sam Hatcher worked the business side of the Cavalier and Frank Sutherland, former editor of the Tennessean, was a reporter for the Adjutant.
There are no quotes or tributes from others here. This is my column, and it’s my tribute. J.B. Leftwich, his wife Jo Doris, and their family are just like family to my family. He continues to give me guidance, inspiration, and motivation. I think about him every time I sit down at a keyboard. He is one of my closest friends.
One of my greatest honors is to be considered as a fellow-columnist of J.B. Leftwich in the Democrat, the newspaper I grew up reading.
I will miss his columns, but I hope his guidance will continue for a long time.