MSSU Archives & Special Collections Exhibits: Ralph Jules Frantz

The Ralph Jules Frantz Collection Exhibit

The Ralph Jules Frantz Collection includes The Lost Generation Journal, newspapers, photographs, and personal papers kept throughout the course of his life.

Ralph Jules Frantz began his lifetime career as a newspaperman in 1919 working as a reporter and sports editor for the Springfield Sun while attending Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio. Frantz moved to Cleveland in 1922 and held various editorial positions for the Cleveland Times until 1925 when he moved to Paris, France. In Paris, he joined the staff of the Paris Edition of The Chicago Tribune working his way up from rewrite man to managing editor in 1929. Frantz held this editorial position until the paper merged with the Paris Edition of The New York Herald in 1934. He returned to New York in 1935 and joined the staff of The New York Herald Tribune serving in various editorial positions until 1966 where he left to work at the Bergen Record until his retirement in 1971.

Below are link to the exhibit's pages. The Biography & Personal Life page includes papers from his school days, photographs, and a copy of The Lost Generation Journal. The Letters to the Editor page features letters from fellow newspapermen and "faithful readers" of the European Edition of The Chicago Tribune before Frantz left Paris. The Menus page features a selection of souvenir menus Frantz collected during his travels. The Newspaper Clippings page features a newsletter, a front page letter Frantz wrote in 1934, and two articles written about his life.

Exhibit curated by Lauren Ruth, with the assistance of Whitney Hamm, 2025-12.

All images are the property of Missouri Southern State University. Contact archives@mssu.edu for reproduction and use rights.