If I put in a text box, the text inside the box disappears.

[Arlene M.]

I'm desperate to know how to but the text into the box. It used to be no
problem, but now it will not work. If I remove the text box, the text is
there.

 

[Rojo Habe]

Sounds to me as though the text wasn't in the box, but behind it. You don't
draw a text box around existing text. You draw the box first, click inside
it and type the text. Then if you drag the box to a new location the text
will move with it.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

In Word 2007 (I've forgotten if it's the case for Word 2003), you can select
existing text, then click Draw Text Box (click Insert ribbon tab, Text Box,
Draw Text Box), and Word places a text box around the selected text.

You can also cut & paste existing text into a text box.

But, it does sound as if the text box is covering up text rather than
containing it in the current case. This would happen if text is not selected
when you choose Draw Text Box, and you attempt to draw a box around existing
text--the result is an empty text box that covers up existing text
(depending on the Wrapping type that is used). As logical as that action
might seem, it's not how the feature works in Word.