Dear Mr. Brown:
I am deeply upset by your adverse reaction to my article on Sherry Eckrich. I had no intention of disparaging her, the library, the neighborhood or any of its residents.
I have received calls from the mothers of the children in the pictures who, like you, were understandably outraged by my allegations that the children lived in a boarded up house and ate sno-cones for lunch. I did not want to give the impression that the children were abandoned or that they did not get more nutritious meals. I have learned with your help and with that of the mothers, that assumptions in a newspaper story, that most people have no way of verifying, are worthless and potentially harmful.
There is no excuse for my factual errors concerning Miss Eckrich’s past employment and the spelling of her name. I can only take more readable notes, and ask questions when any facts are unclear, in the future.
I regret that my inconsistent referral to race has offended the community. It evinces my insensitivity to race problems, that can only be remedied by experience and thought.
Your letter was a lucid and intelligent criticism of my second piece of writing for the Post-Dispatch. I only wish that I could have foreseen the problems that have arisen from my article and avoided your disappointment. My deepest apologies to you, Miss Eckrich, Pauline Paulus, Grace Spear, James Michael, and most importantly, the children and their families.
Originally published in The Paper, September 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_09.pdf, printed page(s) 2.
