Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-16
Charles A Danas Lecture on
Newspaper journalism.
HIS IDEA or REPORTERS



The Press and journalism"
There was large audience of colls-
gians and Others present. including Pres-
ident Webster and members % the fac
ulty. Gen. Daniel H. Butterfield &C New
York and alumni of the college. Gen
eral Butterfeld. la happy speech. In.
troduced Mr.. Dana who. after express
ing his qualification at appearing before
the scholarly audience. spoke as follows;
The profession III journalism Is com.
paratiyely new. IL really Is. as n exists
today. an affair Of the last forty or iifsy
years When began to practice IL 10 q
weekly paper. tho apparatus which ts
have now and which General Bufterfidd
has referred Ia Was quite unknown. The
sheets which we daily take in our hands
and from which VIC gather view of the
whole world and all that has been going
on IN II. all tho sciences. all the ideaa
all the achievements. all tho new lights
that influence the destiny of mankind.
all that was entirely out OK the question,
There was no such apparatus aud IL has
been created by tie necessities Of the
public and by the genius Of few men.
Who have invented the machinery and
the methods which are indispensable.
and without which we could not under
take to do what we do.
Of course the most essential part OF
this great mechanism is not the mechan-
ism itself; il Is the intelligence. the
brains and the sense Of truth and honor
that reside in tho men who conduct ii.
The number Of intellectual countrymen
who are looking at this now profession
of journalism is very great. l have
known very distinguished authorities
who doubted whether high education
was Of any great use TO journalist.
Horace Greeley told me several timns
that the real newspaper man was the
boy who had slept on newspapers. and
ate ink. The Clergyman breaches two
or three times a week and he has for his
congregation 200. 300. 500 persons,
and IL he is great popular
orator in a great city he may
have a thousand hearers. but the
newspaper man is the stronger. because
throughout all tho avenues OF news
paper communication. 10 how many
does he preach. A million. half mil
lion, and his preaching is not on sun
days only. but IL is every day. He re-
iterates; he says il over and over, and
finally the thing gets fixed in mems
minds from the mere habit OF saying il
and hearing il; and without critieizing.
without inquiring whether IL is really
80. the newspaper dictum gets estib-
lishcd, and II is taken for gospel; and
perhaps IL is not gospel at all
Two Stages OF Preparation.
In regard to this profession there are
two stages. The first stage is the stage
of preparation. There are colleges
which have lately introduced schools OF
journalism or departments OF Journal
ism. where they propose 10 teach the art
OF newspaper making; TO instruct the
student In the methods he should en-
pioy and 10 fit him out so that he can 90
into a newspaper Office and make a
newspaper.
We'll, | don't say that II is rot useful,
but have never found that a student
or graduate. who had pursued that de
partment instead OF pursuing other
studies. was Of any great avail as prac-
tical worker IN the newspaper work that
he had been trying 90 learn. la fact. il
seems 10 me. II may be allowed little
criticism. that the colleges generally are
rather branching out too much. until
they are inclined TO take the whole uni
verse into their curriculeum. and TO
teach things which do not exactly be
long there. Give the young man tirst.
class course OF general education: and IL
| could have my way. every young man
who is going 20 be a newspaper nan.
and who is not absolutely rebellious
against IL, should learn Greek and Latin
after the good. old fashion
Il had rather take young fellow who
knows the Ajax 81 Sophocles. and who
has resd Iaeitus and can scan every
ode Of Horace. | would rather take him
to report prize fight or seulling match.
Tor instance. than to take one who has
never had those advantagcs would put
Dr. Walkers great object. being able To
tell what you know. and to tell il ac-
curately. precisely. without exaggera-
tion. without prejudice. the fact Just a.
i; -. whether II lie a report ~ base
ball game. OF OF a sermon. or OF a lecture
on electricity. whatever u may be. 30 get
the thing exactly az IL is. The man who
can do this ~ n very well educated man.
In addition come the qualities 81 per
sonai talent and genius Greeley. the
great aud brilliant journalist. was n
man of immense ability. but lacked the
developed and cultivated instinct %
knowing the truth when il was present
ed and detecting error when masquc-
rading Now. ~ for the preliminary
studscs apart from the classics Ger.
tainH without Greek and Latin no man
knows English. aud without Teutcn no
mans English is perfect. Know the
Enalish language perfectly is the cnrner
stone next the ability 90 use ~: the
cultivation of style. not modelled ON an
other bat its own Individual style. That
this - powerful factor you havs only
% read Hawthorne and iJr. Claiming 10
perceive.
Knowiesfge of American Politics.
Next souId place knowlesl,xc ~
Americas politics This - very hard
study Bot = indispe nsible- The Toang
man who takes = newspaper and turns
b The political page has good intel
lee,aal syeaptoms II he turns 10 read q
hove storf first ron cannot make a ga-'d
neNspapef man out ~ him. loo
sboeld understand The theory and
growth of the American constitution
And while re are On this point. re may
cay IN passing that an Amerieun who
thinks anothrr country u better than
this should not 60 into journalism Won
must be for the stars ADD stripes every
time. ur TIE people - this country ven I
b for you. And ynu won't sell enough
papers 10 pay pour expenses.
In order 10 understand the tlleory q
The Amsrt-sn government fne meet -.
rlous ealya. persistent study sfloo35 te
gi~en - tie constitution ~ ths Jnitei
Stairs Next be yell arquainlesi with
the eoostitutioa ard g0Ternmerst q the