"Father of Linotype" Returns to Lorain – April 1927

Linotype Instruction Book, 1925; that's John R. Rogers on the left
(Courtesy Flickr Vintage Typography group)

Although today’s modern newspapers are put together on a computer prior to printing, from the late nineteenth century until the 1970s they had to be composed using a Linotype machine.

The Linotype machine got its name because the operator sat in front of it and typed, composing one line of type (or “line o’ type”) at a time, which was cast in hot lead. These strips of type were then assembled into a page. They were later melted down to be used again.

Well, did you know that the Linotype machine had a Lorain connection?

John R. Rogers is the man credited with inventing an improved version of automatic typesetting. Since his process was very similar to that of the Linotype company, the larger company eventually bought Rogers’ company. He then went to work for them as an engineer and head of research, inventing various improvements to their products.

And according to the article below, many of his inventions were born in the offices of the Lorain Times-Herald while he was living in Lorain in the late 1800s.

He was quite a guy. Besides his accomplishments as an inventor, he also found time during his stay in Lorain to become, at 20 years of age, the school superintendent.

Rogers paid a return visit to Lorain in 1927 to visit some friends, and the Times-Herald was there to capture the moment. Here is the story as it appeared on the front page of the Lorain Times-Herald of April 4, 1927.

His reminisces about life in Lorain during the beginning of his career in the late 1800s are fascinating.

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FATHER OF LINOTYPE RETURNS TO
LORAIN, SCENE OF FIRST ENDEAVOR
John R. Rogers, Now of New York, Speaks in
Congregational Church and Greets Old Friends

By. J. J. Hromoda

The "father of the modern Linotype" Sunday came back to Lorain where he began his career 50 years ago.

Able and likable John R. Rogers, now a wealthy New York engineer, never has forgotten the friends he found in Lorain 50 years ago. Only a few of his old time acquaintances walked up to him after he had delivered a sermon, Sunday morning in the First Congregational church, but he remembered them.

With kindling eye, many congratulated the famous inventor.

“I'm the son of ––" or "My grandfather used to speak of you," and "hello, John, do you remember me", were a few of the phrases the 70-year-old inventor listened to and answered.

Tells of City's Growth
In his sermon he told how Lorain has grown from a city of 4,000 to a modern city of 50,000.

"Dust then was six inches deep in the summer time and in the winter the mud was the same depth."

"There were no street lights. Each person had to act as his own beacon with a lantern in his hand," he stated.

Mr. Rogers showed how the Lorain school system was developed. He told of how he, a lad of 20 years of age was not yet able to vote, took the superintendent's reins and worked with the meager population which was rapidly growing.

Lorainites had the state legislature pass a special taxation act to permit them to tax themselves so that their children might have schools. After they had inflicted this taxation on themselves, Rogers, with the board of eduction back of him, built the schools and many of them still stand.

Experimented on Linotype
In spare hours the young man began to work on linotype inventions. Many of his experiments were tried in the offices of the Lorain Times-Herald.

Finally he gained note through them and went to the Mergenthaler Linotype company, New York. Continuing his experimentation through the years he has gained the sobriquet of the “father of the modern Linotype”. When Rogers started with the Mergenthaler concern there were 1,400 of the typesetting machines in existence. Today there are 66,000 of them. He is now consulting engineer of the New York company.

Thanks to the effort of the now gray-haired inventor, linotypes have been made adaptable for 52 languages. Whereas when he started it was only used for one.

Few Accommodations Then
Lorain was a “bathtubless" city when Rogers first came here. A bathtub was an unnecessary luxury, he explained. Electricity was a novelty and there were no automobiles.

“All of the inventions we have now, all of the things that help make our lives comfortable are all right as long as we know how to make proper use of them,” he stated.

“The auto has become one of the greatest assets to help the modern crook and crime breaker. Conscience and character, individually and collectively is necessary to prevent crime,” he pointed out, as he went from reminiscing of 50 years back to prediction for the next 50 years.

“The battle of Gettysburg was but a skirmish compared to battles in the world war. If the world desires to eliminate warfare from its face it must have its christian people set themselves unitedly against war,” Mr. Rogers continued.

Tells of Early Hardships
Complimenting the First Congregational church as a modern and Christian building he told of the hardships incurred in the very first Congregational church in Lorain.

“We almost froze in a small rambly structure situated near the present church, so the next year, everybody united – the women gave ice cream socials, the men money and assistance and by the winter we had a church.”

This church was later remodeled and then destroyed in the tornado.

He was the house guest of Mrs. F. A. Rowley, 840 8th-st., during his short stay here Sunday.

The former school superintendent was brought to the First Congregational church through the Pioneer school association, comprised of members of four classes taught by Rogers while in Lorain. Approximately 50 remain in the association. They welcomed the inventor in the parlors of the church. Miss Jane Lindsay, principal of Fairhome school is president and Miss Anna Robb, treasurer of the association.

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This article was also of interest to me because my grandfather was a Linotype operator and repairman at the Lorain Journal, the Plain Dealer and Central Press (a division of King Features).