Some we solve and some we don't.  After too-many-to-count tries, I succeeded in getting a page up with a photo background.  The process is called layers and there was an html coding for it in Communicator 4.0  but it did not work for me in the Composer screen we use.  Hmmmm - just realized I use 7.1 not Communicator...   maybe.  Another aha.  Anyway, I finally tried several things and 2 worked.  I put some text boxes in a photo background and saved it as a jpg.  I also discovered that I had a program called Paint that worked even better because I could make my lettering transparent and then 'layer' it over the art.  This got saved as a jpg and then I found an html script where I sub'ed the jpg for the regular rest of page and voila another page was born with the photo background I wanted.

Started the newsletter tho' I know there is or will be some adjustment to the assignment.  Fought a bit with this, too.  But alas, the learning is in the wrangling.  Being able to stop and start over repeatedly (my learned trait from being a musician) is really helping.  I found the microsoft templates but the column thing is the secret although I still needed to find the wrap copy feature.  Found that I could do this in Microsoft Works and save as an HTML and I loaded up my art and after as;dflkj   tries it works.
Now if I will only finish it.  It's only half done...     My new motto:  "Seize the html!"