A look back: Women journalists rare in early Almanac days A look back: Women journalists rare in early Almanac days (October 12, 2005)

By Jean Heflin

It was with a great deal of pleasure that I read the September 14 issue of the Almanac and found that you and many other people still think the Almanac is a good idea.

Feeling that our area was not being adequately served by the daily papers, Hedy Boissevain, Betty Fry and I envisioned a community newspaper and set to work. The Almanac is still fulfilling that vision. Thanks and congratulations to all the staff of the paper.

On reading Marion Softky' s excellent article on the staff over the years and looking at the photo of the present staff, which includes many women, I could not help but reminisce a bit. At that time, there were few opportunities for women in journalism; the best a woman journalist could expect was to be editor of the women's page (which Hedy had been).

Some months before I introduced Hedy to Betty Fry I had gone to a Stanford professor of journalism, indicating that I would be interested in pursuing an advanced degree in journalism. He made it quite clear that journalism was not for women and didn't I want to work for Sunset? But Sunset was not what I had in mind.

Both Hedy and Betty were admirable firsts in their professional organizations. I remember Betty coming back from the publishers' association meeting, saying that she had been asked to make coffee. A strong-minded woman, she suggested that Fred do it. The local newspapers didn't take our enterprise very seriously either and called the Almanac a newsletter.

One approach we used to draw many of the talented, hard-working early employees was a flexible schedule -- just get the job done. The Almanac people were a source of pride and were encouraged to do their jobs in their own ways, and their own standards were very high. Thanks to them all.

My husband Bill's career took us away from Portola Valley to Canada, overseas and many places in the states but we were able to keep in contact with the community and many friends through the Almanac. We remember our years in Portola Valley with pleasure.

Jean Heflin, along with Hedy Boissevain and Berry Fry, founded the Almanac 40 years ago. She now lives in Mount Vernon, Wash.

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