Meet our founders: The Oklahoma Daily’s 1916 staff
Names of note include Willard Campbell as the founding editor and Fayette Copeland as managing editor
Sooner yearbook’s 1917 edition offers a spread chronicling The Oklahoma Daily, which started in the fall of 1916. On the occasion of our centennial, here’s a look back at the names and faces of those on that first staff, which was led by Editor Willard H. Campbell.
Campbell, an Anadarko native and Arts and Science major, had a particularly ambitious college career. His memberships included Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Delta Chi, Press Club, Senate, Checkmate and Student Council. Before becoming The Oklahoma Daily’s editor in 1916–17, he was on the football team (1913), in Glee Club (1913–14), Secretary of the House (1913–14), sophomore class president (1914–15), a YMCA Cabinet member (1914–15), an assistant editor of the University Oklahoman (1914–15) and editor of the University Oklahoman (1915–16).
The listing of that first staff notes 14 editors — including Fayette Copeland, as managing editor; and it seems just one woman, Fannie Inez Bell, as women’s editor — along with five reporters.
The opportunity to better serve its audience appeared abundant as the Umpire, a predecessor to the University Oklahoman and The Oklahoma Daily, seemed to underwhelm students.
“Copies in the library show it (the Umpire),” Sooner wrote, reflecting a criticism of the press shared then and now, “to have been a very crude sheet.”
