The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-11
WOMAN IN JOURNALISM.
The Groove to Which She Is Too Often Con-
fined I'm Newspaper Work.

The Groove to Which She Is Too Often Con-
fined I'm Newspaper Work.
"The pitifully narrow groove to which
women are too often confined in news
paper work, namely, the society report
ing, is, oddly enough" writes Mrs. L..
p. Stelle to the Washington Post, "the
one thing in which she shines pre-emi-
nently, and it is safe to assert that this
most heartily dislikes after she has
tried it season or two.
"To be an all around newspaper
woman and to handle the larger topics
of the worlds life as men do has for her
the fascination that belongs to the un-
attainable. and her one ambition is to
enter this world and keep abreast of its
currents, that seem so invigorating, SO
inviting by contrast to the circumscribed
limits of her own particular sphere.
The prevailing fashion of mutual puff
ing and vanity-tickling is to a woman of
brains like intcrchanging substance for
froth and ability for weakness.
yet, even in this line there is scope
for variety and room for originality, if
she is willing to study both. Difficult
as 1t seems to avoid being SLOPPY and
dull, in the regulation verbiage of news
paper folk, there is play for the new
forces that are developed by work, even
if it is of the most continued routine.
There is enlarging of vision that belongs
to this as well as to any department of
artistic study; for it requires art to draw
well the picture of a modern society
u,ith oil 10 fin oh Of n,I
appointments that the fashion of the
day demands, then to illuminate the
whole with q crystallized knowledge of
men and women, the wit that flashes
light and pas ,es on, is not q more easy
attainment than the study of chiaroscuro
in pictorial art.
1.-The artist who does not acquaint
himself with routine and study the mix
ing of colors, and the value of accessories
will surely fall short Of the higher
achievements, therefore the society re-
porter who would attain perfect success
should study the accessories of her pic
ture, so to speak.
''She will do we'll to familiarize her-
self with tho proper names OF fabrics
and laccs, so that she may he accurate
in the naming of them; she will also
train her eye for the instant perception
of tones and tints that she may detect
the difference between Pompciian red
and terra Gotta, nor will she neglect to
visit the upholstcr and papcr-hanger
that she may learn tho difference be-
tween a friezc and dado. She will do
well to visit the florists and find out
what r,ln pfp hn nxp1,ttipY OFT
culture has brought into existence or
what new name has been bestowed upon
an old one. These little details seem
trivial in themselves, but the modern
realism of the modern press demands it.
"'lf tho secret history of books could
be written, and the authors private
thoughts and meanings noted down
alongside of the story, how many insipid
volumes would become interesting, and
dull tales excite tho reader. So wrote
Thackeray, and this could be written
relatively of newspaper work. II the
difficulties and the failures could be.
come as notable as the successes, tho
rude closing OF doors and tho hauteur Of
the high-brcd dame, how few would en-
ter this arena. For those who succeed
do so through a combination of tact and
knowledge by no means common"
-"Dear me! Dear me-" said Miss
Bostonbred. laying down the paper she
had been reading with shocked OK
preston. ''Here is long and harrow
Ing account of party of cannibals who
killed and ate several miSsionarios-
How worry, pery rude and unculturOd
those cannibu,s must be!"-Detroit Free