The Dickinson press., 1888-02-18
NEWSPAPER WORK,
WHAT is SAID OF lT BY A MAN
OF EXPERIENCE.

OF EXPERIENCE.
A Young Man Apt to DO Disappointed
i'll Editorial Work-The Duties of a
Reporter-lIours of Labor-Hehind tho
Scenes.
William Schachtcl, whose connection with
the press of Utica has been long and honor
able, made an address before the y. NJ. {. A.
Ill that city last week on Newspaper Work" J"
Mr.. Schachtel said: "Thc young man
about entering journalism as an editorial
writer is apt to be greatly disappointed WHEN
he finds that the rule by which he must
judge is the broad, liberal and impartial ono
of the world, rather than his own narrow
and sometimes biased opinion, But, you
say, an editor should surely have the courage
to express his convictions Granted, and
there is not an editor living who will say
that he does not hold the opinions expressed
i'll his editorials: but if the truth were known
1t would he found that his individual and
private opinion is far i'll advance of that
which he expresses in print. Many cli-
torals are as remarkable for what they omit
as for what they actually do say. Journal
ism is not the only field, however, whose
t"ilcls are often wise as scrpenS and HARM
less as doves. and who temper principle with
policy
p" The duties of reporter are simply ccr-
lcal. He is to make clear, true statement
OF What facts he finds, and in nine eases out
OF ten 1t is as devoid of comment as Il frog is
OF hair. Comment and the editorial I'VE"
are the prerogativcs of an editor, and it is
better SO, rs reporters have responsibilities
enough without it.
Another fact which is not a pleasing rev.
elatlon toa young reporter is that his time is
never his own. He does not work IL given
number OF hours, or regular hours, as is the
case Ill almost every other branch of indus
try. III occasion requires it, he must work
twcnty-four hours out of the twenty four,
and be ready To repeat it the next day. The
"orkol reporting is regular only i'll its irreg-
ulallty. Regular hours for meals or for sleep
must be discarded, and often TO suit the
mercSt whins of individuals. Many can not
stand the physical strain, while many others
give up and seek work i'll other fields. On
the morning papers, as Il rule, tho reporters
rise at noon, 20 to work at so or . p III
work until dinner time, which is any time
before p. H., returning To work i.lIuc-
diatcly aftcrward, and continuing until $50
or ) II. H., when the paper goes to press,
then writing letters to correspondents and
laying out work for the next day. Supper
consists of n cold lunch intended To be eaten
Mt midnight, but oftcncr never touched until
the days work is DONE If lucky, the IT,
porter gets to bed at ) n. H., to sleep till
noon, then repeat the same programme.
"lf he is called to go out of town to report
atrial in court ora morning sermon in church,
he must rise at 8 u. H., and thereby lose three
hours of sleep. On an afternoon paper the
hours are no shorter. AT work from a. IN.
to 10 and III p. H., afternoon newspaper To-
portcrs fare no better, and as their busiest
hour is at noon, they often do not get their
| dinner until p. H., after the paper has gone
to press. If yon should find this mass uf de
tail unintcrcsting, the apology mus: he that
this sketch was written in hours which right
fully belong to sleep The great diversity of
the work is another feature which is apt to
prove stumbling block in the path of u
young reporter. That it is necessary for linn
t" know what he is writing about is self evil
dent. Neither his education nor his bricfcX-
lmrlcncc i'll the practical affairs of Lie can
have been sufficient TO make him familiar
with the many subjects on which he is called
to wlitc
"ln regard to what appears the most
attractive in reporters postion-the
loavcs and fishcs-let me say, once for all,
there is not II single, honest, self-lcsperting
reporter who does not wish from the bottom
OF his heart they were abolished altogether
To be freely admitted to dramatic enter
tainmcnt in consideration of the fact that
you write notice for it, may seem IL high
privilege to some; yet even such sololl
natures can understand that in u c,,se where
thc reporter knows beforehand that the en-
tertainmcnt will be inferior or not suited to
his tastes, tile duty of attending becomes q
punishment. He attends and docs his work,
but with no more enjoyment than the hired
singers at funeral, the musicians ut the ball
n the walters at the banquet. 1t is Il matter
Of business; that is all As a means OF earn
ing livelihood newspaper work is far less
rcmrnerati"e than is generally believed. 1t
is very Calling to many newspaper writer's,
editors us we'll as reporters, to know that
they are working for less money than tho
conpositors who put their articles in type.
'From tho fac.5 thus given in regard TO
newspaper work it would appear anything
but attractive o. rcnluncrative yet that it
has substantial charms cannot 10 denied.
knowledge is power ond there is great
satisfaction in newspaper work, because ono
ndd; to his stoc.; Of snowlcd. &C every day.
From continued experience a..a LaLts Of
close observation reporter comes to sec
things as they are from the inside, from be-
hiid the scenes, and not cs they appear to
the world outside. Life's tragedy and COM
cdy ho secs mingled about him every day,
and his work is made interesting by its con-
trasts, which are often startling. Many
things which he prints may be interesting,
but the things lie does not print would often
be more so."-Auburn IN. " Dispatch.