University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1909-04-06

Univer,ity.)
THE English universities have ren-
dered good service To English Jour
nali>m in training men to think
and write in workmanlike fashion.
Look. for example. at that very char
acteristic product of the London week
lies. the middle article"-the essay on
almost anything frOr4 datfodils and
their cultivation To an international crI-
>iS. which is placed between the polit-
ical editorial and the criticism in The
Spectator or The Saturday Review
Those 'middc>" a. they are famil-
iarlv called. have been written hy ev-
cry kind OF En.li>hmen: by authors
and men of affairs. by historians and
clcrgymcn. by travellers and politicians.
They are always pretty well done. and
why: Because those writers in their
undergraduate days had learned some
thing of the art oi clear thinking and
clear statement. which j. the art of
journalism
\ reporters trainin"-and that is
what you would almost inevitably
start with-may be Il useful introduc
tion To any other course of life, Is
many examples have proved. But the
trouble is that the Young man who
obtains place in Il newspaper Office he
cause he thinks that he i, thus pur>u-
in" the line of least resistance. or does
~ with some drlibcration but without
Il fixed purpose. or because he wants to
earn a bare livin" a. soon as possible.
i, likely to keep on by a sort of inertia.
never really iindin" himself and bring
ing ont the best there il in him.
Moreover. somethin" is to be said on
the side of the newspaper. 1t is rather
annovin" after You have paid Il novice
a fair salary for Il year or two. less
perhaps in consideration OF the actual
than OF the prospective value OF his
services. and have taken Il good deal of
trouble with him and suffered some en-
barra>>ment and los, through his lack
of experience. 10 find that he is goin"
to leave you Just a. YOU are beginnin"
to have hopes "f him.
Don't apply. therefore. unless YOU
mean To persist and have some reason.
after careful reflection. to think that
You can read Your title clear. And first
of all don't start with Il poor opinion
of the work in which You cnu.age 1t
is honorable To YOU. ii You do not make
it otherwise.
lou will have al least 10 more occa-
sion to think i'll of Journalism because
there are journalists OF small intclIi-
"cnce and 10 morals at all than the
lawyer has to blush for his profession
hccal>c the tribe oi >hy-ter- is numcr-
oils and pe,tilent. or the doctor. the
clergyman. or the merchant To feel
that he i personally di-graccd by the
activities of quacl~. or wolves in
Sleeps clothing. or fraudulent bank
rupt>.
\ good deal i said about the tcmpta-
tion- of journalism. but it seems To me
there is no need Of laying stress on that
The turmoil of the world i
not suited Ia the pets of the nursery:
but newspaper work rut- no excessive
strain on the moral fiber ui grown up
men VIII" have 4 preference for clean
i:vin" and desire I" preserve their own
-rlf-r">pert. IL probably requires less
moral fortiturc than formerly when it
was less carefully >y-;rmatized than it
i now.
One >u""c>ti"n which venture to
offer. AMI even lo urEr. i that You do
not get I" thinkin. ot a hi" city as the
only worthy field "i newspaper ambi-
ton. Salaries are usually large in
such Il place. but - are necessary .x-
prn-"~. while the sum oi inciien,al-
which >errI necessary i appalling" Be
-idr~. The l,"ilima:, pleasure iii wurl;
and il legitimate rewards in rrcogni
ti"n and inllucncn may he very great
m Il small city "r substantial town.
Moreover. in general. ~houli say
that Il man i justified 10y reason and
experience in Wantin" 20 hr hi- own
master and 70 have = proprietary inter