The first issue of Writing as a Liberating Activity Newsletter appeared in October of 1973. It was mimeographed and stapled in Lexington, Kentucky. The co-editors were Richard C. Gebhardt (Findlay College) and Barbara Genelle Smith (University of Kentucky). With the second issue production of the newsletter moved to Findlay College. The last issue, number 24, appeared in the fall of 1986.

The approach of the newsletter, the editors wrote in College Composition and Communication, is "that the discipline of writing is fundamental to . . . Writing as a Liberating Activity." The discipline of writing is a way "through which students can expand their opinions, increase their sensitivity to language, broaden their expository, fictional and poetic powers—and in short liberate themselves and the linguistic resources within themselves" ("'Liberation' is Not 'License,'" CCC 27.2, 1976, p. 24).

Thanks to Richard Gebhardt and Barbara Genelle Smith Gebhardt and their dry garage for saving a run of the WLA Newsletter and to James Schirmer for making us a good copy of it.

Our full-text pdf editions of the WLA Newsletter includes one special issue and a "sampler," but it lacks Issue 22. Anybody with a copy of that issue, please contact Glenn Blalock or Rich Haswell.