North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-09-29
EditOrs..How they are Made.

From the able address of Hon. T. w.
Palmer, before the Iowa Editorial Con-
vention, at Keokuk, we take tho following
extract. 1t is a picture faithfully drawn:
The great mass of editors of weekly
and daily journals are men who have
passed through all grades Of the work of
the Printing Art, commencing with the
rank of roller.boy in the press room or of
proof-boy in the composition room. The
education Of this portion of the profession
is necessarily imperfect. Ordinarily with
out tho advantages Of early education,
compelled to execute the allotted portion OF
mechanical labor by day, and to pick up,
by piece,mcal, unsystematlcally, unsatis-
factorily, laboriously, what preparatory
knowledge they acquire, their advent into
the world of letters is like that Of literary
foundlinss, rather than as kindly nurturcd
intellectual children. The mass of them
make up in quick, practical knowledge, in
keen observation, and succinctness Of
style acquired at the printers case, for
much they would otherwise need from
lack Of elementary ami systematic cult
ure. Benjamin Franklin, Isaiah Thomas,
Joseph Gales, William L. Stone, Isaac
Hill, William Lloyd Garrison, Thurlow
Weed and Horace Greedy are marked in
stances of what the printing Office may do
as an editorial educator. But who can
estimate what might have been their
increased power for usefulness had the,
each possessed the advantages of early
liberal culture as preparation for then
professional work? can speak with thu
more earncstness on this subject because
know large majority Of the editoria
/ portion of ,his audience are graduates o
the manual labor university of whicl
mention has just been made, and becaus
I am one of the alumni Of that institu
ton myself No one who has not gradu
atcd in this school can quite comprehend
the risor of its discipline. Even aite
graduation, ~under what disadvantages
,, much of the labor prosecuted? OF tn
G editors of weekly journalism of Iowa, hoy
many havesaccess to well>stockcd libraries
! How many have command Of time, insid
: of hours usually allotted to day-labor, fo
$ methodical reading or study? How man
hare even room for reading or writin
: except in the one common Office, wherei
!, the clicking of type, and the clanking {
n presses, and the necessary conversation
business, or friendly visitants, are tn
I Accomplishments Of editorial labor? Ho
many have immunity from the immediat
unremittca PERSONAL direction of the M
chanical labor of the establishment, MINI
full that at some unlucky hour all the 81
divisions of the work, from the carrie
boys to the prcssmans, may be thro"
upon him? Amid all this tumult Of en-
ploymcnt and cares, the wonder is tn
any member Of this department OF jour
alism can work with profit to himself
the public. Yet the masses Of them &
By their experience they are brought in
closer association and sympathy with t
people, feel more sensitively the throb
Of the popular hart, and yisitants as tn
h are, weekly through their Journals.
be every heartstonc, the bond Of inters
u. betw cen editor and reader becomes alme
ne like that between members OF the sal
ed family.