Browse Items · DeafPrinters

A color photograph of a large, gray film output machine within the engraving room. Several tables surround the output machine, each with a stack of plates.

After pages were completed in the Composing Room, negative copies were created in the Film Output machine in the Engraving Room. These negatives were…

A color photograph of a large composing room with several rows of long composing desks. Each segment of the desks have large, uncut papers with newspaper designs on them. In the background there are people scattered across these rows, working at the composing desks.

The Composing Room

The pages of the paper begin to take shape in this room as employees use special tools and techniques to layout each page of text and images.

Linotype Machines

For most of the twentieth century, newspapers were formed from text blocks created on large linotype machines. Newspapers would have many such…

A color photograph of the slipboard in the hallway. Several large corkboards line a white wall, affixed with posters and paper. On one of the boards, large grid-lined paper sheets are affixed. Large bolded text on the sheets identifies the day and shift times.

A Slip Board

These boards were used to indicate time off, assign substitute workers. Scheduling printers shift assignment and work hours. Printers shifts included:…

A color photograph of industrial printing machinery. Large rollers feed paper into the machine.

A Newspaper Feeder

The pages developed in the composing room next traveled to the engraving room before the plates were added to the printing press and printed. These…

A color photograph of equipment lining a glass wall. In the center, a pair of metal typewriting machines sit atop an industrial metal handcart. Next to that, a short wooden cart with metal wheels is stacked with yellowed old papers, and a small sled. Text on the side of the cart reads "Washington Post & Times Herald."

A display of equipment used at The Washington Post

Many Deaf workers recall the pushing of heavy "trucks" during their shifts at The Washington Post.

Linotype Machine

Operators would sit at the machine, using the keyboard to type out lines of text. At the top, three magazines provided the user with access to…

A close-up color photograph of a bin protruding from a black cover on the wall. Releasing from this black cover and sliding into the bin is a printed newspaper sheet.

Film Output

Another stage in the technology of newspaper printing involved the use of phototypesetting in the Composing Room. Text was delivered from the news…

A color photograph of a large room with several large, red machines lined up along the side. Each machine has a panel of buttons along with a massive roll of paper being fed into the topmost part of the machine.

The Press Room

At the last stage of the printing process, the various components of the paper come together in the Press Room. In this room, large printing presses…

A color photograph of several people gathered in a workspace room. In the foreground is a fair skinned older man who appears to be speaking; he wears a formal suit and tie. Standing on a chair next to him is a fair skinned, middle-aged woman wearing a blue dress. Her hands are mid-sign. The background on the far left shows a man in formal casual clothes holding a camera and snapping photos; on the right is another man standing and watching the meeting.

Composing Room Meeting

During staff meetings, Deaf and hearing employees gathered. As speakers addressed the crowd, interpreters provided access for Deaf employees.

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