The original work, "The Snow Fort" was the first Seck Hawkins story printed in the Cincinnati Enquirer Sunday Magazine, February 3, 1918 in the Little Corner for Little People page - titled "Johnny's Snow Fortress". In 1922 it was reprinted in Volume 1, number 1 of the weekly Seckatary Hawkins magazine serials published by Pogue's department stores.  It was not titled The Snow Fort, but simply "The First Hawkins Story".

Seck first wrote a Christmas story for the Sunday children's page illustrated by Edward Grueninger, then contributed about every fortnight a series with animal characters titled Animal-land Tales, stories of children of Biblical times, (several on four boys that foreshadowed the Seck series). Boathouse Boys and Mile-a-Minute Milo endeavors added fuel to the imaginative fires.

The Enquirer's publisher, WF Wiley, dared Robert Schulkers to do a story on the gang every Sunday - Which he did. The title "The Rejiment" was adopted and the stories ran 17 years - only till 1935 in the Enquirer. The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran them 1923 till 1942. Combined circulation is reported at over 10 million. Quite a run on a dare.

The story circumstances are sometimes true, sometimes imagined. The Seckatary spirit is still contagious.

Richard Egan (right) with Ed Ritenbaugh (Seckatary actor)

William Holden and children read Stoner's Boy book

"Yo Rinty! -- Rin Tin Tin with Lee Duncan and a Seckatary bookend"

Photo of Harper Lee