You may have noticed that your paper last week had a little bit of a different look to it. That’s because, for the first time in two years, I did not design the pages. I got help from a young graphic design major who brought fresh ideas and a different perspective to the table.

Her name is Bailey Schwarz, undoubtedly a name familiar to many of you as she is a graduate of Arnold High School. We - as in Syndicate Publications - have been using Bailey for about the past year and a half to help design ads for our papers, and last week she decided to try her hand at page layout.

Now, one would think with all I have on my plate that I would be more than eager to hand off a time-consuming project like that to anyone willing to take it on, right? That would make sense, after all. However…this type A need-to-be-in-control personality I have tends to get in the way of common sense sometimes. Plus, change is hard.

I’m sure you long-time Courier readers remember quite well what it was like the first time you picked up the “new” Callaway paper. Syndicate Publishing took possession of the Courier on Oct. 1, 2021, and a few months later changed the format of the paper from the traditional size and style known as broadsheet, to the tabloid format we now use.

The reviews from the readers on that change were mixed early on. Some shared that they like the tabloid style because it is easier to handle and read. Others like the broadsheet style simply because that is more how a newspaper should be.

I admit, I had to be sold on the tabloid format myself. This old-school journalist wasn’t sure it would work, or that it would be well-received by our readers and advertisers. Plus, like many of you, I am not a big fan of change.

It did take some getting used to, but now when I pick up a broadsheet paper, I find myself fumbling around trying to turn the pages and fold them back so I can easily read them. I have not only adjusted to the different format that we use…I actually like it!

Moving forward, Bailey has graciously agreed to design the paper full-time. She and I will be working together to tweak some things here and there for a little while (which is a polite way of saying I will be slowly relinquishing control), but I am excited to see her creativity put to use.

Now to figure out what I am going to do with this extra time…