The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-20

GOTclAu -
penter Special Agency. Peoples Gas
Building. Chicago.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1911
JOURNALISM IN UNIVERSITIES.
The University Of Pittsburg has in
augurated a course in journalism and
. new impetus is thus given to a
neglected profession In the institu-
tons OF higher learning which would
open . new field to college men.
The newspaper is. perhaps. the
greatest public utility institution Of
modern times. Other public utility
institutions have been regulated by
law, but the newspaper 70. In a spe-
cial sense. its own regulator. The
good journalist therefore. Is the at
tornev-atlarge for the people, the
servant Of the public. always keeping
his goal above bread and butter and
dividends upon shares Of stock, for
The serves his newspaper best who
serves his community best" No other
profession offers such q field Of pub
Nc service. It was no idle compli-
ment that Washington GLADDEN. paid
to the memory Of q great American
journalist, when he called him the
Hosea of his day. The American
journalist is the prophet Of the peo-
pie. That he shall present persua-
sively and with power, his message adj
equate training Is necessary. and
more is adequate training necessary
that the message thus presented shall
be a message unto attractive right
eousness and the abundant life. For
this purpose may there be schools of
the prophets. For this cause may
students tarry at college until their
journalistic boards are grown.
The teaching of journalism in COL
leges and universities has passed the
experimental stage. Men and women,
trained in college and university
courses in journalism, have been
graduated into the active practice of
their profession and have succeeded
in proving the value Of their educa-
ton. They have compelled even the
most unwilling to admit that the man
who Is trained along professional
lines at college is better equipped
than the man who enters Journalism
without such training.
It should be clearly understood,
however. that preparation in Journal
ism now being undertaken in colleges
10 In no sense antagonistic to the
newspaper or to newspaper men. Such
instruction does not attempt to sub
sttute classroom work for actual
service on an exacting daily. 1t does
not aim to graduate full-fedged news
paper men. 1t merely endeavors to
make the road to the practice of
Journalism the easier by removing
many Of the difficulties in the path,
and this by teaching the young as
ptrant some Of the things he will be
expected to do and the best method
Of doing them.
The undergraduate is prepared for
Journalism just as students are pre-
pared for medicine and law. Under
the guidance of teachers who have
themselves gone through some of the
exacting experiences of the daily
grind, the young man or woman is
first Of all taught that newspape,
style is impersonal, compact and di.
rect in its appeal. He is instructed
In newspaper usages. He is shown
how to write a story, that he may
bring out the picturesque features IL
the opening paragraph, accomplished
by numerous exercises and by actual
assignments. In time the student be.
gins to cultivate a sense Of news val
ues and to catch the spirit of thu
quest. The work Of the reporter
with many suggestions for guidance
in his search for news, is discussed
as is the organization of the newspa.
per itself from the operation of the
linotype to the manifold problems ant
policies Of the editorial chair.
Nor does the work stop with the