The Ordway new era., 1906-04-13
1owna aksln in
> the laboratory

'"urhnhsIi, the faculties In the
west have perhaps been over.bold I'm
experimenting with newspaper max
Ing. The University OF Kansas has es.
tablished department OF Journalism.
ana at the University of Chicago. Pro.
fessor George Il. Vincent has con-
ducted Tor three years course entitled
The History and Organization of the
American Press" AT both places prac.
t'cal newspaper workers have been
engaged to explain the details of ac.
'uai day-to-day writing. editing. and
printing. At Chicago. Professor VIM
cents class was set TO work last spring
10 issue II four-page morning newspa-
per. This laboratory experiment he
describes In the American Journal OF
sociology Ii was doubtless an inter
estins excursion into the practical. but
We suspect that 1t gave the students
an exaggerated notion OF the import
ance OF the technique OF Journalism.
The theory that the only way TO be-
come newspaper writer is to write for
the newspapers, Is sound. but we doubt
II Professor Vincent's Daily Times sup.
piled real test.
Merely as an experiment. however.
the paper produced by the Chicago
students Is worth notice. Ii was writ
ten and "sct up" between nine O'Clock
~ the morning of June q and one
.ciock In the morning OF June :. The
'ditor OF the college daily acted ms
rnanaging editor. student employc
81 the Associated Press ms telegraph
editor, ana swo student reporters MS
sews and city editors. Its stan num-
bercd forty, and was divided among
Inc usual departments. From five
'clock In the afternoon until the ey-
pertinent ended the plant OF the Chi
rngo Evening Journal was turned over
20 the students. The various news as
sociations furnished copy" and the
morning journals allowed the report
ers of the Daily Times TO go out with
their own men on assignments. Moth
Ing could be more favorable for n
lriai. especially rs one rehearsal"
was had.
Professor Fincent's verdict upon the
Daily Times, which was actually sent
% press but five minutes late. Is that
II was "on the whole success" 1t
lid not attempt Innovations. merely
striving TO print the days news in Il
clean. attractive form. Its front page
he says. corresponded closely. so far
rs the choice Of news went. with those
IF the Chicago morning papers. 1t
erred only in giving TO the account
of the marriage OF Emperor Williams
son place on the first page with this
equivocal headline, "Oldest Son OF
Emperor and Duchess Cecilia Married
Yesterday" AS 1t turned out, the
avening papers of June had "cov.
sred' the Prussian wedding SO thor.
uughly that 1t was bad newspaper
Judgment TO Feature" 1t on the morn
, Ing OF June Z. A number of "gradu.
Lte students in political science and
economies" wrote the editorials. Such
Ecighty matters were discussed as the
future of English diplomacy, the
changes in President Roosevelt's Cab
tnet. democracy in unionism, and "two
kinds of reformers." The news that
came in on June @ called for three nd
ditional editorials on "Finance and
Publicity" admiral Enquis. and His
Cruises" and "A New Theatrical Con-
science" If all these matters were
touched upon with the pen of author.
ity, Professor Vincent was justified in
exulting over the editorial page. In
our opinion, the enterprise of the te!e.
graph editor in tCrning n number of
items concerning Government affairs
into a specia! correspondents Washing
ton letter should not pass unnoticed.
AS Professor Vincent says In apology.
what are principles and policies in n
crisis such as this?"-it was midnight
when the letter was manufactured.
The experiment strikes one as bit
Of exciting fun 'or Professor vincents
class, merely illustrating again what
every newspaper man of experience
knows-that the technique of journal
ism is an infinitesimal part of the
equipment of journalist. Headlines
and the makeup" of the page, the
mysteries of linotype operation. and
Of the 'stereotyping room, the Lingo"
Of the newspaper ofiice-these are
things that the alert young reporter in
an office will pick up quite as soon
as he will need to know them. More
to the point was the paper read be-
fore the class in journalism at the
Kansas State University few days
ago by a former Topeka legislative re-
porter for n Kansas City newspaper.
After an experience of nearly twenty
years, this man declared that the es-
sentials of successful newspaper man
are "a receptive mind and willing
legs" The ability to write he subordi-
mated. saying that in the school of the
editorial blue pencil the plain recital
of fact will soon come to be inevitable.
Get out among people, he advised the
young men ambitious to become great
journalists. Remember that it is the
mind that makes the man, and IL you
possess newspaper mind all the earth
Is YOURS" Unsuitable curiosity as to