Scribes Seek Snappy Synonyms
Maurice Hicklin · American Speech · 1930
head of the copy desk handed to an assistant copy reader a press association article and said: Give it a Number Seven head. The article, unimportant but humorous, was needed for filler; it told how Scotchmen were very angry because a charge was being made to see the Stone of Scone. The headline desired was a three-line pyramid; that is, the first line was to be the width of the column, the second line shorter than the first, and the third shorter than the second. In the size of type designated by No. 7 it would take about thirteen or fourteen letters and spaces to fill the first line. The assistant copy reader submitted the following: