Covering Lake George in 1893

A newspaper correspondent , with a minimum of effort, can find plenty of topics to write about, wrote W. H. Tippetts, an early editor and publisher of the Lake George Mirror.

“In the matter of general news, correspondents should, at all times, exert themselves to gain the news, verify the facts, be sure they are right, and then go ahead,” Tippetts wrote in a July 8, 1893 Lake George Mirror column.

But finding news stories was only part of the job.

“One of the principal things a good newspaper correspondent has to learn is what to keep out of the paper,” Tippetts wrote, emphasizing, “Above all things do not deal in sensational gossip or scandal.”

Tippets hinted that good will with advertisers should be factored into news judgement, a notion some journalism purists would cringe at today.

The following are some of Tippetts’ suggestions to correspondents:

• “Preserve first and foremost good judgement.”
• “If not sure of your item do not use it.”
• “Do not say one hotel is best when there are others just as good. Those others may possibly be patrons of the papers you are connected with.”
• “Do not say the season is a failure when you have only been on the lake for fifteen minutes and it is your first visit.”
• “Remember to tell the truth.”