The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-28
PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM.

Colonel Harvey of Harper's Weekly, le lecturer this year in the Bromley cture course at Yale University, can
 least claim to have attracted more Ian the conventional interest and Eakened more than the ordinary pmment by presenting his idea of a Professional school in which newspap- workers may be trained. His plan IS been discussed from one end of e country to the other but nowhere hs it been more intelligently consid- led than in the columns of the Yale lumni Weekly. In its current issue correspondent who signs himself "A ewspaper Man, while taking issue ith Colonel Harvey and Editor Pull Fer that a school of journalism can
 founded and made successful, Brees nevertheless that an institution learning like Yale can use its equip 2nt effectively and at little cost in keparing young men for the business. This writer regards his work as iHt of a profession and from the Fasp he obviously has upon the es- initials of newspaper making, it can
 easily believed that if all workers aonged to his class the business olld soon come to be popularly re- fdedt as professional in character 10 Its participants professional in eir training and responsibility. He Ehtly says that of all the profess Ors. that of Journalism stands alone nd Is unprotected by the restraints hd restrictions which hedge in the hers. He gives this as an ilustra- on of what he has in mind from the Feparatory point of view. How 4lch more intelligently could politi- correspondent at Albany, Hart
 
 rd, or Washington, handle questions the day had he had any definite ed Patton in the political history of his ate, or of the United States, supple Tented by a thorough and independ- ht course in current politics" Such correspondent would of course be etter equipped for the work assigned I'm than the correspondent who is oliged to learn the business of news hper corresponding while leafning le political history of the country, rovided the man in charge of the ed rational machinery had succeeded in nparting to the better prepared cor esppndent that sense of news which etermines ones usefulness in the un- ertaking.
 The writer in the Alumni Weekly lakes a good point when he declares fdt the reporter who has q know 4dge of the elementary facts in the ommon law is better equipped man han his fellow, and when he adds that a somewhat clear idea of the ws of libel his value in the office Increases. In an editorial writer "a ery clear and comprehensive idea as the industrial history of the coun- ky, of interstate commerce, of inter Ational law and the history of treat Is, and of civil service" is most de- rable if not essential to influential ork. It is equally desirable if not es- bntia1 that the editorial writer should Hay broadNfoundation in such a ehool of definite knowledge of these lbjects and of N finance, sociology, conomics, municipal government" !" he nastership of English is also in tuded among the things Yale can bach. All of these subjects and 1ch other subjects as may be regard d as collateral are taught at Yale nd can be, the writer believes, so rganized into a department as to Practically establish school of prep nation for Journalism, under the di- ection of a first class newspaper edi- ,r. The best editorial writer's" he bys, .'city editors, dramatic critics, opy readers of New York and New sngland could be brought into touch s instructors in such a school and aus give to it that professional char cter that the Law school secures rom its instructors who are active hwyers and judges, and that the Med sal school gets from it's instructors 'ho are busy physicians"
 II would appear as if this newspaper ian had hit upon the plan by which ale could offer itself as the developer f the best journalistic talent. It has he merit of demanding little in the ay. of a new annual fixed expense, IS ,e great burden of the instruction enld be carried by departments an1 rofessorships already in existence. t least only those will sniff at 1t who