Last summer, former editor-in-chief Isaiah Newcombe, whom you may remember, asked me to run The Mouth. He sent me a video of him knighting me with a toothbrush, which I still watch sometimes because it reminds me what the heck I’m doing. Even though I wasn’t surprised, I still always thought he’d ask a guy to run the paper this year -- I’d never felt quite as charismatic or fearless as some of my male co-editors. Yet here I am, and here we are, 11 months, eight issues, and one website later. I’m writing this letter a little too close to the May deadline than I’d like to admit, as in, I’m writing this 5 days after the May deadline, and I’m writing it because The Mouth staff told me I should at our hodge-podge Zoom meeting I threw together last week. It was that kind of idea-magic that can only happen at a table pitch, where everyone comes in saying they have no ideas and leaves with issues worth of opinion headlines and movies to review. While I don’t think I have the emotional energy or memory to write a holistic article reflecting on how I think The Mouth went this year like the staff suggested, I thought I’d walk you, the reader, through this year via a project idea I had but never had the chance to make.
The Mouth Handbook was going to be pretty cool. It would be leather bound and consist of all the guidelines that makes The Mouth what it is. It would have advice, printer instructions, and a 101 on how to politely email Mr. Garbus when you are feeling less-than-polite. While I do hope it can exist someday, I wanted to leave behind this semi-draft to Mouth Editors yet-to-come so that you do not feel alone in the dark that is trying to create this newspaper.
The Integrity of The Mouth
At the end of the day, the most important thing you must defend are the three pillars of The Mouth: student voice, the challenging of hate and injustice, and the truth.
If any of these things are obscured or sullied, The Mouth has failed.
It is important to constantly look around and ask yourself if the paper is upholding these three things, as well as whether or not they need to be updated or expanded. The Mouth is an ever-changing, living being that needs keeping up with.
The Mouth should never feel like schoolwork. It is a place for students to dump whatever part of themselves they wish to share with the world and have it a) not feel like a burden and b) not feel like something they need to refine into someone else’s idea of high quality work. (This is also not The New York Times. In my opinion it is better.)
Editing The Mouth
When editing The Mouth, try to make as few changes as possible.
The Mouth prioritizes authenticity over grammatical correctness, so be sure to check in with the author to see if they are looking for grammar edits in the first place. Intentional misuse of grammar can be cool and is encouraged.
The Mouth recognizes that the English language can sometimes be dumb. If a piece feels disorganized, remember that our idea of organization in American education is heavily influenced by linear thinking, which is a hallmark of eurocentrism and colonialism. Experiment with allowing written pieces to seem cyclical, repetitive, or scattered, all things considered “unprofessional” because they do not meet the close-minded European standards for high quality work.
When editing for content, censor thoughtfully. If the content feels too heavy to publish, make sure to add a content warning while still allowing the content to be shared.
Printing The Mouth
It takes about 2.5 hours to print The Mouth if nothing goes wrong.
Things will go wrong, and it is best to be prepared for that. Some of these things include imaginary printer jams, a cart without a single working computer, Adobe-related anxiety, a 30-minute friendly conversation with a farmhouse staff, etc. They are all part of the printing process, and things go smoothest when you are prepared for them.
It is best to invite some staff members to help you fold and staple the copies. I recommend Willa Punches who lives very close!
The stapler needs gentle coaxing when jammed. Do not get frustrated with him or he will continue to break.
Do your best to accommodate other farmhouse members trying to print at the same time as you. It’s best to print in batches of 20 instead of 120 so that Mr. Stensons does not have to wait 15 minutes to print a copy of your transcript.
Relationship with Administration
In the past year, The Mouth has gone from a rebellious teenage daughter refusing to speak with administration to a respectable college graduate agreeing to get lunch with administration. The paper’s relationship with the school has been an important journey and should not be ignored.
If administrators ever veto or censor an article you feel needs to be shared with the student body, there is always the option to break away from the school and share that article by your own means. Never compromise on getting the truth to the student body, even if it means breaking some ties with the school to do so.
This said, there is a relationship of mutual respect between The Mouth and the farmhouse. It is worth it to keep this relationship strong and use it to your advantage.
Make it clear what the administrator’s role in editing is. Let them know that they are editing for school appropriateness, so they should leave ideas/content edits up to The Mouth staff. If a farmhouse member has opinions on your Biden administration piece then they are welcome to submit their own article.
Send all emails to administrators from thisisthemouth@gmail.com. It makes it more mysterious for them.
The Mouth Staff
The Mouth cannot function as it does without a strong staff of editors and contributors.
Have meetings! Hold a table pitch, group brainstorm for headline ideas, come up with social media/merch campaign ideas, and play ice breaker games. A strong staff knows one another better than they should.
During table pitches, be sure to underline the importance of managing stress under deadline and never writing more than you have time/energy for. No issue should be published at the expense of the staff’s mental wellbeing!!!
Assemble a staff that represents as many grades as possible. Just because the middle school smells weird does not mean it’s not full of incredibly talented journalists.
The Staff Playlist is essential. Keep it alive.
Make sure you tell the staff you love them frequently before it is too late.
Leaving The Mouth
If you are the Editor-in-Chief, a time will come where you must pass The Mouth onto a new group of students. Or so I’ve heard.
Remind them that it is their responsibility to share their voices, advocate for justice, defend the truth, and make the world a more artful place.
Trust them. They will do great things.
Share with them Dan Lederer’s phone number. They will probably find themselves needing it.
All in all, I am so incredibly proud of how far The Mouth has come this year, and thankful for all of the joy it provided me despite the stress of trying to produce a newspaper during a pandemic. The Mouth is a document full of some of the most profound writing, impassioned opinions, and astounding art I have ever had the honor to witness, let alone publish. It is one of the most powerful forces I have come to know during my time at Four Rivers, and I can’t wait to see where it will go.
Signing off,
Fiona Bird
Editor-in-Chief of The Mouth
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