AFTER nearly a decade on the board of directors of CCNA, Ernie Neufeld became president in 1975. He was the publisher of The Weyburn (Sask.) Review from 1958 to 1992. The paper gained national recognition in 1967 when it was the recipient of the special Centennial Edition Award, for which the paper was presented with 100 books by Canadian authors through the auspices of the Canadian Centennial Corporation. The paper was the first offset paper in Saskatchewan.
Ernie was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and educated in Steinbach where he entered the printing trade. He apprenticed at Moore Business Forms in Mount Dennis, Ontario before “barnstorming” as a printer for several years on the west coast and in the United States. In 1950 he went to Toronto for several years and was a linotype operator for the Toronto Star. He returned to Manitoba in 1956 where he worked for Derksen Printers and after two years he purchased The Weyburn Review.
His wife, Irene Derksen of the Steinbach Derksens, was an active partner as publisher of The Review; while she raised five children she did all the darkroom work in the basement at home.
Mr. Neufeld was also active in his home community. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club president, United Appeal president and southeastern chairman for the Saskatchewan Homecoming in 1971. In 1987 he was named to the Saskatchewan Literacy Council.
He was a past president of the Saskatchewan Community Newspapers Association and was first elected to the national board in 1966.
During his term as president, Ernie Neufeld felt the most important step was the adoption of a five year plan, approved by the regions, which included additional assessment to allow more promotion of the association through a presentation bureau. Ernie felt this was the most important decision since federation, which set up the system of the region’s support of CCNA.
In November 1975 David Jonah replaced Mike Walker who had been general manager of CCNA for the previous four years. Mr. Walker became president of his own company, Advertising Data Systems. Dave Jonah had established a paper in Bathurst, New Brunswick but sold his interests before entering hospital for corrective surgery for a serious leg injury.
Central office was restructured; Dave Jonah had a new title, executive director. Dorry Gould was promoted to the position of manager.
The Publisher, which had been appearing irregularly, was taken over by CCNA office under Dave Jonah. Ryerson journalism student Steven Dills redesigned the paper. Each provincial association president or manager was to submit a monthly report; two copies were to be mailed to each publisher; advertising was actively sought; the issues were strikingly laid out.
Dave Jonah, CCNA board and OCNA under president Jim Dills worked together for effective national representation in Ottawa; a professionally-prepared audio-visual presentation was made to government departments showing circulation gains and readership strengths.
Ernie Neufeld ended his busy and enjoyable year at the convention in Halifax, N.S. He pointed out to members that the past decade had seen offset evolve from a bold experiment into the universally-accepted method of production; this led to the growth of central printing plants and economical typesetting units. Removing the necessity of a knowledge of mechanics will change the type of person attracted to the industry, he predicted. More publishers and editors would be graduates of journalism schools.
Among the convention speakers were Progressive Conservative party leader Joe Clark and his wife Maureen McTeer. Mr. Clark’s grandfather was CWNA president in 1936 and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1964. Mary from the traditional Sears calendar brought all her family to meet the people who recognized them so easily; a highlight was a lobster feast at the historical properties.
Ernie Neufeld passed away on Saturday, July 17, 2010 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.
