Mary Bass
Encyclopedia
Mary Cookman Bass was an American journalist
, author
, and executive editor of the Ladies' Home Journal
from 1936 to 1963.
She got into Barnard college after only 3 years of high school. She met her husband at a party while she was still at Barnard. He was 6 years older than she was and working as a newspaper reporter.
), joined the Ladies' Home Journal in 1936 as an editorial assistant but soon thereafter was named executive editor by the editors Bruce Gould and Beatrice Blackmar Gould. (Joseph Cookman died in 1944, Mary Cookman married New York lawyer Basil Bass in 1945, and she thereafter was known professionally as Mary Bass.)
Bass was responsible for day-to-day operations of the magazine while the Goulds engaged in longer range creative strategy and planning. Bass oversaw the creation of one of the most popular features of the Journal called How America Lives. This series of articles was supposed to run for one year. It ran for 20. With the Goulds, she also oversaw the launch in 1953 of "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" by journalist Dorothy Cameron Disney, who continued to research and write the column for 30 years.
The Goulds retired in 1962, and Bass left the Ladies' Home Journal the following year. Subsequently she wrote a column for Family Circle
called Careers at Home. She also published a book by the same name. Additionally, she worked at Seventeen
.
A native of Chicago, Bass was the daughter of James S. Carson
, who later was Chairman of the Colonial Trust Company of New York. She graduated from Barnard College
. She was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, the Women's National Press Club, and the Overseas Press Club. She was married and widowed four times and had one son, Richardson C. Bass. Mary Bass Newlin died August 26, 1996, at her home in Amagansett, N.Y.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and executive editor of the Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
from 1936 to 1963.
Childhood and Early Years
Mary Carter Carson was born in Chicago in 1905. Both her parents were from California. Her father was a college professor but wanted to be in the newspaper business and eventually got a job with the Associated Press and was posted to Mexico. Mary lived in Mexico for 11 years.She got into Barnard college after only 3 years of high school. She met her husband at a party while she was still at Barnard. He was 6 years older than she was and working as a newspaper reporter.
Career
Bass, then known as Mary Cookman (At the time she was the wife of New York Evening Post executive editor Joseph CookmanJoseph Cookman
Joseph ‘Joe’ Cookman was an American journalist, writer, critic and a founder of The Newspaper Guild.-Career:His professional career began in 1922 in New York City where he convinced the City Editor of the New York Telegram later known as the New York World-Telegram to give him a job as a...
), joined the Ladies' Home Journal in 1936 as an editorial assistant but soon thereafter was named executive editor by the editors Bruce Gould and Beatrice Blackmar Gould. (Joseph Cookman died in 1944, Mary Cookman married New York lawyer Basil Bass in 1945, and she thereafter was known professionally as Mary Bass.)
Bass was responsible for day-to-day operations of the magazine while the Goulds engaged in longer range creative strategy and planning. Bass oversaw the creation of one of the most popular features of the Journal called How America Lives. This series of articles was supposed to run for one year. It ran for 20. With the Goulds, she also oversaw the launch in 1953 of "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" by journalist Dorothy Cameron Disney, who continued to research and write the column for 30 years.
The Goulds retired in 1962, and Bass left the Ladies' Home Journal the following year. Subsequently she wrote a column for Family Circle
Family Circle
Family Circle is an American women's magazine published 15 times a year by Meredith Corporation. It began publication in 1932 as a magazine distributed at supermarkets such as Piggly Wiggly and Safeway. Cowles Magazines and Broadcasting bought the magazine in 1962. The New York Times Company bought...
called Careers at Home. She also published a book by the same name. Additionally, she worked at Seventeen
Seventeen (magazine)
Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
.
A native of Chicago, Bass was the daughter of James S. Carson
James S. Carson
James S. Carson was chairman of Colonial Trust Company, corporate executive and Spanish–American War veteran.James Carson started his career as a college professor but eventually became a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle then joined the Associated Press and established its first Latin...
, who later was Chairman of the Colonial Trust Company of New York. She graduated from Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
. She was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, the Women's National Press Club, and the Overseas Press Club. She was married and widowed four times and had one son, Richardson C. Bass. Mary Bass Newlin died August 26, 1996, at her home in Amagansett, N.Y.
Timeline
- 8/28 Marries Joseph Cookman, an editor
- 1936 Joins Ladies' Home Journal (LHJ)
- 5/41 Moves to 570 Park Ave, NYC
- 8/44 Husband Joseph Cookman dies of heart attack
- 1945 War correspondent for LHJ
- 12/45 Marries Basil Bass, a lawyer
- 10/46 Son is born; moves to 850 Park Ave, NYC
- 11/56 Husband Basil Bass dies
- 8/60 Father James S. Carson dies
- 5/64 Marries George R. Gibson an advertising executive
- 6/69 Husband George R. Gibson drowns
- 1976 Marries A. Chauncey Newlin, a lawyer and philanthropist
- 1983 Husband A. Chauncey Newlin dies
- 8/96 Mary Cookman Bass Newlin dies