Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association Annual Awards
2010 Awards (based on 2009 newspapers):
- Second Place: Photographer of the Year, Daniel Bushman
- Third Place: Best Hard News Photo, taken by Daniel Bushman
- Third Place: Best Black and White Photo, taken by Daniel Bushman
- Third Place: Best Overall Coverage of K-12 Education, Daniel Bushman
2009 Awards (based on 2008 newspapers):
- no entries due to a change in computer systems
2008 Awards (based on 2007 newspapers):
- Second Place: Service to the Community Award
- Third Place: Best Overall Newspaper, circulation under 2,000
- Third Place: Best Front Page, circulation under 2,000
- Third Place: Best Feature Story, written by Rhonda Cooper
- Third Place: Best Sports Story, written by Rhonda Cooper
- Third Place: Best Hard News Photo, taken by Rhonda Cooper
2007 Awards (based on 2006 newspapers):
- Third Place: Best Overall Newspaper, circulation under 2,000
- Third Place: Best Front Page, circulation under 2,000
- Third Place: Best Sports Story, written by Rhonda Cooper
2006 Awards (based on 2005 newspapers):
- First Place: Best Recreation Story, written by Rhonda Cooper
- Second Place: Best Agricultural Story, written by Nicole Lay
- Third Place: Editorial Excellence, written by Nicole Lay
2005 Awards (based on 2004 newspapers):
- Second Place: Best Feature Story, written by Nicole Lay
- Third Place: Best Post-Secondary Education Story, written by Rhonda Cooper
2004 Awards (based on 2003 newspapers):
- Second Place: Best Saskatchewan Cultural Story, written by Nicole Lay
- Second Place: Best Sports Story, written by Nicole Lay
Paging through history
The establishment of the Watrous Manitou
The Watrous Manitou has resided for all but a trio of its 75 years at 309 Main Street, Watrous.
In 1933, the Manitou Printing office was established by J.A. McGowan, founder and publisher.
McGowan was only 18 when, in July 1905, he relocated from Grand Valley, Ont. to Strasbourg, Sask. He worked in newspaper offices in Strasbourg, Govan and Lanigan before moving to Nokomis in 1910 where he purchased the Nokomis Times, which he operated from 1911 to 1919.
In 1912, James married Mildred Bailey. Two children, daughter Marion and son Gordon, completed the family circle.
In 1931, the McGowan family relocated to Watrous when James became the editor of the Watrous Signal, published by Edmund Garrett. In late 1932, James began making plans to start another newspaper, the Watrous Manitou. The first issue of the Manitou was published Feb. 9, 1933.
Through McGowan’s 41 years as publisher of the Watrous Manitou, he was a member of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association. He served a term as SWNA president. Mildred McGowan, as well as taking part in the production of the paper for many years, was also active with the UCW and Watrous Ladies Curling Club. James McGowan passed away in 1974. Mildred continued as the publisher until 1977 when her son and daughter-in-law Gordon and Roberta purchased the business.
Second generation takes over
Gordon McGowan enjoyed employment in various fields until he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and spent four years in stations out east. In 1944 he and Roberta Brown were married. The couple resided in Ottawa until the summer of 1945.
Following his stint in the Air Force, Gordon and Roberta, daughter Noreen and son Donald moved to Watrous where Gordon became involved in the family newspaper and commercial printing business.
In 1976, Roberta joined the Watrous Manitou staff to operate newly-acquired photo typesetting equipment. July 26 of that same year, a fire destroyed both Swift’s Furniture and Electric and the adjacent newspaper office while the bakery sustained heavy damage. The silver lining was there was enough time for members of the fire brigade and energetic citizens to save the recently-purchased equipment and all the current office records. Instead of enjoying two weeks of holidays, the staff set up shop at the curling rink for several months and then moved to the basement of the Shop-Rite store (current Shop Easy) at 215 Main Street.
New building - same location
In 1978, construction of a new office commenced and the first issue from that building was distributed in January 1979. The end of an era came to a close when Gordon and Roberta McGowan retired Aug. 31, 1985. After 52 years in Watrous, the McGowan family name was no longer associated with the Watrous Manitou newspaper.
New owners - same location - new methods
Frank and Florence Wilson assumed ownership of the local newspaper Sept. 1, 1985. The couple moved to Watrous in 1980 when Frank, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was transferred from Yorkton. After 23 years of service, he retired from the national police force Aug. 5 and donned a new hat as publisher effective three weeks later.
An early change implemented by the Wilsons included the adoption of the Canadian Newspaper Units that changed the page layout from six columns to five. In 1986 at the SWNA convention, Frank found a little computer demonstration that would significantly change the production process. Desktop publishing would heavily impact the Watrous Manitou and the delivering of news to the community at large.
