New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-30

The born editor who has succeeded greatly
without sPeeia! preparation is simply man with with
fession, with great power OF concentration and
puts his whole heart and mind into it He is in
The strctest sense an educated man. but ne has
merely substituted sef-educatoa for education by
GJhe5s, making Up Tor any aeacences IN ms e IraI1
ana pleasure Even in his case might IN not be an
advantage to have system OF instruction that
Every issue Of a newspaper represents a battle
and compares II with its rivals he knows that he
h5 the study Ef thS moist 66 noSe Of she batte
OF the press be as useful 70 the student or journal
ism as IS the study OF military battles TO the STU
They object that news instinct must be bern
SOUND JUDGMENT NEEDED.
Certainly But however great a gift if news in
stnct as born Were tgrEed loose in any newspape-
office in New-York without the control of sound
training. the results would be much more pleasing
20 me man 10 Ine el'G' L w ,bs news
instinct from running rampant over the restraints
Of accuracy and conscience. And if "a nose for
news is born i'm cradle. does not .he instinct.
like other great qualities. need development by
illustrating the good and the bad the Right and the
ha Succeed s and the ed hnss that fail and boSs
al the things that deserve TO succeed and the
things that do not-nOt the things only that make
Character and influence and public confidence?
They object that moral character, ike news IN
stinct, cannot be made. but must be born. This is
q very serious objection. for TO ne an editor with
out moral character has nothing But is II entirely
trce sye not the Gcf theseSS reGhpg
cannot c~'1te temperament, admit, Tor Ierhtps
from ] At 0h Is it it NOT NOT 2Psey question
Of e. alton? May it not be considered more an
Very true admit that ii is the hardest thing in
the world to teach But NAV we not be encour-
aged BY the reflection that physical courage Is
body feaTlessiy to wounds and death. cannot the
soul be taught to cling TO its CONVICTIONS agains5
Moral courage is developed by experience and by
the next easier. The editor is often confronted by
apparent dilemma-ether TO yield to popular
S.ictio1s can and should he taught by precept and
v.r,ria a 80. o1I,, riel, nri-cinle b,,+ sound uol-
icy. Might not "A hundred concrete examples OF
infexible devotion 20 the right serve as a moral
tonic to the STUDENT
OFFICE NOT THE ONLY PLACE TO LEARN
They object that such making as a newspaper
be done only In the actual practice OF the Office, or
What is the actual practice OF the Office: IT Is
not intentional but only incidental, training; it rs
not apprenticeship; It Is work in which every par
In a newspaper Office has the time or the inclina-
to know before taking up even the humblest work
Of the journalist That is not what editors are
prevail IN the law and medicine.
are the hospitals. hut the students como TO them
knowing nothing Of PRINCIPLES or Sne2ie5 Inc
i furnishes the patients for its young men to
Of beginners who do not know an artery from a
verniform appendix. and pays them fer the blum
dgs by Wsa they sTaaay slfb T1fb shs
students in their industrious efforts At educa-
! ton. but may rot also sympathize with the
unfortunate editor who has 70 work with such In
| they object that even If a college education he
desra bic. everything needed is already provided
IN existing colleges, and no special department
This criticism appears 10 have force. It is
| intelligent newspaper men who krow nothing Of
colleges. or by intelligent college men who know
nothing Of newsps pers But II is superficial 1t -
tre that many Of the subjects needed for the gen
eral education OF Journalist are arr adv covered
| in college But they too much covered. The
schoel on6thc! in graduate school Of political
| science. another, at the same hour, in an under
NE MAJ And byprodncts that would meet the needs
" ,bs H. ;oIirnsiist WHY not divert defect extract
concentrate. specialize them for the Journalist as
The spirit OF specialization is everywhere: The
lawyer Is real estate isTyer, OF ose crlninai LAW law
| inal-corporation lawyer Formerly the family ply
lists for the eye the ear the throat the teeth; for
! men. for women for children; even for imaginary
ana snTFe Is % jior OF "a NevYork paner con-
| fined to the editorial page IS much surprised as
| the reader when in the morning he reads the news
editorials there viii be: the musical critic could
not write OF sporting events; the man with the
| terp-et the movements OF the stock market. Tho
the College Of Journalism will be to dig through
this general scheme f e s9 1rofsaon
select and concentrate only upon the things which
| the journalist wants and not TO waste tire on
| things that he does not want.
| Thev object that a college Of Journalism would
establish class distinctions m the profession-an IN
vidious distinction Of the few who had received
| the benefits o. COLLEGIATE training against the
| MANY who had not enjoyed this advantage sin
cerelv hope n will create class distinction be-
| among 3ournaliets-one based not upon money but
upon morals educstion and character
! COLLEGE Of Journalism cannot teach; ! admit IT,
| No COLLEGE can give iInaginaton initiative I'm
1 pulses. enthusiasm. a sense or hu1nor or irony.
| Unborn qualities he developed and strengthened in
Inc atmosphere % the proposed college? Is the
development OF such Unborn qualities seen every
| where IN intellectual life?
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT.
Not to teach typesettins not to explain the meth
DDS Of business nanasement not to reproduce with
trivial variation, the curse OF o1ninercisi col
| endowment u Is the idea OF work for the com
marty for - public that needs TO be taught.
The School % Journalism is TO be- In my coneep-
Il is to exalt principle. knowledge. culture, the
| deals 70 keep de counting room IN its proper
place. aid TO make the soul Of Lac editor the soul
In Inc proposed course OF study, drawn up with
discussed. as II st had been definitely adopted Or.
Eliot included instruction IN he business admin
! ally circulation. advertising. manufacture and
Nv own ideas upon many parts OF the course of
! study still uncertain. but upon this point
are to Re considersd business instruction Of any
| sort should not would not and must not form any
/ The course OF instruction will be decided by the
advisory board. which is not yet appointed, acting
50 conjunction with the authorities OF the univer-
stitution TO train Journalists What is journalist?
Not any business manager or publisher. or even
bridge OF tee ship Of state. He notes the passing
zon IN ns WestheF he reports the dfiftins east
away whom the ship can save. He peers through