Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-10
The Cub.Reperter.

The Cub.Repor.er.
Every well-ordered metropolitan
newspaper has its cub reporter. writes
Paul Jordan in the Boston Transcript.
For reasons best known 10 the bust
ness office, which III this world of let
tiers is something TO be looked down
upon. journal occasionally. may cut
off the head of its London correspon-
dent dismiss its special writers and
disorganize the city STAFF by whole
sale discharge Of men. yet, 50 long As
the presses continue running. no
newspaper OF any standing ever con-
siders for a moment such fatal
stroke of policy as getting ria Of the
cub-reporter He fills a position.
therefore. no less important than that
of the devil in the composing room,
who-let us say. by upsetting a galley
of type fifteen minutes before press
time--can make his hand felt through
out the whole establishment.
Both Horace Greeley and Charles A.
Dana tell us from what place the cub
reporter should come. and thus. by the
way. let us into the secret OF his fol mer
haunts. Mr.. Greeley. who. as everyone
knows fought his way up the ladder
from the cellar OF a newspaper Office.
once said: The real reporter is that
man who. when a boy. slept on news
papers. and ate ink" Mr.. Dana. on
the other side. who stepped into the
editorial rooms from a college. de-
clared: Il had rather take a young
fellow who knows Ajax or SophoCl"s.
and who has read Tactus, and can
scan every ode Of Horace would
rather take him 10 report a prize fight
or q spelling match. for instance. than
to take one who has never hal these
advantages. ! believe in the colleges. n
Here. accordingly. we have two "x-
trelne courses of training with NJ:
Gl-e.ey and Mr.. Dana respectively as
iii examples of each school. But. just
the same. whether the young man. on
the one hand. can call all the police
precinct captains by name. or on tn"
Other. can repeat a hundred lines Of
Virgil from memory, he climbs the
stairs of some great newspaper office.
and crossing the threshold of the city
department, cOnfronts the desk at the
head OF the room. Shaking i'll his boots
with his heart pounding his ribs with
The force of a steamboat engine. he
likewise at this time. whether he has
been in the habit of swallowing
printers ink OF Of digestirs Greek
roots. becomes known TO the outside
world as a representative of the press
arc TO the Office as the cub.
AS a rule the beginner proceeds II
arm himself for the battle with a
Ia sc supply of ammunition in the line
Of pens. pencils and paper. In fact
as someone already has observed, n"
can be recognized by the size Of his
pad-that is to say, the larger tn
pad the fresher the reporter. Just as
easily he is capable of being recog-
n.Zed by his mannerSms. He is that
young man who throws his whole soul
into his work, who rushes lleadioCG
into the crowd. and instantly displays
his pad and pencil. On every assign
ment just as soon as he has leit the
press building. he starts Oft on dead
run. which is altogether differen. from
The manner of experienced reporters.
Never" said Mr.. Dana, he in
hurry" Not infrequently the young
man spends his own money for car
fares and yet hesitates to put in bill
fer expenses. because he has a certain
side the press building. he never seeks
to put himself forward. except in
case TO be named later. Invariably he
bows TO the office boy. and spen : all
his spare time in porting over those
books which are to be found in the
hor1es of all aSpirants. and which
strike sulphur. so TO speak. when they
come in contact with reporters ard
editors of the Horace Greeley type.
For some reason on the first day the
cub reporter drags himself through
life OF misery. He feels the pulse Of
the work-telegraph boys shambing
into tho office with yellow envelopes.
reporters reeling off copy on type
writers by the yard. copyreaders
marking great blue lines across pages
of manuscript. editors moving about
with limp proof sheets in hand. and
presses laundering on the first editions
in the basement. But he himself
seems 20 be taking no part-at all
events not the part he had pictured for
himself Has he not been sitting in
this chair for almost two hours? Has
he not fumbled his copy of the Press
until he has blurred the type? Has he
not been forgotten? He longs for a
chance to WELD the pen. While all
these things. and many others which |
will not stop to mention. are fitting
through his mind. the young man is
called to the desk. Write reading
notice for this calendar says the city
editor. handing him a souvenir calen-
dar, which happens TO be worth a few