by Tom Chillemi –
Southside Sentinel editor Tom Hardin is retiring after 33 years “in the big chair.”
For three decades he has been the managing editor or editor, directing the news department and weekly newspaper with sound judgment, said publishers Fred and Bettie Lee Gaskins of Urbanna. “We are proud of Tom Hardin, and feel blessed that he came our way,” they said (see related editorial, Page A3).
Hardin became the Sentinel’s first full-time reporter in 1976 and became managing editor in 1981. He then spent five years working in a family farming operation before returning to the Sentinel as managing editor in 1987.
Hardin grew up with newspapers in his native Huntington, West Virginia. “Our family subscribed to both the daily morning paper and daily afternoon paper. Even as a child my day wasn’t complete until I looked at both issues every day, especially the sports pages and the funnies.”
By age 12 and 13, he was the neighborhood paperboy for the morning Huntington Herald-Dispatch.
In the 1960s just about everybody got the newspaper. “It was our only source for news except for the three channels we got on our fuzzy, black-and-white TV that had aluminum foil on its ‘rabbit ear’ antenna,” said Hardin.
With TV in its infancy, newspapers remained a vital format for journalism. Hardin said that holds true today. Local papers still are the one place to find local news.
“The Southside Sentinel has always played an important role in this community and I am glad to have been a part of that,” said Hardin. “Most Middlesex County residents rely on the Sentinel to keep them informed of what’s going on in the county. I have always seen this as a huge responsibility—and really a privilege—and have always tried to be fair and comprehensive in our coverage.”
Hardin said he’s confident the Sentinel, in both its printed and digital versions, will continue to play a major role in keeping the residents of Middlesex and surrounding areas abreast of what is happening.
Community
Through the years as the Sentinel editor, Hardin has developed a diverse network of contacts, contributors and friends. “I have met so many good people who work or volunteer their time to make Middlesex a better place,” he said. “I really value the many friendships I have made working with these people.
“There is no better reward than when someone thanks me or our reporters for publicizing a worthy cause, shedding light on a situation, or putting their child’s picture or name in the paper,” he said.
Teamwork
The staff at the Sentinel has worked as a team with Hardin as captain. “I also have fond memories of the many good people who have worked with me at the Sentinel over the years and helped make it the success it is,” said Hardin.
Longtime proofreader Connie Walton said Hardin “was a great boss and easy to work with.”
Hardin’s sense of humor could help smooth the rough edges of sensitive situations and ease the tension, said reporter Tom Chillemi.
Fred Gaskins was the editor when Hardin arrived at the Sentinel. “Fred patiently taught me almost everything I know about the newspaper business. He and his wife Bettie Lee have always been pleasant and genuinely nice people to work for.”
Hardin also noted he has been fortunate to have the same two reporters for so long. “Larry Chowning and Tom Chillemi have both been here for over 30 years and have done outstanding jobs. They know the county and its people. Having them onboard has made my job easier and better.”
The old days
Getting the paper out is so much simpler now, Hardin said.
“In the early days we all had a lot more jobs to do. We rolled our own film from a bulk dispenser onto film spools, developed our own film, made our own photos, laid out the paper by hand, drove the layout pages to the printer in Williamsburg, waited for the paper to be printed, loaded the printed papers on the truck, drove back to the Sentinel, unloaded the papers and, with a crew of about four, got all the papers addressed, bundled, put in mail bags and taken to the post offices. Sometimes Wednesdays would end up being 14-hour workdays. Now, everything is done digitally on computers and sent to the printer electronically.”
My time
In retirement Hardin hopes to get a lot of things accomplished. “Most importantly, I plan to spend more time with my wife Bev and daughters Bailey and Molley. I have three grandchildren in New York City and another coming in June in Maryland. I want to be more a part of their lives while they are young. I also plan to spend more time relaxing, walk my dog twice a day, get in better physical condition, and do a long list of jobs around the house.”
