Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-09
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
American Newspapers and
American Education.

SARATOGA, september S.-At the
meeting Of the Social Science Associa.
ton to-day, J. NJ. Gregory, President OF
the Illinois State University, read pa
per on American newspapers and
American education The American
newspaper is the best index OF Ameri
can life, and the fairest representation
of the people. Whoever would form the
correct estimate OF the spirits, genius
and life of Americans must study the
newspapers. Our virtues, our vices,
our thoughts and our opinions, our pol
itcs, our trade, our push and pride,
our weakness, strength, creeds, Gus
toms and civilization are all imaged III
our memorial periodical publications,
The American newspaper has no rival
on earth i'll the volume and variety OF
it's issues. More than 5000 papers ap-
pear each week from our newspaper
press. More than thousand million
copies are circulated annually. They
cover the field OF human thought and
interests. Every department oi bust
ness, manufacture and trade has its al
vertisement. Social, scientific, moral
educational, religious, political and char
liable societies AMI organizatiOns, pub
lish newspapers devoted TO their inter
ests and filled with their ideas. But
the number OF newspapers does
not tell the whole story. One mustnote
well the great army OF writers who help
to fill their columns, the editors, ~
sistants, reporters, correspondents, crit
les and contributors Of all kinds, which,
paid and unpaid. includes large pro-
portion of the talent Of the country.
The best branS OF the nation speak
through the newspapers. The latest
and freshest thought of the peo-
pie is to be sought in the last
paper issued. Malice, mpanness,
ianaticism, folly, falsehood and fraud,
which mix with our daily life, cannot
be shut out from the papers, but truth,
wisdom, practical sense and love OF pub.
lie good, solid learning and courageous
criticism are also in force in newspapers,
so that we may easily forget the bad ele-
ments which mingle with them. 1t IS
the business of social science to take ac-
count OF all great public forces; TO note
their exact character and tendencies,
and TO learn their amount and direction
of power for good or evil. The ncwspa'
per is at once the product and ex'
ponent OF the American mind,
no better, no worse. The gooh
probably exceeds the bad in ncwspa'
pers in larger proportion than among
the people, for vices seek secIuslon, not
publicity. In no other country does the
newspaper exercise such apower as IN
America. Americans live, work ana
think through newspapers. Acting as
public conscience, il places It's seal OF
shame or honor on each chapter OF our
history as it transpires. No American
iorpets it. Ii watches to reward good
and punish bal. Good men trust 1t and
bad men fear it, The power OF the news,
paper is not the mere force OF printed
thought, it il the embodied power o!
the public lie OF the day.
Each reader feels that he IS
surrounded by an unseen multitude,
who are reading the same lines, and he
grows excited with imagined responses
A, the close Mr.. lliggnsOn, who
presided, made a few remarks OF
adverse criticism, and called on Mon
cnre ID. Conway to tell something OF the
English newspapers.
Mr.. Conway said the English news
papers are better printed than the
American ones, also on better paper;
that American papers use too fine a
type.
DR.. Gregory defended the American
papers. and said he could buy more
good reading in a Chicago newspaper
than was contained in the London
Timss which cost more.
Home life in some oi its relations TO
schools Was read by Miss Mary W. Hin
man, OF Iaporte, Ind.