Remembering the Star Times

Written By: Julia Boudreau

Members of the St. Louis Press Club went back in time to the age of streetcars and WWII as they remembered the legacy of the former St. Louis Star Times newspaper at the Schlafly Branch Library July 13.

With historical newspapers, reporter notebooks, and staff memos from the Star Times media archives lining the walls the library seemed to come alive with the newspaper spirit that once made up the former Star Times.

Speakers remembered the Star Times for its influential coverage of issues such as marijuana, gangs, and kidnappings.

The evening began with an address from current Press Club president Gloria Ross. Ross remarked on the importance of learning from the past at such events.

“If you don’t know where you have been then you don’t know where you are going,” Ross said.

The evenings keynote speaker and former Star Times staffer, Jon Hagar remembered the paper as being somewhat, “provocative,” in its coverage of controversial issues such as gangs.

Hagar began work at the Star Times during leave from the University of Missouri to fill in for men fighting in WWII. Hagar held the position of sports reporter on the one page sports section of the paper.

Hagar shared highlights from his time at the Star Times including covering the Davis cup matches and the 1946 Cottonbowl.

The event was made possible with the help of The St. Louis Public Library and their media archives housed in its main library now under renovation. Event organizer and Press Club former president Rick Stoff’s research uncovered stories by the Star Times vocalizing the problems caused by marijuana usage, unlawful speed traps set in St. Louis, and the paper’s award winning coverage of WWII . Stoff discussed the Star Times as being the leading competitor to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time of its close.

The evening ended with a question and answer session between members of the audience and the three speakers.

The Press Club’s next event is “Face The Nation,” and is currently scheduled for September 24th at Niemen Marcus St. Louis.