The Washington herald., 1910-12-25
JOURNALISM MUST
BE INBOR MART
CANNOT BE TAUGHT


Sreslal Correspondents The Washington Herald
New York, Dee 2l-Of late years
there has been a considerable increase
of the schools of journalism, here and
abroad, which fact. however, cannot be
taken a. proof that journalism can ee
taught, though il Is strong enough eYi-
dcnCe that il pays 10 teach or attempt
TO teach it. The advertisements of some
OF these concerns, especially those
which have come into existence more
recently, are Worded alluringly. and
there is no doubt that they induce a
large number OF young people Of both
sexes but more particularly Young girls
10 believe that journalism can be taught
very readily in A classroom, and that
after a course Of instruction the dilisent
pupil VIII have no difficulty IN making
d livelihood in a calling in which every
day il is becoming increasingly difficult
TO md employment
Nov. whetSer these schools OF journal
ism are run on perfectly honest lines
or whether they are not. no one should
'spend his (or herr money or time in
taking instruction al such school with
out hrst considering whether it is really
possible to learn enough Of journalism
in a schooIroom 10 be Of the slightest
practical use 10 the pupil.
Common sense answers that II IS not
possible TO do so.
The Journalistic Instinct.
The fact is, nobody can possibly hope
to succeed as a journalist who has not
got what may be called the journalistic
instinct; and if any young man or girl
has got this instinct ne or she need not
60 10 a school OF journalism 20 have Il
developed il can be developed far mere
rapidly and cneaply by writing articles
for the press as a free-lance.
One great evil of these schools OF
journalism is that they encourage many
young people. and young girls more e.
pecialIy. 90 devote themselves 70 a call
ing for which they are wholly united.
II is not the business OF these concerns
10 tell the truth 10 their pupils. IL is
not their business TO say to a pupil:
You have no real aptitude or natural
taste for Journalism; you may be able
10 write A little. but you have no orig
inality, no ideas. no enterprise. none OF
the qualities or abilities that are essen
tial to success in the strenuous world
IF modern journalism We therefore ad-
wise you 20 turn to something else.
No this sort OF plain speaking would
empty the classrooms of all bat perhaps
one or two pupils who had some real
talent, and even these would not remain
if the truth were told them. for they
would forthwith start 10 learn their
calling.
II is true that something Of the me-
chanical details of editorial work may be
taught and learned in a classroom. A
pupil may learn how to prepare MSS.
for the printer and how the pages OF a
paper are made up for press. but such
knowledge has little or no market value.
and IL can very quickly be acquired.
There is not an editor who would Tot
prefer TO give a vacancy on his staff 10
an entirely unframed person who had
ideas and natural perceptions of what the
public want 10 read. rather than to one
who had been carefully taught some me-
chanical details of editorial work. but
with no originality or natural aptitude
for journalism
Writer" VS.. Journalist
Another point which is not made clear
W the pdpllo AT school or Journalism
is that there is an immense difference
between a writer and a journalist: and
this is a point which a person who is
thinking of taking up journalism as a
mode OF making a livelihood should be
very clear upon.
There are plenty of people who can
write We'll enough TO earn, say $500 year
by their pen. which makes very useful
addition to an assured income from
other sources, though it is a very poor
sum 10 have TO live on: but this is the
fate that assuredly awaits the person
who thinks because he can get some ar
ucles o. stories accepted that he Cor shel
can make living as a journalist, and il
Is to young people who can write a little,
but who are in no other way qualified
for Journalism, that the advertisements
Of many Of these modern schools OF jour
nalism make special appeal.
There was a girl who had occasional
stories and articles accepted by various
papers. who, A couple Of years ago, was
induced by one OF this type OF adver-
tiscments to take a course of lessons in
journalism at a certain institution, where
she was informed that she would Ger
tainy secure a post worth about $50
per annum at the end Of the course OF
instruction.
These lessons cost her $50 but no post
awaited her al the end of them She
found herself adrift without any prospect