[Oe List ...] Oops!

[W. J.]

Oops! Sometimes we used to go to press without careful proofreading.
Bill, it should be 'Richard' throughout, not occasionally 'Robert'.
Of course I was the guy responsible for the infamous typo 'Kong Hong' in headline of an issue of i.e. that had to be trashed AFTER thousands of copies were printed.
Don Cramer was doing an all-nighter on the press and just couldn't see straight, let alone see an obvious typo. Thinking of the enormous cost of a reprint, he said, 'Couldn't we just let that go through?' JWM just shook his head and said we had to do it over. So we did. And I didn't get fired.
Too bad we couldn't recycle that stack of useless copies as toilet paper.
Marshall, still proofreading @ age 73.



________________________________
 From: William Salmon <wsalmon at cox.net>
To: OE at lists.wedgeblade.net 
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2013 5:28 PM
Subject: [Oe List ...] Salmon: A Print Shop Reflection
 


 
REFLECTION
ON THE 5TH  CITY 
PRINT SHOP
By
William Salmon
 
(Long
overdue after so many researched their memory bank to identify the name of
Richard Epson—but here it is anyway.)
 
THE YOUNG  MAN 
TAUGHT ME A LIFE LESSON
(RE: Richard Epson)
 
            It was in our 4th decade
of life—and our 24th year of marriage—that we burned our bridges and
left  Kansas for an
internship with the Ecumenical Institute in 5th City. After our
assignment to move into the facilities at 4750 No. Sheridan ,
my summer assignment was working in the 5th City Print Shop just up
the street from the Program Center . 
            What a place! An old web-printer
using huge rolls of newsprint, even older multi-stage folder, a machine to make
large paper imprints to be used on the web printer, and a variety of other
equipment that is lost to memory. 
            A secondary room contained a large
round table used to collate mounds of materials for The Academy, RS-I
curriculum, and mailings. Collating teams were assigned to work all-night putting
curriculum together plus getting out a large mailing for whatever purpose. 
            Regarding the temperature, summer
nights usually were comfortable while day-time was hot and sweaty. Winter was
cold: period. In summer, at all hours of the day and night, the back door to
the place was usually open, and this was accomplished by drawing chains to
raise or lower a steel garage door through which deliveries entered and exited
the place. 
            The summer of my employment, a young
man was in charge—obviously a man-of-the-spirit. I suppose he was in his late
20’s or early 30’s. His age was not a concern for me, rather my concern was how
to fulfill his expectations of me; a sign of leadership to be sure. He inspired
trust and loyalty. 
            While living at Kemper, he impressed
me one Sunday morning when we both went out to the paper box, each putting in
our money while a nearby worldly gentlemen attempted to steal a paper before
the door closed. My colleague quickly remonstrated him while taking the
newspaper from him. Then, on the way back to the lobby, he asked me to help him
pick up the street of some of the trash—a task I was pleased to help
accomplish. It is this nature and quality of this personality that was deep; this
fellow had depth to him that is remarkable. 
            His name is Robert Epson. He was
introduced to the Order by Jim and Alice Baumbach. They became colleagues in
the summer of ’69 while in  Houston .
While the Baumbach’s attended the Urban  Academy , Richard was assigned to
the print shop. 
            The print shop work could be
intense. Many a hot  Chicago 
night we would raise the garage door for ventilation and danger. The danger was
the little neighbor kids who would run down the ally and throw rocks into the
room. Of course we could hear their approach and one of us would yell, “In
coming!” I’m certain that the rocks lodged in the old printing press didn’t do
it any good either. 
            It is the folding machine that is
the best illustration of the kind of colleague Robert represented. This was a
long—maybe 15 feet—pile of junk. The grabbers used in the folding process were
very, very, very worn out—it needed replacement. Its basic ingredient was the
frustration of its operators. That damned machine would eat papers. It consumed
more materials than we actually saved—or so it seemed. 
            Very early in my indoctrination,
Epson gave careful instructions on how to baby this baby along. Soon something
went wrong. I picked up several copies on the floor and started to hand-fold
some of them that were mis-folded and had a few ink marks and foot-prints
impressed on them. 
            Richard stopped the machine, noticed
what I was doing and reminded me, “Bill, our work is not glamorous, but what we
do is to prepare materials in such a way that each participant only struggles
with their soul rather than, ‘How did my copy get so messed up?’” 
            The lesson I learned is that the
print shop was an important cog in the machinery addressing the soul of each
student. Richard Epson embraced this philosophy of life and was able to
translate it into action; this is what made the print shop missional. 
 
            Now, in 2014 I’ll be 80. I’m
functioning a lot like that blessed folding machine, and at the moment there is
no replacement for me. Consequently, I work to keep it operational. Someday, I’ll
be out in the pasture along with my memories of a young colleague who
had a vision of preparing the materials to address the life and soul of those
who “walked a mile” to have their lives addressed. He addressed mine too. 
            Thanks!
            Bill Salmon
            Order member 1974 to 1985 and
forever
            A colleague on the Journey to the
East
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