[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           A TRIBUTE TO LEA B. KERR ON 50 YEARS IN JOURNALISM

                                 ______


                       HON. GEORGE E. SANGMEISTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 1994

  Mr. SANGMEISTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman 
who embodies all that is good about the profession of journalism--Ms. 
Lea B. Kerr, the Grande Dame of the Joliet Herald-News.
  Before her retirement this month, Lea wrote and reported for the 
Herald-News, a newspaper in my district, during a career that spans 
back to World War II. After being denied induction into the U.S. Marine 
Women's Corps because she was too young, Lea applied for an opening at 
the Herald-News in 1944. She impressed the editors with her rewrite of 
a sports item during her tryout and got the job. In the 50 years after, 
she covered everything from city hall to police to courts, and, yes, 
she wrote the occasional sports feature.
  Lea's tenacity and ingenuity are legend in both media and government 
circles in Joliet. Back in the days before open meeting statutes, the 
Joliet City Council was meeting secretly in a local hotel to discuss 
the budget. Lea got wind of the location of these closed-door confabs 
and swung into action. Taking an elevator only part of the way up to 
the meeting room, she climbed the final two flights up a fire escape in 
her high heels to prevent being detected by the participants. Planting 
herself outside of the room, she recorded the proceedings in her 
notebook. The councilmen were quite surprised to read a blow-by-blow 
account of their secret meeting in the paper the next day.
  Lea has won numerous honors during her distinguished career, 
including the Copley Ring of Truth Award for her moving and provocative 
commentary on a 1977 court decision to let local Nazis march in Skokie, 
IL a Chicago suburb with many Jewish residents. Instead of fighting 
hatred with hatred, Lea, in the best tradition of journalism, fought 
hatred with the truth. Besides writing the stirring commentary, Lea 
coordinated a $55,000 fund raiser to erect a Holocaust Memorial in 
Joliet to make sure local residents never forget what nazism really 
means.
  Trophies and plaques are not what have driven Lea Kerr throughout her 
distinguished career, however. Her professional philosophy is best 
summed up in her own words:

       A reporter's life is a kaleidoscope of a community's 
     problems, solutions and history. People from all walks of 
     life deserve to have their stories told. It's a challenge, 
     but it can be done.

  Mr. Speaker, I salute Lea B. Kerr on 50 years of service to her 
community and profession, and wish her a long and enjoyable retirement.

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