WELL, that was the summer, that was. Another 24 hours and we will be squelching our way into October, and we find ourselves in the midst of autumn without having travelled through the fabled silly season that is supposed to typify the warmer months. On the Letters Pages, at any rate, we have had much of substance to discuss.
There has been Brexit, of course: chiefly, the continuing anticipation – with relish or foreboding, depending on your stance – of a second independence referendum. There was also the fast-becoming-traditional spectacle of a Labour leadership election.
There has been more, much more. From hard-nosed economics through the educational attainment gap to speeding in supermarket car parks, we have aired a wide range of topics in gratifyingly civilised discourse. This august journal does not have much in common with the now-defunct News of the World, but perhaps we could adopt one of its old slogans: All Human Life is Here.
It is pleasing to record at this point that we continue to able to feature a number of first-time correspondents. All are most welcome, and we will continue to look favourably upon our newbies, all the while delighted to note that our regular correspondents continue to support us (and here I must commend their indefatigability; each and every one has had to deal with unsuccessful submissions, and has come back for more).
For the benefit of those who have yet to take the plunge, please join us. Whether by email or snail mail, everything is read. I only ask that you try to limit your contributions to 500 words, include a full postal address for publication (and daytime telephone number when possible), and for those of you who write longhand, take pity on my ageing eyesight when you append your signature. And please note that we will not knowingly publish a letter that has appeared elsewhere.
Whenever I come to pen a contribution to this slot, and take the time to reflect on what we have published, I am struck by the wit, erudition and wisdom of the Herald readership. On reflection, let’s forget that old redtop motto, and borrow one from Lord Reith. His mission statement for the BBC was to inform, educate and entertain. Our readers fulfil all of those functions.
Correspondents have kept us well informed on the politics of the day; educated us on the finer points of such matters as carbon capture storage, biomass energy, and the technical reasons behind long journey times on the North Rail Line, and have all the while provided rich entertainment.
One letter that met all three of these criteria came this week from R Russell Smith of Kilbirnie. Lamenting the loss of legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, he told us that taking pride of place in the great man’s office was a poem (by Walter D Wintle) which read: “Life’s battles don’t always go / to the stronger or faster man, / But sooner or later the man who wins / Is the man who thinks he can.”
I don’t know what the News of the World would have made of that, but Lord Reith would surely have approved.
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