University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-05-23

saving gained by machine composition
and. above all, the air of prosperity il
lends. He said this was even more
important than the saving.
Carpets on the floor and pictures
on the wall make things look prosper
ous," he said. and that's what counts
One doesn't need much. but it ought
to be first class"
One of the most entertaining talks
was given Friday night by Strickland
Gillian. the famous humorist and
newspaper man from Baltimore, Md.
Almost every sentence contained a
laugh. but ~interspersed among his
clever sayings and funny anecdotes.
he managed to slip in a lot of serious
thoughts. He personalized the news.
paper as a guest ein the home and a
kindly friend. In that capacity, Mr..
Gillian said, The" must be honest and
intelligent, must interpret news and
tell what he thinks of it. must improve
; home conditions and dispense knowE
edge Of everyday things, must be a
gossip. and must have a twinklins
eye. OF the latter requirement, he
said 1t was just as bad to have too
much humOr as too little.
The newspaper shouldn't be funny
all over. but should have the right
proportion. The gross, slapstick,
~horse-play Of the vaudeville stage is
inappropriate to the best Journalism.
The journalism that produces the guf
faw, o the smile, is coarse and vel.
low. The main function of humOr is
readers of the paper. The normal
laugh: those who are without a sense
of humor are not sane. Humor is
absolutely necessary in journalism.
But the newspaper should not
laugh at legitimate grief. 1t should
laugh at only laugh-at-able things.
Conscious humor is the kind to
have. Unconscious humor is bung-
ling" He illustrated the point by a
story of the ~cub-reporter who, in de-
scribing a runaway. said. THE horses
turned into a undergrad"
Mr.. Gillilanx spoke of the reforma'
tive potency of humor. He said the
newspaper could laugh away the bad
things in society and government. In
conclusion. he said:
Newspaper humor is the best there
is today. 1t is difficult to write really
good humor, but there will be a better
class of newspaper humOr in the
future. There will be a better quality
and less quantity. There will be more
real, clean, reverent and ~purposeful
humor."
One of the features was a speech by
one of the Deans Williams. DR.. Tai
colt Williams, dean of the Pulitzer
School of Journalism. of Columbia
University, was introduced by his
brother dean. Walter Williams. He
delivered a lecture OF the profession
of journalism, and expressed the ideal
of the future newspaper.
THE purpose of the journalist" he
said, "is to interpret society. not give
g%eneralities. The best editorials ex-
press the opinions and desires OF the
The newspaper is often re-
viled for printing the worse instead
of the better. but by doing so 1t is
bringing about reforms which justify
It. While such revelations will shock
many, it is impossible that a society
should remain ignorant of ITSELF"
A similar ideal was expressed In the
speech of the week. by Clar-
1880 Nr1o,- ol;for IF tho Enrf vNnrfh 81
Texas, Record. He said in part:
Journalism is the most vital factor
In government. and next to the pulpit,
the most vital in social righteousness.
The duty of the press is to inform.
The tendency of the people is often
PREJUDICE, and it is the power of the
newspaper to guide these judgments.
The newspaper should W no allie
1t should not abuse persons
and institutions without conclusive
proof. 1t should be tolerant of every
The ideals expressed in the Journal
Week speeches were optimistic in
forward to public service as
he fundamental object of the news
PAPER.
Other speakers who took part in the
programs were: Louis T.
1olding. publisher of the St. Joseph
B. B. Herbert, editor OF
he National Printer-Journalist, Chi
ago: Mrs. S. E. Lee, of the Savannah
Reporter; Mrs. James Watson. of the
Dearborn Democrat; Miss Frances
Use, of the Moberly Democrat:
Thomas H. Rogers. political reporter
4 the St. Louis Times: Charles Dillon,
Professor of journalism in Kansas
state Agricultural College. Manhat-
an; Will H. Mayes. editor of the
Texas. Bulletin; A. d
doffett, Of the Elwood, Indiana, Rec
I'd; E. c. Jette, Of Kansas City: H. s.
of the Neosho Times: Ovid