Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16
TIE PRESS AS AN npUCATloNALrAoToE

THE PRESS As AN EDUCATIONAL FAO1OH
Replying to a request for his opinion
as to the relative Importance Of the
university and the press as educational
factors, DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler, the
new president Of Columbia university,
Is quoted as saying:
This question cannot be answered with
out an elaborate explanation. The press
and the university are rather to be con-
trasted than to be compared as educational
factors. The press belongs to hat group
of unsystematic but very real and powerful
educational influences, the place and func-
tion Of which are only Just coming to be
recognized. 1t is an old-fashioned notion
that education is given largely, or chiefly,
In the school; but nowadays we recognize
the falsity Of this view and see how ex-
tremely influential other factors are-and
among these the press-not only In shap-
ing public opinion, but in forming and
developing individual minds. More men
get their opinions from the newspapers
than from any other single source, probably
mot excepting inheritance.
Although not usually viewed in that
light, what President Butler says about
the contribution of the press toward the
education Of the citizenship OF the day
will be readily conceded by all intelli-
gent students Of society. Fol the great
mass of the people the instruction re-
ceived as children In the schools fur
nishes but the foundation of their edu-
cation, which must be rounded out and
completed In the school Of experience.
The proportion who can pursue q sys-
tematic course Of higher education In
the colleges and universities, although
increasing, is comparatively insignif-
cant, but everybody In or out Of school
who reads at all resorts to the press
for more or less Of his reading.
Where the universities reach one per-
son the press reaches thousands. That
the university educator realizes the mar
row limits Of his lecture room as cona-
pared. with the broader field o. the
press, is evidenced by the frequency
with which he avails himself of the
press to impart to a larger circle re-
suits Of his study which he thinks of
more than ordinary importance. Where
not many years ago 1t was considered
almost a breach Of the professional
code for a scientist to contribute to
n but technical periodicals designed
only for the perusal OF specialists In
| the same line, the university professor
of today has no hesitation in writing for
periodicals Of popular clientage, and
even for newspapers Of general and in
discriminate circulation. In other
words, rather than be content to be
overshadowed by the growing educa-
tional influence Of the press, the uni
versity is rapidly coming to utilize the
press as q concomitant factor In the
work Of popular education.
plain h a in this the press has not met
them more than half way. Excluding
certain well known yellow types, the
educational standard of the press OF
this country today is higher than it has
ever been, while its scope also is more
comprehensive and the area of its activ'
ity broader. The university and the
press are coming to complement n an
other to an extent scarcely yet realized
in fact, the press is but beginning tC
appreciate It's W power as an educa
tional factor-but the possibilities Of the
neal future are sure to bring the educa
tlonal side of the press out in unex
pected prominence.