Numerical figures should not be used at the beginning of any sentence in a news story. To avoid putting the figures first when round numbers are given, such forms may be used as, "About 250 students," "Over 1,200 chickens," "Nearly 750 gallons of milk." If it is considered desirable to have numbers at the very beginning, they may be spelled out, thus: 'Three thousand citizens greeted," etc., "Two hundred pounds of candy were strewn along Broadway," etc.
Explanatory Matter. In the lead of all stories of events that are closely associated with preceding events, such as "follow-up" stories, it is customary to give briefly sufficient explanatory information to make the event described clear in its relations to the earlier ones. This is necessary because readers may have overlooked the stories of the preceding occurrences. An explanatory phrase or clause is generally sufficient, but sometimes a whole sentence is necessary.
Unconventional Leads. In place of the usual summary lead containing all the essential points of the event, some stories begin with the particulars leading up to the event and thus keep the reader in suspense as to the nature and result of the happening until he has read the greater part of the story. These stories in their structure approximate fictitious narratives such as the short story. Various forms of beginnings that depart from the normal summary lead are illustrated by the following examples:
(1)
Half a dozen clerks were standing near the big vault in the Chelsea National Bank this afternoon, their backs toward the street.
A blinding flash filled them with terror, and taking it for granted that another earthquake had visited the
