“Read all about it! Read all about it?”

Ahhh ... there was a time when news was shouted from the street corners. It’s easy to picture a young lad holding high a copy of The New York Times and pitching: “Titanic Sinks. Titanic Sinks.” Verbal headlines like that would turns heads ... and sell newspapers.

Many historical headlines like “Hitler Dead” and “VE Day — It’s All Over” are now tucked into collections, especially that favorite mistake in the Chicago Daily Tribune in 1948: “Dewey Defeats Truman.”

I got into the newspaper biz in the late ’60s as Linotype machines were being shoved aside by most newspapers. It was clear the typesetting class I took in seventh grade was a waste of time. I was lucky enough to work with a Linotype operation early on and to be part of the evolving history and technology of newspapers.

I do wish, however, I had experienced a city full of those young “town criers” pedaling papers on the streets. I thought of them often when I faced a similar challenge – writing a headline that sells. Putting words in print that would shout from a news rack.

The headline was the tease, the bait you put on the hook to reel in a reader. And I love ‘em. I also learned early in the game that hard news headlines had to inform because many readers were scanners and often read headlines only.

So, in keeping with the mission of those newsboys on the streets, the headline had to do scream this message: Hey ... this story matters to you, and here’s why. And space was the enemy as I often had more to say than space allowed. Thus the challenge. But a fun challenge.

As s student journalist on the campus paper I started saving all kinds of headlines. Sometimes for its message. Sometimes I kept just a word or two. Any headline with the word “Cain” in it I would keep. I thought one day I would mount them all into a montage. Create newspaper art. Well, that never happened, but I think there’s a file around here somewhere with the clippings I saved.

In the news biz headline writing is an art, skill, a talent. Technology now, including artificial intelligence, makes it easier. I loved writing headlines. Still do. (They let me play with the words over my weekly column.) But I’ve also come to see headlines as dangerous. Especially for those who are scanners and seem to think a headline tells the whole story. They never have. And never will.

Headlines that shout the loudest at me now – every day – come from my phone. Space is still a hurdle but more flexible on the digital screen. And it seems the primary role of the header is to tease. The pitch. The bait ... to hook the curious. And I do get reeled in. In fact, I am writing this now because of a headline.

I have an app called Flipboard that I check regularly. It feeds me a variety of interesting stories every day. The app knows what I like. I scan the headlines and save what I want to read later ... and sometimes write about. I left the app open and glanced at my phone to see this headline: “Fish buttholes may be the reason we now have fingers, study finds.” I’m trying not to picture a 10-year-old newsboy shouting that headline from a street corner. And did I say the app knows what I like? Hmmm. That’s a little scary.

All of us stand in a raging river of headlines every day, rushing by on our cell phones, radio, TV and, yes, even in that paper product still called a newspaper. So I have a lot of choices. Although that daily digital stream often looks like it’s been created just for me. Sometimes I wonder, “Is that really me?”

I’ve learned to hesitate now before taking the bait. But I also will be honest and say it’s the headline that often triggers my curiosity. Even knowing I will regret it later. I understand why there are many who flip the switch and shut it off. But I can’t do that.

I’ve been in the news business too long. I can’t stop looking. So I will continue to fish that raging river. Can’t help it. Headlines fascinate me.

• Lonny Cain, retired managing editor of The Times in Ottawa, also was a reporter for The Herald-News in Joliet in the 1970s. His PaperWork email is lonnyjcain@gmail.com. Or mail the NewsTribune, 426 Second St., La Salle IL 61301.