Workers Worried About Jobs

Abraham Azain 
January 10, 1997 
Abraham J. Azain Of Lee Park Towers, Hanover Township, Died Friday At The 
Wilkes-barre General Hospital.

Sunday, January 12, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





A. DeWitt Smith: Friend, Leader, Newspaperman &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Times Leader you hold bears the fingerprints of all its employees, past
and present. But the hands of A. DeWitt Smith shaped this paper as have few
others. Smith's influence may be found on every page, in every picture and in
every column, including this one. And his death on Friday reminds us how
lasting can be the impact of one decent and determined manTake this paper's
very name: "The Times Leader." In the 1920s there were as many as 25
newspapers being published locally. Only one was named The Times Leader. But
that one happened to be owned by the Smith family -- Ernest G. Smith and his
two sons, A. DeWitt and Harrison. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Smiths had printers' ink in their veins, and a business skill that
obviously passed from father to sons. Their daily would be one of three (along
with The Evening News and The Wilkes-Barre Record) that prospered, and that
merged to form the Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co. in 1939. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A. DeWitt Smith's career here began in 1946. He served in many capacities,
including vice-president of the Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co. and member of its
board of directors. He retired after a 37-year career in 1983. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By that time, The Times Leader was the name bannered atop Page 1, and the
only daily newspaper name from the 1920s to have survived. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Or take the paper's long history in Luzerne County. The Times Leader traces
is lineage back to the Susquehanna Democrat and The Gleaner and Luzerne
Intelligencer, which were published before 1825. DeWitt Smith's roots in the
Wyoming Valley reached back that far, too. The ties from his mother's family
were especially strong: Mrs. Marjorie Smith's maiden name was Marjorie Harvey.
Harveys were among the first white settlers in the Wyoming Valley, and their
influence is seen in the landmarks such as Harveys Lake that bear their name. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Take the clean type and crisp colors the newspaper does its best to deliver
every day. Those assets come from computers -- and DeWitt Smith, more than any
other person, helped usher The Times Leader into the computer age. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His leadership doused the metaphorical flames that melted lead in the
linotype machines, and brought the paper into the era of electronic editing
and digitally-set type. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Take the paper's efforts to practice a more modern and aggressive
journalism than used to be the Wyoming Valley norm. DeWitt Smith helped
negotiate the sale of the Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co. to Capital Cities
Communications, Inc., in 1978. He then served as company president, and helped
hire and guide the executives who would give the paper its new tone. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perhaps most of all, take the community service and volunteer work which
The Times Leader encourages in all employees. DeWitt Smith gave unstintingly
of his time. He chaired the Wyoming Valley United Fund in 1968-69, and served
on the fund's board of directors and executive committee. He served as
president of the Wyoming Valley Park and Recreation Board, and as chairman of
the Luzerne County Recreation and Parks Commission for a number of years. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He was a board member of the former Wyoming Valley Hospital and the
Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, chaired the Luzerne
County Tourist Promotion Agency and belonged to countless other civic groups
and organizations. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Those who knew DeWitt Smith describe him with words such as "generous" and
"unassuming." He never let success go to his head, they say. He never put on
airs, or came across as anything other than a humble and modest man. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But he certainly had an outsized impact on The Times Leader. DeWitt Smith
changed this newspaper for the better in almost every way. He was a credit to
his family, his community and his industry, and set an example for this
newspaper's leaders that continues to this very day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A. Dewitt Smith: Friend, Leader, Newspaperman 
The Times Leader You Hold Bears The Fingerprints Of All Its Employees, Past 
And Present. But The Hands Of A. Dewitt Smith Shaped This Paper As Have Few 
Others. Smith's Influence May Be Found On Every Page, In Every Picture And In 
Every Column, Including This One. And His Death On Friday Reminds Us How 
Lasting Can Be The Impact Of One Decent And Determined Man.