William A. Caldwell
Encyclopedia
William Anthony Caldwell (December 5, 1906 – April 11, 1986) was an American journalist and columnist who spent 48 years at The Record
of Bergen County, New Jersey
. He won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary
.
Caldwell was born in Butler, Pennsylvania
and grew up in Titusville, Pennsylvania
. When he was eleven, his family moved to New Jersey
and he attended Hasbrouck Heights High School
. In his sophomore year, his father, a newspaper editor, died. His newspaper career began at age 15 when he became a part-time editor of the weekly Hasbrouck Heights Newsletter. By the time he graduated high school in 1924, he had worked for the Associated Press
as a clerk and part time for the Hudson Dispatch
of Union City, New Jersey
.
His long career at The Record began in 1924 as a stringer
covering local sports. He became a full-time sports writer in 1926 and then began covering local Prohibition
era politics. In 1927, he and another reporter uncovered a scandal involving a new sewer system in Lodi Township, New Jersey, which resulted in a senator being expelled from the New Jersey Senate
. In October 1931 he covered the opening of the George Washington Bridge
.
In 1931 he began writing his six-day-a-week editorial column called "Simeon Stylites", named after Saint Simeon Stylites
, a 5th-century ascetic
who lived on top of a pillar for 39 years. Each column was exactly 85 lines long and he wrote about 12,000 of them until he retired in 1972, the year after he won the Pulitzer Prize. In 1972, Rutgers University Press
published a compilation of 112 of Caldwell's "Simeon Stylites" as In the Record: the Simeon Stylites Columns of William A. Caldwell (1972).
He retired to Martha's Vineyard
but continued to write a Sunday column for The Record and served as a columnist and editor for the Vineyard Gazette
.
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
of Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
. He won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary
Pulitzer Prize for Commentary
The Pulitzer Prize for Commentary has been awarded since 1970. The Pulitzer Committee issues an official citation explaining the reasons for the award.-List of winners and their official citations:...
.
Caldwell was born in Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
and grew up in Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
. When he was eleven, his family moved to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and he attended Hasbrouck Heights High School
Hasbrouck Heights High School
Hasbrouck Heights High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school serving grades 9 to 12, located in Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Hasbrouck Heights School District....
. In his sophomore year, his father, a newspaper editor, died. His newspaper career began at age 15 when he became a part-time editor of the weekly Hasbrouck Heights Newsletter. By the time he graduated high school in 1924, he had worked for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
as a clerk and part time for the Hudson Dispatch
Hudson Dispatch
The Hudson Dispatch was a newspaper covering events in Hudson and Bergen counties in Northern New Jersey. It published continuously from 1874 until 1991, when it was purchased by Newhouse Newspapers...
of Union City, New Jersey
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
.
His long career at The Record began in 1924 as a stringer
Stringer (journalism)
In journalism, a stringer is a type of freelance journalist or photographer who contributes reports or photos to a news organization on an ongoing basis but is paid individually for each piece of published or broadcast work....
covering local sports. He became a full-time sports writer in 1926 and then began covering local Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
era politics. In 1927, he and another reporter uncovered a scandal involving a new sewer system in Lodi Township, New Jersey, which resulted in a senator being expelled from the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
. In October 1931 he covered the opening of the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
.
In 1931 he began writing his six-day-a-week editorial column called "Simeon Stylites", named after Saint Simeon Stylites
Simeon Stylites
Saint Simeon Stylites or Symeon the Stylite was a Christian ascetic saint who achieved fame because he lived for 39 years on a small platform on top of a pillar near Aleppo in Syria. Several other stylites later followed his model...
, a 5th-century ascetic
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
who lived on top of a pillar for 39 years. Each column was exactly 85 lines long and he wrote about 12,000 of them until he retired in 1972, the year after he won the Pulitzer Prize. In 1972, Rutgers University Press
Rutgers University Press
Rutgers University Press is a nonprofit academic publishing house, operating in Piscataway, New Jersey under the auspices of Rutgers University.-History:...
published a compilation of 112 of Caldwell's "Simeon Stylites" as In the Record: the Simeon Stylites Columns of William A. Caldwell (1972).
He retired to Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
but continued to write a Sunday column for The Record and served as a columnist and editor for the Vineyard Gazette
Vineyard Gazette
The Vineyard Gazette is the only paid circulation newspaper on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Founded in 1846, it also circulates in many other states and countries to seasonal residents of the resort island...
.