February Column Winner

Who is going to fill their shoes?

By Suzie Campbell, The Countywide & Sun

Who’s gonna fill their shoes

Who’s gonna stand that tall

Who’s gonna give their heart and soul

To inform me and you 

Lord I wonder, who’s gonna fill their shoes?

Yes, I skipped a couple of lines. Not to take away from George Jones, but this song has played over and over in my mind while I strive to continue the tradition of those journalists who came before me.

It’s nearing midnight on a Tuesday night. I should be laying out pages for the paper, but I’m not. Instead, I’m trying to convince myself to write my final story for this edition.

It shouldn’t be that hard. I’ve covered meetings and written stories for a while now, but this was different. There was an overwhelming feeling of apprehension.

Anxiety left me barely breathing and worried. I found task after task throughout the day to keep me busy and delay the time when I had to finally write my first coverage of the Shawnee school board meeting.

It had been a short and relaxed meeting, and the story should have been just as easy. But I was following in the footsteps of a well-known and much-admired journalist, Virginia Bradshaw.

Finally, I forced myself to begin. One slow keystroke at a time, the words formed on the screen. Then the words came a little easier until it was finally done.

I worried. This meeting coverage was not in the traditional style of Mrs. Bradshaw. It took a bit, but the realization that I couldn’t write like Bradshaw eventually took hold. I still worried. How would this compare to Virginia?

The truth is, it doesn’t. I can’t fill the shoes of Virginia Bradshaw. Then again, no one can. She is one of a kind. I now have to create my path, fine-tune my style and persevere.

Just a few short years ago, Virginia was one of the first to welcome me as the new owner of the Countywide & Sun. She has continued to be one of several mentors in this journey. Her kind words of encouragement always seem to come at just the right moment.

I am so very blessed and thankful for the time she has worked with me and look forward to continuing our friendship. I will continue to look up to this amazing woman and strive to be the type of journalist she will be proud to have as a friend and colleague.

It is not the first time I have struggled with this feeling. I love to show visitors the many plaques collected by Wayne and Gloria Trotter that still hang on the walls of the office. It is a daily reminder of what real journalism is all about. Not the plaques, of course, but the work it took for fellow journalists to recognize and honor one of their own.

The Trotters spent many years covering the hard news and promoting the good news here in Pottawatomie County. They are well versed in the art of writing a great story. They are also a wealth of history and information when it comes to local government.

While it is comforting to have all three of these Oklahoma Hall of Fame journalists a phone call away, it is also a little frightening. So this morning, as I write this column, I remind myself that the best I can do is strive to live up to the legends that came before me.

I will never fill the shoes of Wayne Trotter, Gloria Trotter, and Virginia Bradshaw. No one can.
All I can do is work hard every day to continue the tradition of this paper and expand on the base they gave me. I will continue to glean as much information as I can from all of them. I will make every effort to bring readers the full stories they expect from the Countywide & Sun.