To the editor:

Our organizations applaud the Journal-World for its responsible handling of some perishable historical artifacts: Old newspapers.

A few years ago the Kansas State Historical Society decided to dispose of their originals of newspapers that had been microfilmed. Douglas County papers were offered to local entities, and Steve Jansen, who was then director of Watkins Museum, arranged with the Journal-World to bring them to Lawrence and store them until they could be examined and well-thought decisions could be made for what would be done with them.

The Journal-World not only stored the room-full of papers but General Manager Ralph Gage had them moved two times so they would not have to be thrown out when the space was needed. This gave volunteers for Watkins Museum the opportunity to complete the inventory of those newspapers, including finding some the microfilmers had missed. We commend the Journal-World management for its extra efforts in taking care of these interesting artifacts.

Rebecca Phipps,

Watkins Museum;

Paul Jordan,

Douglas County

Genealogical Society;

Bruce Flanders,

Lawrence Public Library