Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-23
SECOND IND FINAL
OF THE BROMLEY LECTURES

Qualifications for Newspaper Work,
Schools of journalism, and News
paper independence Discussed by
Hart Lyman at Yale.
New Haven, Feb. 22.-Sohools of
journalism, qualifications for newspa-
per work, and newspaper independence
were discussed by Hart Lyman tonight
III the second and final of the Bromley
lectures at Yale.
Training Is Essential.
Much" he said, has been said
for and against schools of journalism
in recent years. Some may exist al
ready and be useful One with large
endowment and an ambitious design is
destined l suppose. to come into ex-
istence in the not distant future. 1t
is certain that training for newspaper
work is essential to any notable de-
gree of success and 1 am not one of
those who think that all the necessary
training can best be obtained in the
office Of a newspaper. If there is one
occupation in which, more than in any
other large knowledge Of a great va
riety Of subjects can be constantly
utilized to good advantage it is jour.
nalism; and the more the novice
knows, the less he will have to ACQUIRE
as he goes on. Political literary and
general history, economies, a familiar
acquaintance with at least one Ian
guage besides your own that lamenta-
ely neglected branch, geography, the
uses and limitations of statistics. all
that is included in what is compre-
hensively called the science of gov
ernment&-probably a misnomer-above
everything the knowledge of how to
ana what you want in a library-an
these things and others, the ideal Jour.
nalist-if there is such a person
would know. And the actual journal
ist is more or less i'll equipped accord
ing to his lack Of acquaintance With
them. But it is not clear to me that
a school of journalism or an organ
iZed department in a universitey is
needed to teach them"
He went on to say that if it seems
advisable in a university to group the
subjects and call it a course in prep
aration for newspaper work, he saw
no reason why it should not be done
without extra cost, or why in that
case the means would not be exactly
adapted to the end. He added:
! do not believe that the practical
work OF a newspaper on the editorial
as distinguished from the mechanical
side, that is to say, the production,
revision and effective arrangement Of
Us contents under heads can be prac-
ticed to advantage anywhere except
in the Office of a newspaper"
Fewer College Graduates Enqaoino in
Newspaper Work
He said his impression was that the
number OF college graduates enga ging
an newspaper work is smaller than it
vas in former years, for which. he
sald, there were doubtless several more
or less obscure reasons. one of which
vas the extraordinary MULTIPLICATION of
magazines hich seem to offer great
attraction to many young men, There
never was a better time perhaps. than
now to begin work on a newspaper
we have been living for a good many
years IN the age of quantity. In the
nc ar future higher value may be put
on quality
Return to Smaller Papers.
He was if not convinced, at least
hopeful that the next notable chance
in the newspaper world will he a re-
turn to smaller paper, in which. how
ever every element entering into their
composition may cost more than If
uces now excepting the paper on wht.h
they are printed. which will cost less
because less OF it will be used. There
would come also. he thought. a clearer
perception Of what is intrinsically
worth printing.
Newspaper Independence.
The question Of newspaper indie
pendence," he continued "is often dis
cussed. There is a great and increae-
ing amount of it. as was exemDIifed
IN the recent presidential camDaien.
Never before, I think. were the nro-
ceedlngs OF both sides in a national
contest so fairly reported in all parts
q 5ise country or editorial comments
9o 1ecent and reasonable. Independence
Of the genuine kind is creditab1e and
advantage Gus, bur L should ike ia ,rar,,,
you against shat not uncommon va~ie-
" OF. newspaper independence which
CONSISTS IN being a confident and in
tense partisan on the side Of persons.
principles and policies that the editor
happens TO like and a contemptuous
opponent OF everything and everybody
else. Iu IS, wise to avoid such spurious
independence for two reasons-it. is not
respectable and it is not effective
Responsible Editors Frankly Ae-
knowledge Mistakes.
II it is true that a great deal Of
rubbish Is printed in newspa Uers. IL is
equally trGe that great deal OF non
sense IS printed about them. Nor long
ago one OF the magazines contained ar
article purporting to have been writ
ten by a keen observer. the burden of
NnIch was in brief that it was not
only immoral but unwise for news
papers to refuse, as they commonly
did, to correct their own errors ana
set men right whom they had. clearly
wronged Now as a matter Of fact
that is what the great majority OF
newspapers, including some Of the
least generally reputable, invariably
do The 1uty and advantage of frank
ly acknowledging a mistake that is
not Incidental and trtyial and Of
recompeusing so far as possible a plain
injustice no responsible editor thinks
OF negieeting. 1t is to be said. how
ever. that complaints of Injustice are
often made wnen no injustice has been
done. It is astonishing how r,any men.
when they see wnat they have said for
pubilcation reproduced in cold type,
begin to shiver and end by stoopine
to repudlate the quotation which they
know to be true"