Hometown U.S.A. at 75 — George Koether

When 13-year-old Carolyn Koether sent Christmas cards back to friends she met in Glens Falls over the summer of 1944, she addressed them to “Glens Falls, N.Y. — ‘Hometown U.S.A.’”

Carolyn was the daughter of George Koether, lead writer and senior editor on the Look magazine series that showcased Glens Falls to the world 75 years ago.

“It is our purpose to show how resilient a progressive American town can be — how it adjusts itself to war, how its families carry on in the typically American manner, how Glens Falls will bring to its postwar life the same forward looking spirit that has made it the livable, likable community it is,” Koether said at the time.

Koether said of the project: “Ours is a visual medium — pictures and related text. It would be easy, in fact it is a constant temptation, to present the pleasant superficialities of hometown life. Unfortunately, however, the ‘prettiest’ pictures do not always dig down to the roots of what is going on in American life.”

Koether also produced a documentary film based on the Hometown U.S.A. series.

Koether had a diversified career as a writer, editor, public relations professional and speech writer.

He wrote about transportation, economics, inflation and politics.

Koether, who had dual degrees in journalism and business administration, began at Look in 1943 as a copy editor.

In 1945 he was appointed assistant manager of the book department of Cowles Magazines, publisher of Look.

He left in 1946 to study economics, and he returned to Look in 1952 as automotive and transportation editor.

He wrote articles about the automotive industry for “World Book” encyclopedia and for Saturday Evening Post, and was editor of the Chevrolet Friends consumer magazine.

He won the Ted V. Rodgers Journalism Award for outstanding writing about highway improvements three times.

Koether also wrote for The Detroit Times, Architectural Forum and Christian Economics, and was the first photography editor for The Saturday Evening Post.

In 1958 he became a public relations official for United States Steel Corp., and in the 1970s he was chairman of the Committee for Monetary Research and Education Inc., a non-profit think tank.

He wrote the political humor book “The Ass That Went To Washington,” published in 1968 by Arlington House.

He played saxophone and clarinet.

Koether died in 2006.

Sources: Stanford University archives; Treasure Coast Newspapers obituary; The Post-Star Oct. 1, 1943; March 2, Aug. 19. Dec. 20. 1944,