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Between 1980 and 1989, the late Gene DeGruson produced 18 issues of “The Little Balkans Review,” a literary, historical and cultural journal. It earned national praise, and was listed by the Christian Science Monitor as one of the three top regional publications in the United States.
In 1999, two years after DeGruson’s death, a final issue of the magazine was published in his honor.
But maybe it wasn’t so final after all.
Last summer while they were painting houses, the Picasso Brothers decided they wanted to revive the journal.
“At first we thought it would be fun to do a local history, predominantly Pittsburg,” said Al Ortolani Jr. “That became little more than a pipe dream, but then we started thinking of starting up the ‘Little Balkans Review’ again.”
He and his fellow house painters are not brothers and none of them is named Picasso.
“That was a name given to us by one of the young people at the Residential Center for Youth while we were doing some painting there,” he said.
A former Pittsburg High School English teacher, he now teaches in the Overland Park area and comes home on weekends. Others involved are Michael Hogard, current PHS English teacher, Wayne Bockelman, who has taught high school science, Tom Burns, a special education teacher, and John Laflen.
DeGruson’s frequent collaborator was attorney Shelby Horn, now living in Kentucky. He came back to Pittsburg Oct. 9 to deliver the 11th annual Gene DeGruson Memorial Lecture at Axe Library, Pittsburg State University, where DeGruson was longtime director of Special Collections.
“When we heard Shelby was coming back, we decided to try and get his blessing,” Ortolani said. “Ted Watts, who did so much of the artwork for the review, was also there. They both just loved the idea of reviving it. As Ted put it, ‘The torch has passed’.”
“Ted even agreed to contribute art for the cover,” Hogard added.
Horn is lending his legal expertise, doing the paperwork to obtain non-profit 501(c)3 status for the publication, which would make it eligible for various grants.
“We’ve decided on a price of $5 per issue, or subscriptions at $15 for four issues,” Ortolani said. “My brother, James, who’s going to be our music editor, has suggested we have a band benefit for the magazine, and we may do that. Finances could limit us, but we hope this will take care of itself.”
“We can always paint another house,” Hogard said.
Each issue of LBR had a theme, and the upcoming edition will focus on Gordon Parks. Watts has the cover art, and Hogard and Bockelman have already gone to Fort Scott to do some interviewing.
“Ken Lunt has taken us all over Fort Scott, including to Gordon Parks’ grave,” Hogard said.
A call has also been sent out for submissions, of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, as well as original art and photographs. All submissions must be related to the Little Balkans area, but there’s some flexibility there.
“For instance, it would be hard to say no to something about Joplin,” Ortolani said.
The editors have approached previous contributors, including Charles Cagle, retired PSU English professor. “I told them I’d see if I had any unpublished stories,” Cagle said. “But I might just write something new.”
New writers are also welcome.
“Some very fine historical work has been done by authors who have never published before,” Bockelman said.
“Gene usually had a 50/50 mix of previously published and unpublished writers, and we’ll probably have something similar,” Ortolani said.
Submissions have already started coming in.
“It seems like every day we get a little treasure in the mail, or by e-mail,” Bockelman said.
The editorial board generally on weekends, and has already made some decisions about material for the first issue.
“There are a lot of slow steps involved, but we hope to have the first issue out by summer, just to see what we encounter along the way,” Ortolani said. “We might be able to do a second issue by fall.”
“It’s sad that Gene DeGruson is no longer here,” Bockelman said, “but we’re here to continue in his footsteps.”
Submissions may be sent to the Editors, Little Balkans Review, 909 S. Olive, Pittsburg, Kan., 66762. All submissions should include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Payment will be in contributor copies. A Web site is being constructed at LittleBalkansReview.com.
Between 1980 and 1989, the late Gene DeGruson produced 18 issues of “The Little Balkans Review,” a literary, historical and cultural journal. It earned national praise, and was listed by the Christian Science Monitor as one of the three top regional publications in the United States.
In 1999, two years after DeGruson’s death, a final issue of the magazine was published in his honor.
But maybe it wasn’t so final after all.
Last summer while they were painting houses, the Picasso Brothers decided they wanted to revive the journal.
“At first we thought it would be fun to do a local history, predominantly Pittsburg,” said Al Ortolani Jr. “That became little more than a pipe dream, but then we started thinking of starting up the ‘Little Balkans Review’ again.”
He and his fellow house painters are not brothers and none of them is named Picasso.
“That was a name given to us by one of the young people at the Residential Center for Youth while we were doing some painting there,” he said.
A former Pittsburg High School English teacher, he now teaches in the Overland Park area and comes home on weekends. Others involved are Michael Hogard, current PHS English teacher, Wayne Bockelman, who has taught high school science, Tom Burns, a special education teacher, and John Laflen.
DeGruson’s frequent collaborator was attorney Shelby Horn, now living in Kentucky. He came back to Pittsburg Oct. 9 to deliver the 11th annual Gene DeGruson Memorial Lecture at Axe Library, Pittsburg State University, where DeGruson was longtime director of Special Collections.
“When we heard Shelby was coming back, we decided to try and get his blessing,” Ortolani said. “Ted Watts, who did so much of the artwork for the review, was also there. They both just loved the idea of reviving it. As Ted put it, ‘The torch has passed’.”
“Ted even agreed to contribute art for the cover,” Hogard added.
Horn is lending his legal expertise, doing the paperwork to obtain non-profit 501(c)3 status for the publication, which would make it eligible for various grants.
“We’ve decided on a price of $5 per issue, or subscriptions at $15 for four issues,” Ortolani said. “My brother, James, who’s going to be our music editor, has suggested we have a band benefit for the magazine, and we may do that. Finances could limit us, but we hope this will take care of itself.”
“We can always paint another house,” Hogard said.
Each issue of LBR had a theme, and the upcoming edition will focus on Gordon Parks. Watts has the cover art, and Hogard and Bockelman have already gone to Fort Scott to do some interviewing.
“Ken Lunt has taken us all over Fort Scott, including to Gordon Parks’ grave,” Hogard said.
A call has also been sent out for submissions, of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, as well as original art and photographs. All submissions must be related to the Little Balkans area, but there’s some flexibility there.
“For instance, it would be hard to say no to something about Joplin,” Ortolani said.
The editors have approached previous contributors, including Charles Cagle, retired PSU English professor. “I told them I’d see if I had any unpublished stories,” Cagle said. “But I might just write something new.”
New writers are also welcome.
“Some very fine historical work has been done by authors who have never published before,” Bockelman said.
“Gene usually had a 50/50 mix of previously published and unpublished writers, and we’ll probably have something similar,” Ortolani said.
Submissions have already started coming in.
“It seems like every day we get a little treasure in the mail, or by e-mail,” Bockelman said.
The editorial board generally on weekends, and has already made some decisions about material for the first issue.
“There are a lot of slow steps involved, but we hope to have the first issue out by summer, just to see what we encounter along the way,” Ortolani said. “We might be able to do a second issue by fall.”
“It’s sad that Gene DeGruson is no longer here,” Bockelman said, “but we’re here to continue in his footsteps.”
Submissions may be sent to the Editors, Little Balkans Review, 909 S. Olive, Pittsburg, Kan., 66762. All submissions should include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Payment will be in contributor copies. A Web site is being constructed at LittleBalkansReview.com.
