Item #310272 Typed letter signed "Roy W. Howard' to "Seymour" (Seymour Halpern) in response to Halpern's inquiry regarding the keys to success in life. Newspapers, Roy W. Howard.

'To Claim Success Means to Admit Defeat…'

Typed letter signed "Roy W. Howard' to "Seymour" (Seymour Halpern) in response to Halpern's inquiry regarding the keys to success in life.

New York: April 3, 1929.

Price: $125.00


About the item

1 p. on "Scripps-Howard Newspapers" letterhead. 4to. 'To Claim Success Means to Admit Defeat…'. Old folds, toning, else very good.

Item #310272

A thoughtful and detailed letter from one of the century's leading newsmen reading in part: "To claim success means to admit defeat, because none of us has really achieved success while there is yet more than we can accomplish … whatever accomplishments I may have made to date in my chosen profession have in my opinion been, to a considerable extent at least, largely the result of a single trait of character. I refer to an ability which I have always possessed of being able to feel a great enthusiasm for any task that has been mine, and an ability to dramatize that task in my own mind in a manner to magnify its importance..."

Roy W(ilson) Howard (1883-1964) worked his way from newspaper boy to become president of United Press at the age of 29, and go on to lead the Scripp’s Newspaper chain, which later became Scripp’s Howard Newspapers. A reporter at heart, he continued chasing new stories even as Chairman of the Board, traveling the world to obtain interviews with world leaders including Emperor Hirohito, and Joseph Stalin.

As a high school student, Seymour Halpern (1913-1997), wrote letters to many notables of the day inquiring about their ideas to the keys to success in life. He would later go on to serve as Republican from New York to the 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st and 92nd United States Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1973.