The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-05
What the Department of Jour.
nalism Is Doing at X. U.
1t Has Become a Permanent and
Interesting Study.
HAVE DAILYPRACTICE
Students Under Direction of
Experienced Men.
Linotype of Latest Model in
Alumni Printing Office.

Lawrence, Kan, May 5.-The depart
ment of Journalism in the University
Of Kansas is now six years old, though
it has been technically recognized as q
department, separate from the English
work, only during the present year. A
resume of its work shows advancement
IN this, what now probably has come TO
be accepted as permanent and most
interesting department of the univer-
sity.
The students are given daily prac-
tice on a newspaper under the direction
of experienced newspaper men. Their
work is criticized, and they rewrite it
until they get the right idea.
The first time they report a speech,
the most Of them do it mechanically,
with deadly fidelity to useless detail
and academic order. After a weeks
training they learn to get the important
thing and get it in the opening para
Lraphs.
The first report of an interview gen.
orally begins with a description of the
weather, later on the young writer
learns to begin with the thing people
want to know. Every day of the
course brings to the student trial and
trouble and little more insight.
The sophomore class of beginners, be-
sides their practice work under j. w.
Murray the student-instructor and
present editor of the college paper, the
Kansan. meets three times week with
L. N. Flint, the assistant professor #
Journalism.
Mr.. Flint lectures or holds a discus
sion, criticises work done, leads the
class in getting at the good and bad
points of the papers, big and little. that
are piled up on the class room tables,
and serve as the text book. Every
thing is informal and as much like
newspaper office as possible.
Once a month the director of the de-
mo- -tr1 NJ H9rPpr the A hilpnA
editor, spends a day at the university
and lectures to the sophomore and
senior classes.
The senior class edits copy and prac-
tees the special forms Of newspaper
writing in which they are most inter
ested. Some of them make a speciality
of the business side. Some of them
learn the back office: the price of
stock. the cost of printing. etc.
A linotype of the latest model is in
the alumni printing office adjoining the
class rooms. and the students learn its
operation if they wish. They see the
presses running and get the smell of
ink every day. The idea is to make
the course practical to the last degree.
The director, Mr.. Harger. besides
his long newspaper experience, has a
wide reputation as a magazine writer.
Mr.. Flint was for five years the editor
of the Manhattan Nationalist. and has
done correspondence work.
more class-Susie Burgess, Olathe;
Katherine Ellis. Pratt; Hulda L. Ise,
Lawrence; Beuhla V. Murphy, Ed
wardsville; Isabel Themes. Kansas
City. Mo-; Jennie Marie Tull, Abilene;
Catherine Topper, Lawrence; Nan F.
Walton. Leavenworth; Eleanor ORA
per, Oswego.
The men in the class are E. F. Am
mons. Arkansas City: John F. Bat
tale. Lawrence; Carl L. Cannon. Smith
Center; Herbert NJ. Cowan, Abilene;
E w. Davidson. Lawrence; Harris F.
Gorsuch, Sharon Springs; Walter Lee
clerc, Hutchinson; VIII A. Moore,
Chapman; F. w. Nesbitt. Garrett; e.
G. O'Roka, Sabetha: r. r. Redmond,
Ottawa; Oscar Stauffer. EmDoria; F.
z. Wells, Woodston; H. Wilkins, Chap
man; Leslie Zoellner, TonEanoxie.
The senior class in editing is COM
posed of the following: Henry Draper,
Oswego; Earl Fischer. Wamego; Ed
gar Markham. Washington; Frank
Mott Hays; Theodore Shannon,
Mound City; Dot Smith, Sterling;
Ralph SPOTS, Lawrence.
Lectures on general topics by w. Y.
Morgan and Bert Walker and possibly
a few others will close the work of
the classes for this year.