Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Small Town Editor" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 15c P.S. Write Soon (red and blue) stamp issued February 25, 1980. Absently fingering his pipe, the editor sits reading the letters at his desk. Occasionally, he looks up from the papers, a frown crossing his weary brow. The letters vary in content and style, and all have points to make. "The hardest part of an editor's job," he thought, "is to choose which ones to print." Some of the letters discuss problems like the potholes, the parking, and loose dogs downtown. This day, many tackle the proposed shopping mall on Main Street. He had written an editorial in favor of the mall a few days before. The next letter, he notices, is written in a childish scrawl. It, too, is about the mall. It says simply, "If you put up stores on the Main Street park, where will I play ball?" The park is the only one in the center of town, and the editor himself has for many years enjoyed its trees, flowers and birds and, yes, the children playing there, too. And it now occurs to him that most of the argument against the mall concerns parking problems and crowds the new stores would bring. His editorial explained how the increased commerce would offset those annoyances. But, has anyone really thought about losing the lovely park? As he leans back in his chair, the editor considers again, "How about that site just east of town? It would solve the parking problem; it could handle the crowds and we'd still have our park downtown!" He sits upright and calls for the typesetter. "Get this letter set quickly, because I'm discussing it in tonight's editorial," he cries. Image Size: 14.25 x 11.75 in. Overall Size: 14.5 x 12 in. Unframed. (B06026)