Ann Landers Debuts in Journal – Dec. 2, 1957

Thanksgiving was last Thursday, so you might have a few leftovers in your fridge. Similarly, I have one or two leftover blog bits from November, so I guess I’d better serve them up before they get too old and rancid.

Above is the front page of the Friday, November 29, 1957 Lorain Journal. Although there are a few items of general interest (President Eisenhower recuperating from a cerebral attack, Ortner’s Airport under construction), the thing that caught my eye was the announcement that the Ask Ann Landers advice column would be starting on Monday, December 2, 1957 – 62 years ago today.

It’s interesting that the “real” Ann Landers who writes the column is openly identified in the paper as Mrs. Jules Lederer (whose full name was Esther Pauline “Eppie” Lederer). Click here to read the Wiki entry on “Ann Landers."

It was shocking to me when I found out that rival column “Dear Abby” was written by Mrs. Lederer’s twin sister using the pseudonym “Abigail Van Buren.” I suspect that they did not exchange Christmas cards.

Mrs. Lederer passed away in 2002.

Anyway, I read Ann Landers for years. It was as much a part of the Journal while I was growing up as Today’s Chuckle, Mahony’s Memos, Tell Me Why and the glorious two-page spread of comics (that included my favorite, Li’l Abner).

Click here to visit the Ann Landers website.