Finding aid for the Maurice E. Van Metre Papers

Biography of Maurice E. Van Metre

Maurice E. Van Metre (1895-1970) was a popular Cleveland, Ohio, radio and television critic and gossip columnist for the Cleveland News and suburban Sun newspapers. At the News, Van Metre wrote "The Lighter Side," a daily column of personal news items, and then became its theatre critic and radio-TV columnist until the News closed in 1960. Van Metre resumed "The Lighter Side" for the Sun newspapers until 1968. The grandson of a Civil War veteran and newspaper owner in Waterloo, Iowa, Van Metre attended the University of Iowa and then joined the editorial staff at the News as a copy reader. During World War II, Van Metre started a monthly newsletter titled "The Dirt at the News" for Cleveland members of the armed forces. He began as sole proprietor of "The Dirt," compiling it and even paying for the postage himself until it was adopted as a public service by the News. This won Van Metre newspaper awards from the Varsity Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Newspaper Guild, and endeared him in the hearts of subscribers to "The Dirt." In his years of covering radio, television, the theatre, and the Cleveland scene in his column, Van Metre became one of the city's best known newspaper writers.

Scope and Content

The Maurice E. Van Metre papers, 1943-1944, consist almost entirely of letters to Maurice Van Metre from friends and former co-workers who subscribed to his monthly newsletter "The Dirt at the News." The collection consists of eight folders and includes miscellaneous letters, a newspaper clipping, and other printed matter relating to Maurice Van Metre and "The Dirt at the News," as well as the front page of the 1943 holiday issue of "The Dirt."

"The Dirt" compiled the whereabouts and recent experiences of Cleveland members of the armed forces during World War II, especially 120 members that had worked alongside Van Metre at the News. The letters represent a portion of those Van Metre compiled and edited into this entertaining miniature newspaper that one subscriber described as "a combination of Esquire, Readers' Digest, and a revised edition of the Police Gazette." Some of the letters are from such well known persons at the News as Ray Turk, Ben Wickham, Harry Adell, Hugh Kane, William Nehez, and Julian Krawcheck. In addition to providing substance for "The Dirt," the letters provide insight into the war-time experiences and impressions of people in the armed forces at home and on both battlefronts. The letters contain nostalgic reminiscences and consistently express warm thanks to Van Metre, from a very enthusiastic readership, for his efforts in compiling "The Dirt."

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4247 Maurice E. Van Metre Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Mrs. Maurice E. Van Metre, 1973.

Processing Information

Processed by Robert C. Ray in 1988.