I can see that happening on a now and then basis. But I know the papers used to have someone who gathered from the hospitals each day’s births so they could be published each day.
Hawaii had more births per week than were posted in the birth announcements. Some didn’t go in for some reason. I know someone has posted info about this lately and if I find it I’ll post it.
Here it is, right on this very thread:
(courtesy ping to Fred Nerks, sorry for the bother)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2496984/posts?page=221
IMO the story that birth announcements were published as the result of a list provided to the newspapers is nothing but a myth. There were over 150 births per week in Honolulu in 1961. The papers printed less than half this number. How did they decide who to include and who to leave out? How did they know to delay the announcement of the birth of the Nordyke twins...an announcement for twins is often delayed according to their health, only the parents would make that decision, when the announcement should appear.
Below, are the current conditions printed by the Honolulu Advertiser. There’s no mention of a list from Vital Statistics...we need to know if the same conditions applied in 1961. Did they then require a photo-copy of a birth certificate from the State, to place an announcement?
READER SERVICES
Submit a birth announcement
Aloha and congratulations on your new arrival!
The Honolulu Advertiser invites you to announce the birth of your new baby in the Island Life section of the Sunday newspaper and on our Web site.
You can mail your announcement to The Advertiser via one of the addresses below or fax it to 535-8170. Feel free to attach additional pages or a copy of an invitation. No street addresses or telephone numbers will be published or given out; they are requested for verification purposes only.
IMPORTANT: You must attach a photocopy of your baby’s official state-issued birth certificate; we cannot print your announcement without it.
You can also submit your celebration announcement using our online form.
The Advertiser publishes announcements up to six months after the baby’s birth. Only parents named on the birth certificate can be mentioned. At least one parent must be a current or former Hawai’i resident or Hawai’i-stationed military member.
Here’s the legal stuff: All submissions may be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. By submitting a photograph and/or announcement information, you grant The Honolulu Advertiser the right to publish, distribute, archive and otherwise use the photograph and information, in whole or in part, in print, electronic or any other media and for promotional purposes related to The Advertiser’s products and services. In addition, you represent that you have the right to authorize The Advertiser to use the photograph and information submitted.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/current/oh/births