The Elbert County tribune., 1906-04-12
Journalism in
= the Laboratory

u sourndilsln, tne IacultieS IN tue
Vest have perhaps been over-bold in
experimenting with newspaper max
Ing The University of Kansas has es-
tablished n department of journalism.
and at the University of Chicago. Pro-
fessor George Z. Vincent has con-
Quoted for three years n course entitled
The History and Organization of the
American Press" At both places prac-
teal newspaper workers have been
engaged TO explain the details of ac-
,ual day-to-dny writing. editing. and
printing. At Chicago. Professor Vim
cents class was set to work last spring
TO issue four-page morning newspa-
per. This laboratory experiment he
describes in the American Journal of
Sociology. 1t was doubtless an inter
esting excursion into the practical. but
We suspect that it gave the students
an exaggerated notion of the imports
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 n real test.
| Merely as an experiment. however.
the paper produced by the Chicago
students is worth notice. 1t was writ
ten and "set up" between nine o'clock
In the morning of June 9 and one
o'clock in the morning of June 4. The
s-ditor of the college daily acted as
managing editor, n student empIoye
Vt the Associated Press as Telegraph
sditor. and TWO student reporters as
| aews and city editors. Its staff num-
bered forty, and was divided among
| the usual departments. From five
o'clock in the afternoon until the ex-
pertinent ended the plant of the Chi
cago 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
trial especially rs one rehearsal
was had.
Professor Vincent's verdict upon the
i Daily Times, which was actually sent
% press but five minutes late, is that
1t was ''on the whole & success" 1t
did not attempt innovations. merely
striving to print the days news in a
clean. attractive form. Its front page.
ne says, corresponded closely, so far
as the choice of news went. with those
of the Chicago morning papers. 1t
erred only in giving to the account
of the marriage of Emperor William's s
son place on the first page with this
equivocal headline, "Oldest Son of
Emperor and Duchess Cecilia Married
| RStpr1aV q.
evening papers of June had "cov-
sred' the Prussian wedding so thor
oughly that Il was bad newspaper
Judgment TO feature" it on the morn
Ing of June Z. A number of "gradu.
hte students in political science and
economies" wrote the editorials. Such
weighty matters were discussed as the
future of English diplomacy, the
changes in President Roosevelt's Cab
inet. democracy in unionism, and two
kinds of reformers." The news that
came In on June 6 called for three ad-
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 turning a number of
items concerning Government affairs
into SPECIAL correspondents Washing-
ton letter should not pass unnoticed.
! AS Professor Vincent says in apology.
| what are principles and policies in a
crisis such as this?"-it was midnight
when the letter was manufactured.
The experiment strikes one as a bit
of exciting fun sor Professor Vincent's
class, merely illustrating again what
every newspaper man of experience
knows-that the technique of journal
ism is an infnitesimal part of the
equipment of a journalist. Headlines
and the makeup" of the page, the
mysteries of linotype operation. and
of the stereotyping room. the .'lingo"
of the newspaper ofice-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 a few days
ago by former Topeka legislative re-
porter for 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
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