New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-05
SCHOOLS OF JOURNALISM.
LAST LECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY
COURSE

enter a He did not desire TO he understood
any way an authority the profession of which had
been asked TO speak, as every thoughtful man must
have opinions about the business with winch ne IL day
occupied He said
have been asked to say something tonight Of
Journalism and Of schemes Of special instruction for
it. The Chancellor and Faculty have had in view,
however, no absurd plan for turning raw boys into
trained editors by the easy process of examining some
new curriculum. West Point cannot make Soldier;
and the University of the City of NewYork cannot
give us assurance of an Editor But West Point can
give the training discipline special knowledge
without which the born Soldier would find his best
efforts crippled, and with which men not born
to military greatness may still do val
liable service. There were thousands Of
brave men around Toulon, but only Napoleon could
handle the artillery IL was the scientific training
that gave his warlike genius its opportunity and If:
tools of victory. West Point does the same for the
countless NapoleOns whom according to the popular
biographies) Providence has been kind enough to
send us and this University may yet do as much
for the embryo Bryants and Greeleys, Weeds and
Raymonds and Ritches and Hales who are to trans.
form American journalism into a Profession, and
emulate the laurels Of these earlier leaders, with
larger opportunities, wider stage to more bene'
fcent ends
For journalism, chaotic drifting, almost purpose.
I
development. 1t was almost twelve hundred years
after Justinian before the Lawyer fairly wrestcd rule
from the Soldier 1t is barely century since Junius,
in the hight of his conflict with the Lawyers, and
specially with Lord ChiefJustice Mansfield amend
ed the famous maxim Of the great law commentator,
and proclaimed not Blackstones Trial by Jury, but
The Liberty of the Press the Palladium Of all the
civil, POLITICAL and religious rights of an English
man." From his triumph we may fairly date-fcr
| good or little birth of genuine journalism. And
how gigantic have been the strides Of its progressl
AMERICAN JOURNALISM AS 1T WAS.
| In the largest library in America, the accom-.
plished Librarian, himself an old Editor will show
you long of the English papers of the last CEN
tury and little way into the century before-dingy
little quarto volumes containing each a whole years
issue, and in the whole scarcely much news IN
this mornings Herald. In Boston they will show
| you q number Of The Boston Ners Letter. about the
size of some of our playhouse programmes wherein
is printed this proud editorial announcement:
1.-THE undertaken of this Newsletter in January last
+ was %possibe, With half sheet week to carry on
all the pubck occurrences OF Europe TO make up which
deficiency, and to reuder the newer aud IN re ac-
eeptable has printed, every other week. whole
sheet,-whereby that which seemed old in tho former
hasheet becomes now by the sheet; winch Is easy
to by any who will be at the pains to trace
back former years and even this time tweye,montls
news, and now are less than hve months so tbai,
by the sheet we nave re,ey eve aP1 hut ff b
ter to January next die permlttep WI DC aee9mmo,
dated with all the news from Europe neediul 10 DC
| known in these partsp
1t was in August, 49, that the leading journal Of
| Boston thus Wanted its enterprise Let us be just
and admit that they have come, even in those parts
| to think it needful to be accommodated with Ut
tie more news from Europe.
AMERICAN JOURNALISM AS IT rs.
| Never l0IlrnalstS OF
the better class prouder of their power or more SEN
sible of their deficiencies thoroughly con-
WINGED of the greatness of their calling, or so anx-
ous to make themselves equal TO its eyer-eXpandlng
| reouirements IT is the fashion of the times 10
berate our depraved journalism, So 1t has been tho
| fashion of all times since journalism began, aud
every year with less reason There are blackguards
and blackmailers now IN plenty There is intemper-
ate denlhciation and mere personal abuse, ana the
fiercest partisan intolerance now; the newspapers
| are crude; the newspapers are shallow; the news
papers are coarse unjust; are Impairment they
NEEDLE in private affairs they distor the news to suio
their own views; they WELD their tremendous power
to feed fat private grudges they are too often IN
debted. as Sheridan said of antagonist to their
| memories for their jests and to Their magma
tions for their facts ;-charge all this, and moro
| if YOU WILL and with certain reservations
will grant it all When Mr.. Beecber had avowed
his faith in the advantages of having women speak
| in church. and at the next prayer meeting prosy
sister had taken up all the time to no purpose, and
at the next had done the same and at the next tho
same and at the fourth had been, If possible, more
tedious and oppressive than ever before Mr. Beeeher
| rose, with solemn air, as she took her Seat and
| observed in argumentatiye tone, Nevertheless,
Brethren and Sisters, believe in women speaking
in PRAYER meeting!" Charge what you will,
| --o.o ,rbof con ovi11 a0anst the preSS of New
York to-day, nevertheless it is better in 1872 than
il was in 1871 lit was better in 1871 than it had
| ever been since Manhattan Island was discovered ;
and. please God, it win be better in 1873 and tho
| wears TO come than it ever was before The elder
| times were not better than these; and the young
men. cultured. able and conscientious who are en-
tering the ranks are resolved that the future times
shall be worthy of the larger opportunities that
| await them.
| The lecturer here considered the objection made
by a good many cultivated people openly and many
more in secret, that the development Of the news
paper press, instead Of being thing TO be encour-
| aged was n nuisance, and answered DIR. Rushs OBJ
lection TO il as teacher of disjOinted thinking. lie
continued:
| JOURNALISM NOT A PLACE TO START FROM
The young men whose interest was so widely
aroused by the inaccurate report that Yale had re-
solved upon the foundation of school OF Journalism
believe that the force which is wrestling the scepter
from the profession of Law should md form IN a
Profession itself: and that, with the larger inhu.
ence it bears, should come ampler preparation
But they have no faith in The efficacy of the mere
preparation. They know though Mr.. Emerson,
when he wrote of The London Times, was ignorant
of il, that Editors are born. not made. They
enter their protest against the dctum, the other
dav of one of the ablest of American critics,