Ralph Goldsmith, a past president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, bought the Boscobel Dial in 1956 and served as publisher until 1992.
Ralph has been described as “a newspaperman’s newspaperman” because of the skill, sensitivity, and perception he brought to rural journalism. He devoted heart and soul to newspapering, beginning in the 1930s when still in high school. Under his tutelage, circulation at the Dial grew from 1,500 to 6,500, making it the largest circulation weekly in a five-county area.
His writing brought Ralph consistent recognition from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association over the years. He respected his readers and often quipped, “You’re only as good as your last issue.” Ralph proved that you don’t need to hold a college degree to excel. His strong curiosity, natural instinct for news, combined with “street smarts,” benefited his readers.
Ralph’s column, “Under the Bridge,” was so popular that people lined up at the door each Wednesday to see what he had to say. His weekly editorials and observations reflected what people in Southwestern Wisconsin were thinking and feeling about everything from the economy to rock music.
