International Newspaper Carrier Day honors everyone who is now, or once was, a newspaper carrier. This October 10 holiday also includes anyone who hawked the paper on the street, or at a newsstand. The list includes thousands, if not millions, of people. Years ago, this job was primarily populated by kids, from pre-teen through approximately sixteen. At that age, many, but not all, kids moved from newspaper delivery to restaurants, grocery stores, and retail type of jobs. Newspaper circulation has been dwindling for a few decades and will likely continue to do so. Online sources of news and information are replacing newspapers.

For the record: In 1950, there were 1,772 daily newspapers in the United States. Today, there are only 1,033. The number is expected to continue to drop. As a matter of fact, every time we check this number, it is lower.

Now, few kids deliver papers anymore except in small towns. But, the “Carrier Day” tradition lives. This job is now largely held by adults, many of them delivering the paper from their cars.

This day recognizes the importance of newspaper carriers in getting the newspaper each day into the hands of millions of readers. This day honors carriers all over the world, as they deliver the paper diligently in all kinds of weather conditions.  

Even President Ronald Reagan got in on the act. On October 6, 1982, he wrote a brief message supporting this day.