INTERLUDE
The Early Springhouse History in Pictures
by William R. Carr

In the Summer of 1983, desiring to create a "land" job for myself, I decided to start a magazine and become a publisher. To enlist some additional talent, I took in two partners, Ken Mitchell, and Gary DeNeal, and the first issue of The Springhouse, a regional magazine for Southern Illinois, was launched that Fall. It was a roaring success for a small regional magazine. Intentionally on the "home-spun" side, it was supposed to be a real country journal — and it was. It was a challenging project for three novices. As the illustration below attempted to show, it was sort of like having a tiger (or mountain lion) by the tail. When it took off, it was almost more than the three of us could handle.

This drawing from the Springhouse "Coloring Page" was my attempt to show
(myself, Ken, and Gary) coping with our new publishing project. Me upper right.

We were learning the magazine publishing business from scratch, and made some serious initial mistakes that put us behind the financial eight-ball. I was intimately involved in the magazine as chief editor, columnist, artist, and president of Springhouse, Inc., for just shy of two years, editing the first eight or nine bi-monthly issues. Ken Mitchell was the co-managing editor, layout man, columnist, and advertising salesman. Gary, already a successfully published author, was associate editor, publicity man, and literary quality control person.

Even after we gained our feet, the magazine wasn't generating enough income to provide us with anything like wages or salaries, much less support three families. Since I had the option of returning to sea to raise needed capital, I turned the reins of editorship over to my junior partner, Gary (Ken having already opted out of the enterprise [but continued to contribute]), and headed out to sea again. But my year and a half of being a publisher and editor was an experience I'll always cherish. I decided to resume my seagoing career on a permanent basis and thus turned the job I intended to create for myself over to my remaining partner, and his wife, Judy. They have been successfully publishing the Springhouse Magazine ever since.

Below are the covers of the nine issues that I edited. The cover illustrations were also my work. Some of these covers also featured some touches of actual hand coloring, which was Gary's idea, and are undoubtedly collectors' items by now.

		The "Editorial Stump," Me, Ken, and Gary.
	My last cover design	Gary took over editorship on the ninth issue (left)

Masthead Page of First Issue

The "Rawhide Chronicles" started in one of the earliest issues. Rawhide continues to deride
and criticize the magazine in letters to the editor (Ozark Echoes).
In 1984 Hezakaih Rawhide threw his hat in the ring as a presidential candidate.

SOME OF THE EARLY COLUMN HEADINGS AND CONTRIBUTORS
(All of the artwork shown was by this writer)

My commentary	Farm Front by Joe Phillips	Roy Wasson wrote for the hunters and fishermen
One of Ken Mitchell's Columns		Local firearms dealer, Ray Wallace, wrote for the gun crowd. (Left) Ken Mitchell contributed the Puzzles, Games, and Mindbenders.
SOME EARLY CONTRIBUTORS Jim Craig John Dunphy Dixie Terry Barbara Oxford Diane Roberson Linda O'Connor Charles Hammond Kestner Wallace Ardell Hamilton These are only a few of our early contributors. There were many others, both writers and artists featured. Most, like myself, have fallen by the wayside, but some continue to be part of the Springhouse. Dixie Terry's "From my Kitchen Window" is one column that has continued to this day.	Suzi Brouillette's column on Country Living Homestead Hints were contributed by Janeine Mitchell We may not have invented snail mail, but we used it.	We couldn't omit the cartoons. I tried to provide a few for each issue. "SPRINGHOUSE is a 'good' magazine." I hoped that every- body would find something they liked about the Springhouse. I figured even pigs ought to like it.
Another of Ken Mitchell's Contributions was the "Treehouse" Page, with activities for young people. We also had a coloring page — an ex- ample of which is at the top of the page.		Under my editorship, we tried to provide something for every- body. When Gary and Judy assumed control, the magazine become much more focused on history, legends and lore.

Another of my cartoons

Springhouse Early History Page

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