Edmund Arnold

Edmund C. Arnold (June 25, 1913 – February 2, 2007) was a newspaper designer, considered by many to be the father of modern newspaper design. As a newspaper consultant, he designed more than a thousand newspapers including the Boston Globe, National Observer, Today, Toronto Star, The Kansas City Star, and many small weeklies. He also worked as the Editor of The Linotype News, and as a columnist for Publisher's Auxiliary.

Arnold was born on June 25, 1913, in Bay City, Michigan, the son of Ferdinand M. and Anna I. (Begick) Arnold. As a small boy the family moved to Saginaw, Michigan. Edmund's only brother, Robert, drowned in the Saginaw Bay in a boating accident in 1938 at the age of 19.

In addition to his newspaper work, Arnold was an educator. He was the chairman of the Graphic Arts and Publishing Departments at the School of Journalism at Syracuse University and taught as a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. He was a charter member of the Society for News Design. He wrote over 25 books including the Ink on Paper (1963), Ink on Paper 2 (1972), and Modern Newspaper Design (1969).

Arnold was honored with SND's lifetime achievement award in 2000. When describing the state of news design in an interview at the time he was honored, Arnold said:

I want to put on record that I'm not an old reprobate longing for a return of the good old days. I'm more of an old father who is disappointed that his kids are only reaching 98 percent of their potential and wants them to reach 101 percent. My message to young designers is this: Look kids, you can do better, but the only way to achieve your potential is to go back to - and understand - the basics. That sounds boring, but it's reality.

References

• Edmund Arnold obituary, Society for News Design
• 2000 interview, SND Design magazine