Before Twitter, The Stereopticon Ruled

Hunting around the archives for constitutional convention stuff, I came across this front page notice in the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette the day before the 1920 general election.

Warren G. Harding (pictured) was The One we were waiting for  back in those days. But how, oh how, would we get fast, up-to-the-minute news on his glorious election?

No problem. Cutting-edge technology.

ELECTION NEWS

It you want to know how the election is going, come to THE GAZETTE office this evening and you will learn all there is to know.

As the result of co-operation from the Koss Construction company, which is building the First avenue bridge. THE GAZETTE has been able to make last-minute arrangements for a stereopticon bulletin service in First avenue, just in front of the newspaper office. A huge screen will be hung on the old Y. M. C. A. building this afternoon and a machine installed on the top floor of The Gazette building.

Everyone who is interested is invited to come to THE GAZETTE for the news. One newspaper invites its friends to peruse its election returns. THE GAZETTE invites both its friends and its enemies-everyone. There will not be a more complete election news service anywhere than that for which THE GAZETTE has arranged. This newspaper is the Associated Press-assembling headquarters for the entire Fifth district. In addition there will be a state and national Associated Press wire-service throughout the night.

As fast as the news comes in it will be thrown on the screen, where 10,000 people might read it immediately if that many were to gather.

Take that Cedar Rapids Republican and your snooty friends. This was a two newspaper town back then.

A stereopticon is apparently a big

slide projector.  I like how it sounds. I'm going to start referring to my BlackBerry as my Portable Electropticon.