Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-27
THE CHAM OF JOURNALISM.

/ THE CHAIH OE
The establishment by the University of
Missouri of "chair OF journalism Is
the subject of numerous and varying re-
marks from the witty photographers Of
the press. The trend of these observa-
tions is discouraging TO the enterprise,
and somewhat contemptuous of the high
sounding title--the toilers OF the press
whether they be editors, reporters, or
correspondents, usually calling them
selves "newspaper-men," not journal
lists" It is remembered, zoo, that time
and again such chairs have been estab-
llshed, only to die for want OF patronage.
with newspaper-men, elderly ones GER
tainly. the belief is strong that the only
thorough school for journalists is the
newspaper office. 1t is a fact that near
! w all of the members of our calling who
have risen to eminence have been men
who entered newspaper offices early ana
| climbed, rung by rung, the slippery lad
der of fortune. 1t is a fact, also, that
before the West Point Military Academy
was established, all of our army officers
were men who were trainedin the school
OF practical experienced The same was
true, too, of our naval officers, before
the Annapolis Academy was put into
operation. And we doubt not that in
the older time officers of our army and
navy were very contemptuous Of the
youths who were graduated from the
two academies-not believing that that
sort of preparation was comparable In
efficiency with that of actual apprentice
ship in the art Of war. But experience
has shown the great value Of these train
ing schools So, too, has the value of the
schools for lawyers and physicians been
proved. We dare say that the West
Point or Annapolis cadet. when gradu-
ated, is more nearly ready for his pro-
fessional duties than the young lawyer
or doctor is; but in each and all of these
cases the professional training that the
young man has received puts him long
way ahead of his rival who has not had
these advantages. Green" the graduates
may be in many particulars, but this
''greenness' rapidly wears off.
Despite the traditions and prejudices
of the majority of our brethren upon
this subject, we believe a newspaper
training-school might be established with
great capacity for good. 1t should be a
school of preparation merely. It's gradu-
ate would be as helpless without practi-
cal experience as is the young lawyer |
who steps from the classroom into the |
courtroom; but after he had acquired |
experimentation he had shown |
that he possesses the newspaper in
stinct-he would possess great advantages
over his rivals.
All men whose business It Is to edit the |
copy sent into newspaper offices by |
correspondents, reporters, and others |
know what dreadful stuff often comes to
them. Sometimes the writers are col
lege-bred men, often they tell their sto-
ries well, but there is in their MSS. a
tangle Of ideas and lack of finish that
impose upon the careful and conscien-
tious editor a degree Of difficult work
that taxes his patience and endurance /
In the highest degree. The most tho
roughly well-edited daily newspaper in
the world abounds in errors, and must
ever continue to-such are the hurried
conditions under which most of the mat
ter is prepared, transmitted, edited, set
in type, and read in proof-but it would
be a startling revelation to the public If
some day a daily newspaper were to
print the articles furnished it just as
they were turned in to the editors!
We do not know where school of
journalism could get its scholars, but
supposing it the happy possessor of a
class Of twenty or thirty, it could not do
better than to give instruction in the
of copy" Yes, there is
work for such a school to do, but where
can it get its scholars? There's the rubl
Where are the young men who are able
and willing TO undergo the training with
the doubtful prospect of securing situa-
lions upon graduation? This, we think,
presents a more serious difficulty than
the finding Of things to teach, or the
adoption of methods Of teaching them
yet. in the course Of events this may be
changed, ana, perhaps, sooner than We
imagine.