The Wellington Advertiser has nominated two local men, Arthur Carr (1912-1996) and Rixon Rafter (1885-1963), for the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) Hall of Fame.
It is expected that both men will be part of the inaugural Hall of Fame induction class, to be announced on April 3 at the OCNA conference.
As part of the process, the OCNA is seeking photographs of the two men and also to speak to members of their families.
Anyone who can assist with either request can send their photos and/or contact information to news@wellingtonadvertiser.com. The Advertiser will forward items to OCNA officials for consideration. A brief background on the two men is included below. If possible, please try to contact the Advertiser by the end of the day on March 11.
Art Carr (1912-1996) was a newspaper publisher, editor and innovator. He arrived in Palmerston sometime between 1934 and 1938 and joined The Palmerston Observer as a reporter. Carr, who eventually bought the Observer, was considered one of the pioneers of offset printing in the weekly newspaper business (the Observer was the first Ontario newspaper printed by offset lithography in 1958). Carr retired in 1977 and sold the paper to Laverne Long.
Rixon Rafter (1885-1963) lost his eyesight as a youth and overcame that handicap to own and operate a weekly newspaper. Born in what is now Mapleton Township, he earned a degree from Queen’s University and purchased the Arthur Enterprise News in 1908. Rafter produced all his own editorial and news copy with his mind as the only notebook. He retired after 45 years of devoted service to the region. Today, the Rixon Rafter Scholarship Fund is available for Canadian students who are legally blind and pursuing post-secondary studies.
