The Republican journal., 1901-04-04
JOURNALISM
As a Profession for Young Men and
Women.

As Profession for Young Men and
Women.
"A paper read at the Universalist Church
Sunday evening, March 31st, by Charles A.
PilSbury.
am asked to address you tonight on
Journalism as profession for young
men and women. Should l accept the
great preponderance of opinion on this
subject it would only be necessary to
say to those of either sex who think of
taking up newspaper work, what Punch
said to those contemplating matrimony
don't! Men and women who speak
from experience tell us that journalism
is an arduous profession, in which there
are few prizes; and that the qualities
which command success in this line of
work would bring greater fame or larger
pecuniary reward in other professions,
or in trade. This is perhaps true; but
journalism has its attractions and its
rewards.
First. as to the young woman in
journalism. l can look back to time
when there were no women employed
in regular newspaper work. There were
women contributors, but none who held
positions as reporters, staff correspond
ents or editors. To-day there is not a
newspaper in any of the large cities
and this is no doubt true of the smaller
cities as well-Whose staff does not
include reporters and editors of the
gentler sex. | know of one young
woman-a native of Maine, am proud
to say-who beginning as a writer of
fashion notes for leading daily news
paper advanced to the most important
assignments, including the editorial
page. One of the proprietors once said
to me of this member of his staff: ''She
is the best man on the paper" But
while many women have made. and are
making, a good living by newspaper
work, few have attained fame or for
tune thereby. Jennie June" Mrs.
Groly) who retired from active work
only the other day, was perhaps our
best known and most successful news
paper woman. Her weekly fashion letter
went all over the country and eyentu-
ally led to important journalistic work
in other lines.
Another noted woman journalist was
Miss Mildly Morgan, an educated Irish
woman of good family, who on coming
TO this country took the position of live
stock reporter on the New \ ork Times.
She was accepted as an expert in her
line, and although very eccentric was
held i'll the highest esteem. She died a
few years ago. / should hardly advise
the average young woman ambitious
for newspaper career to seek the
position Of live stock reporter Miss
Morgan had the physique of a man,
stood about six feet in her stout walk
ing boots, and brought to this country
from her home across the sea a knowl-
edge of animals that, with the other
advantages named, well qualified her
~
Bly's of sensational journalism it is not
necessary to speak.
Edward Box. editor of The Ladies'
Home Journal, recently addressed
personal letter to so of the leading
newspaper women of this country, ask
ing them to answer frankly and without
reserve the following question:
IF you had a young daughter desir-
Gus or forced to go into the world, would
you, from your experience as a news
paper woman, approve of her working
i'll daily newspaper office? If not, why
not: And under what, if any, circum-
stances would you sanction it?"
Forty-two of the 80 answered the
question. OF these 20 were married
women-the majority mothers. OF the
AZ three answered in the affirmative
The others, 80, replied in the negative
1t is not necessary to go into detail as
to the views of the majority. One of
the objections to a newspaper career
for girl-and this applies to the young
man as wells it's lack of permanence.
Another, that there must necessarily be
assignments disagreeable to refined
young woman; another, to quote from
Mr.. Bok's letters, that 1.-The life does
not tend to make her delicate or en-
tirely refined. 1t makes her overcome
every day obstacles that tend TO harden
her; to lessen her illusions about gen.
tleness and the personal self-respect
needed"
The three who answered the question
in the affirmative were very decided in
their opinions, and expressed them in
almost Identical terms. One quotation
will suffice This is from woman who
ought to know:
eff girl has brains, health, great
strength of character and clearness of
head | should say, yes. But all of them
are essentials. Reserve and dignity
form the armor of the newspaper wo-
man. She must expect from her men
associates none of the courtesies of the
drawing groom, and she must make them
understand from the first that they may