The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-28
A GOOD NEWSPAPER.
How IT SHOULD BE MADE UP, AND
WHAT SHOULD BE EXCLUDED.
A Contributor Rlazes Ont the Path
in Which All Good Editors Should
Work.
by A. d. LOVE.

| by a. Il. LOVE.
AS the silent dew. as the potent sunshine
80 are scattered among civilized people
thousands OF white-winged messengers bear
Ing the news OF the world. In this mos
wonderful century OF this wonderful ea
we are surprised at nothing-the whole worlt
the loves, the hates, the ambitions Of men O
| note, all progress In the religious world
crimes OF every degree OF blackness, philan
Lhropy or all shades of generosity, airy moth
local habilation and a naine-aIl these thing
and many more are brought into our horizon
OF thought by the invention known as th'
| newspaper.
All papers have their influence. just as mer
and women affect for good or Ill those about
them, an influence multiplied by one In
| creased by one added as many times as there
are copies Of that paper, and with that mum
Der multiplied by Ave, the number OF readers
reckoned by common consent for each copy
or the frIxhtful evils wrought by bad publ
cations we will not speak at length, but, fol
lowing The guide OF the most successful teach
ers Of morals. will seek TO show some Of the
benefits gathered from the weekly visits oi
a pure, bigh-toned newspaper, such as the
Press and Banner. Like the influence OF the
sun and dew its, influence Is silent one.
The small piece OF mechanism we call the
eye is focused upon point, travels With
marvellous rapidity over columns OF printed
matter, and the mind has become acquaint-
ed with the doings of the world a few hours
before. Is the matter usually reported. how.
nina?
We will not consider crimes as given In de-
tall: the reading Of such is too sickening TO
hint at the possibility Of any mind dwelling
upon the minute narratlve-let US take, how.
ever, the bare statement OF events both
weighty and trifllng. Here is a divorce case,
next murder, then an account OF base ball
game. We pause here for long parenthesis,
but parenthesis most essential to the sense
Of this essay. It Ia said that man is famous
when the world knows him by. the single
pane to which he was born. without Chris
How are the worlds masters in literature.
science, and art known?
In reports OF base ball games. umpires,
pitchers, cntchers are all spoken Of by their
surnames alone; editorial or reportorial par
ngraphs are given TO catcher A, umpire B,
and others, az II these men had q cquired q
noble and worldwide reputation: These
may haze name IN spOrting but
that we know as much when the base man
or field man is called q as we know when K
hnd Y precede that magic letter, but II Is also
true that the custom OF thus dlgnifying mere
such as Shakspere. Agaziz, the Herschells.
and scores of others to whom the world has
accorded fame which cannot die 80 long as
y love OF high mental and moral attalnments
iinds place among humankind.
Pure wit and humor enter into the
make up Of our model newspaper. or the
editorial management we can say little more
Ihan has been said Of the selections. dignity, Z
the vivifying touch Of playfulness, should
give charming variety and grandly educa-
live influence to 1t. In order TO the proper
be at the head OF 1t man who knows good
English when he sees II. This does not ne
cessitate acquaintance with college curri-
culum. for many Of our best newspaper edi-
by the blaze Of pine knots and tallow dips,
men whose style Is model OF clearness and
strength, who have something to say, and
say 1t in forcible Anglo1Saxon.
Saxon, but they lake instInctively the short.
est, straightest way OF speaking their
thoughts.
If II is the duty Of parents 10 parents to
(and no one question this) then surely 1t is
one OF equal importance to give nourish-
ment and training TO the mental and moral
constitutions dependent on them for support.
Parents and guardians can only be urged to
act upon long recognized truth, that upon
them depends chiefly the character OF the
young committed TO their care. We will not
say that those who may have enjoyed the
astruy, but we do positively assert that, how
ever, for they may wander from the right
way they will in the end return 70 well:or
dered habits pits Of & e virtuo1s lie: , VIII , noy
but Ly example, and by the dealings OF his
parents with him to habits OF truthfulness
and modesty and courtesy and Kindness and
like virtues-we ask will the boy thus edu.
never.
home work than pure literature, periodical
hs Whole wod
high principles which control himself, let the
sweet Illusion" lastas long as may be, Jet
him become confirmed In virtuous habits be-
this evil world, Do not pit the harden.
ing process with q childs mind 1t Is burtful
enough when practiced upon his body. Let
him read Of so many noble men and women
that he comes 10 believe the world Is made
up of SUCH To this end let papers recite the
virtuous actions OF men rather than their
vices, for there is much good 10 chronicle
though one almost comes to doubt 1t by rea-
son or the excess OF crime over active good
which our papers report. IN addition to the
moral ben Is con nferred by the model news.
pa per which parents are bound 10 supply 10
their children there Is the necessity tt that me
political situation In his own country ana IN
foreign lands.
How many OF us have known those who
thought their own little hamlet among the
trees. may be their own small farm, the cen
ter OF the universe7 And how large did the
uni verse appear 10 these unopened minds?
Sowing, reapipg, and trivial parish matters
for the men. cooking, and recipes for PICK les,
preserves, bread, etr., for women made up the
sum Of human experience as far as they
knew 1t, varied by an occasional marriage or
funeral In the rustic community:
The world and Its works. good as well as
bad, was o sealed book TO them an inteill'
gent comprehension Of the fact that the
world contained q few other people than
people equally as good, equally
as important-this was beyond them.
If ever situation is pathetic 1t is TO see q
naturally bright young mind kept IA 80 mar,
teacher may be an impossible attainment for
the small community. q first class newspa-
per is not. What hand Is guiltless that holds
the young mind In bonds when the power 70
iibeTate lies in that hand and the pocket
which IL commands? There is an equally
great need In the city for pure, bright. neWsy
periodical literature.
Then The household guardian must fight evil
In its more active forms, and what more e!-
fective way than TO Ppe-occupy sne souun su NJ.
per most suitable for the young, anu as Whoiiy
which supply stories eacltlng
but not sensational, historical and oiograph.
Ical sketches. splendid papers ON current
events, which periodicals would most etiec;
lively supply every need OF the youthfu!
mind, and which would elevate the taste and
so purify It that poorer quality ol literature
would never give satisfaction anu pleasure,
Who shall be guiltless that fails to defeno hls
younng from the ineradicaole evils OF Dao
readipg7
III and w.
Will II be regarded as a wholly irrelevant
remark To say that good taste makes GER
tain sum OF money go farther and 40 more