by Josh Park
After five years of planning, the Canton Repository community and staff celebrated 200 years with 30 events scheduled throughout the year.The first edition of the newspaper was published on March 30.
The idea to make the Repository’s birthday a significant celebration began when the newspaper turned 195, according to Maureen Ater, chair of the anniversary events and general manager of the Massillon Independent, a sister publication of the Repository. While the 195th birthday wasn’t that big of a bash, she said, it did bring about a conversation about what 200 would look like.
When planning the birthday, the Repository staff aimed to involve both staff and community volunteers to make a more collaborative approach.
“It’s gotta be a lot more than just us,” Ater said. “This isn’t really a celebration of us. It’s a celebration of our community.”
Thirty events are scheduled between now and spring 2016. These events range from a 5K race, an artist exposition and celebrity spelling bee featuring local business and community leaders.
Repository staff members are also involved in a running project through United Way’s volunteer center called “200 acts of kindness” as a way to give back to the community. Collectively, staff will participate in 200 acts of charity during the year, such as helping at soup kitchens or making blankets.
As part of the bicentennial, the Repository will also focus on the community’s history. Every day for the next year, the newspaper will reproduce one of their historic front pages, including coverage on the Civil War, the Challenger explosion and the World Trade Center attack. The Repository will also publish four commemorative editions throughout the year, the first of which was printed on March 29.
To obtain these historic front pages and photos, staff accessed their own archives as well as the local library’s genealogy section. However, Ater said 75 percent of newspapers were borrowed or donated by readers.
Staff also relied on the community and their own artifacts when setting up an exhibit located in the front lobby. Ater said she rummaged through many attics, dusty basements and desks looking for potential pieces. Some items featured in the exhibit include old production equipment, founder John Saxton’s original desk and the first edition of the Repository. The exhibit will be on display in the lobby until September and then will move toward downtown to be displayed in historic buildings and the Repository’s partner companies.
Although the celebration focuses on Canton’s past, Ater said the bicentennial opens up a conversation about the future of the newspaper industry. She argued against the notion that the newspapers are a dying industry with the fact that the Repository has the largest circulation than ever.
“It’s not a funeral. It’s a birthday party.”
Although she said she was tired from the planning, Ater said the job has been incredibly fun.
“It only happens once every 200 years.”