The photo-typesetting equipment was replaced in its entirety by Apple computers networked with a laser printer. Text and graphics produced on computers were printed and ‘pasted up’ on makeup sheets. Commercial art was received on compact discs and could be enlarged, reduced or cropped to fit within a layout, as depicted on the screen. Photographs, logos and artwork were scanned and saved for future use. No longer was reduction and enlargement of photos done on the photocopier.
In 1993, the talk of electronic newspapers was in its infancy. Now, 15 years later, another era under a new set of owners has been launched.
The latest chapter
In 2002, the Wilsons determined it was time to leave the publishing business behind and Feb. 1, 2003, Robin and Nicole Lay became only the fourth owners in the Watrous Manitou’s 70-year history. Nicole, born and raised in Watrous and previously a teacher in both Milden Central School and LCBI High School in Outlook, also had experience in the roles of reporter, photographer, assistant editor and editor at the Outlook newspaper. Robin was new to the business but brought much in the way of business experience due to his years of managing parts and service for both agricultural and automotive dealerships. He was also returning ‘home’, in the sense that he had lived in Young until high school graduation, and then in Watrous for several more years until moving to Saskatoon when he and Nicole were married in 1991.
In that initial year, while learning the newspaper business from the inside out, small changes were made along the way. Designated sections such as sports, entertainment and editorial pages were established, and a new masthead was adopted.
In 2004, the Lays added a full-time reporter/photographer to the staff. Changes to the production process began to take place. The sending of pasted-up pages to the press in Melville became a thing of the past, as pages were sent electronically via SWNA’s hot-line. A new digital camera was purchased in the fall of 2004, improving the quality of photos. Long-time Watrous Manitou employee Theresa Beavers retired after 41 years of witnessing changes in the business. Teresa first operated the paper folder and later the press. When Gordon and Roberta took over the paper, Theresa began doing more of the bookwork, costing out advertising for invoices and addressing the papers using the Elliott addresser. When computers moved into the office, Theresa found herself at the keyboard of a Mac computer inputting and maintaining the mailing list as well as mastering the PC bookkeeping computer. These jobs became Robin’s responsibility following Theresa’s retirement.
The first issue of 2005 marked another change for the paper. It was the last paper to have a black and white front page. Colour front pages were the exception instead of the rule until that time. Robin and Nicole decided the time had come for weekly colour front pages, which are now a staple. To better serve their customers, the addition of payment by debit or credit cards was added in April.
In January 2006, the rest of the front was computerized. Invoices, receipts, subscription renewals and store front sales of stationery were now entered into the computer, relegating the old cash register to the obsolete pile.
Renovations to the office began in March. Two new offices were added and a defined storefront was established. Publication continued throughout the three-month construction period. The paper must go out.
That summer after 31 years at the Watrous Manitou, veteran employee Herb Gatzke retired. Herb who hailed from Nokomis was introduced to the printing business by his brother Bob, who was a typesetter at the Nokomis Times. When Bob left in 1966, Herb filled the position. He learned the intricacies of the Linotype operation through a hands-on apprenticeship. He worked at the Times for nine years and in 1975 began his career at the Watrous Manitou. With the purchase of the compugraphic photo-typesetting machine, Herb had to relearn typesetting. In 1986, he once again adapted his skills to the newly-purchased Mac computers and desktop publishing.
With the retirement came a shift of responsibilities for the current staff and the addition of a full-time front counter person who also picked up advertising and billing responsibilities.
A new service
Fifteen years after former owner Frank Wilson commented there was talk of "electronic newspapers that readers can call up on their home computer screen," the vision has come to fruition. The new Watrous Manitou website allows readers access to the paper bright and early Monday morning. Readers can now enjoy their first cup of coffee while catching up on all the news and activities from Watrous and surrounding area. The on-line newspaper also allows TWM to service not only out-of-country readers and snowbirds but even local and provincial subscribers in a timely, reliable and cost-effective manner.
And a new look
In the fall of 2010, after several changes of ownership at the press in Melville/Yorkton, a decision was made to move TWM's printing to Wainwright, Alta. A large part of that reasoning was due to the high-quality colour printing taking place at StarPress, due to their use of ultraviolet inks and light to produce consistent, vibrant colour. The Watrous Manitou has never looked better.
Who we are
The current staff consists of Robin and Nicole Lay, publishers and editors, Daniel Bushman, reporter/photographer, Melanie Gunderson, customer service and Laurie Regier, typesetter. The Watrous Manitou is a weekly newspaper published 48 times per year. The paper is distributed every Monday except for two weeks in the summer and two weeks during winter.