Scanned newspaper page from Image 13 of Brownsville herald (Brownsville, Tex.), April 17, 1927, (AUTOMOBILE SECTION), showing an article about Professor Gilbert I. Garretson and Oklahoma City University journalism students visiting Brownsville, 1927-04-17 (Library of Congress, Chronicling America)
Scanned newspaper page from Image 13 of Brownsville herald (Brownsville, Tex.), April 17, 1927, (AUTOMOBILE SECTION), showing an article about Professor Gilbert I. Garretson and Oklahoma City University journalism students visiting Brownsville, 1927-04-17 (Library of Congress, Chronicling America)

People

Gilbert I. Garretson

Gilbert I. Garretson was a journalist and academic with a documented connection to East Dundee, Illinois, where he served as editor of the Valley News, a local newspaper. By 1927 he had transitioned into higher education, holding the position of Head of the Department of Journalism at Oklahoma City University. His career bridged the working press of the Midwest and the emerging field of collegiate journalism instruction during the 1920s.

Scanned newspaper page from Image 13 of Brownsville herald (Brownsville, Tex.), April 17, 1927, (AUTOMOBILE SECTION), showing an article about Professor Gilbert I. Garretson and Oklahoma City University journalism students visiting Brownsville, 1927-04-17 (Library of Congress, Chronicling America)
Scanned newspaper page from Image 13 of Brownsville herald (Brownsville, Tex.), April 17, 1927, (AUTOMOBILE SECTION), 1927-04-17 (Library of Congress, Chronicling America) | Source: Library of Congress, Chronicling America

Known Activities

Editor, Valley News — Dundee, Illinois

At some point prior to 1927, Garretson served as editor of the Valley News, a newspaper based in Dundee, Illinois. This position represents his most direct connection to the local area documented in available records. The Valley News was one of several publications in his journalism career before he moved into academic life. (Source: brownsville-herald-1927-04-17-seq13)

Journalism Career in the Midwest

According to the Brownsville Herald, Garretson held positions at a number of notable Midwestern news organizations before his tenure at the Valley News. These reportedly included:

  • The Associated Press
  • The Des Moines Register
  • The Burlington Hawkeye
  • The Mt. Pleasant News
The precise order and dates of these positions are not confirmed in currently available sources. (Source: brownsville-herald-1927-04-17-seq13)

Head of Journalism, Oklahoma City University

By April 1927, Garretson held the rank of professor and served as Head of the Department of Journalism at Oklahoma City University. In that capacity, he accompanied twenty-five journalism students and university president Dr. Furence M. Antrim on an educational expedition to Brownsville, Texas, and across the border into Mexico. The group visited the plant of the Brownsville Herald as part of the tour. (Source: brownsville-herald-1927-04-17-seq13)

Education

Garretson is reported to have been a graduate of Iowa Wesleyan College and of Northwestern University, specifically the Medill School of Journalism. The dates of his degrees are not documented in sources currently held by The Kiln. (Source: brownsville-herald-1927-04-17-seq13)

Timeline

YearEvent
UnknownEmployed with Associated Press, Des Moines Register, Burlington Hawkeye, and/or Mt. Pleasant News (order and dates unconfirmed)
Unknown, pre-1927Served as editor of the Valley News, Dundee, Illinois
By 1927Appointed Head of the Department of Journalism, Oklahoma City University
April 17, 1927Led twenty-five journalism students on educational expedition to Brownsville, Texas, and Mexico, documented in the Brownsville Herald
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Notes & Gaps

  • No birth or death dates for Garretson have been identified in sources available to The Kiln.
  • The duration of his tenure at the Valley News is unknown.
  • It is unclear whether Garretson had personal ties to Dundee, Illinois beyond his editorial role, or whether the position was a professional appointment.
  • Further research in Illinois newspaper archives or Northwestern University alumni records may yield additional detail.

Sources

  • brownsville-herald-1927-04-17-seq13 — Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), April 17, 1927, Image 13 (Automobile Section). Library of Congress, Chronicling America. URL: https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86063730/1927-04-17/ed-1/?sp=13