Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-05-24
Herald Medal Essay.

dld Tor the pest essay written Dy any
student of the Brownsville High
School on one of these three sub
jects:
why I should complete the high
school course?" My favorite char
acter in literature" and News
writers-their value to the world"
AS previously announced, Miss
Marion Hawkins of the low tenth
grade won the medal. Her essay
being read at the commencement ex-
ercises last Tuesday night. The sue
cessful essayist is the daughter of
Judge and Mrs. E. Hawkins of this
city. She is just fourteen years old.
Her work is very clever and betrays
unusual thought in one so young.
The essay follows:
News Writers-Their Value to the
World.
News-writers present to the read
ing public, through newspapers and
magazines, a graphic summary Of the
worlds daily history. With noses
for news, they find and send out ac-
counts of progress in the arts and
sciences, of accidents, crimes and
heroic deeds, of revolts and wars,
and the rise and growth and fall of
governments, all that entertains, in
structs or interests mankind. The
world demands news at any cost
and they supply it.
News-writers are fore-runners of
the highest civilization. Their work
had an important influence in bring
ing Darkest Africa in touch with the
outside world, and in starting in on
the highway of progress. China was
rarely mentioned in ordinary con-
versation only a few years ago. but
with the opening of her gates to
Western civilization, there was an
influx of news-writers into the cOun-
try, who told the world the wonder
full story of her and tenn
ing millions. That has contributed
largely to the awakening Of the
Yellow Kingdom. So in every quart
er of the earth news-writers are po-
tential forces in its progress.
There are important reasons why
news-writers form a powerful and
beneficial factor in the growth of
civilization. Their mission is edu-
cational. The ancient philosopher
Archimedes said that if he had a
place upon which to stand, and a
lever long enough, he could move the
world. The trained news-writer,
standing out in the field of ''life's
endless toll and ~endeavor," with the
agencies 81 the printing press as a
lever, moves the world of thought.
People are now judged as to their
education largely by their general
knowledge of the times and their
ability to discuss current events in
diligently, and that knowledge and
ability come to them almost entire
ly through the work of the news
writer's.
The morals of the people are built
up by newspapers and magazines,
especially by the religious press. Evil
turks in darkness and shuns the
light. When news-writers turn
upon the haunts of the evil the white
light of publicity, evil gives way to
good and right, and graft disappears.
Whenever a people become familiar
with the workings of their govern
ment, they take charge and admins
ter it for their own benefit.
The press is next to Christianity
in widening human sympathies and
in bringing about the universal
brotherhood Of man.
We have familiar evidence in the
development of our own Rio Grande
Valley of the value of news-writers.
They write and send out broadcast
glowing and accurate descriptions of
actual accomplishments in u midst.
and the result is that homeseekers
and investors come in train loads
from various parts of the United
States to look over the country, and,
having done SO, eXclaim as did the
Queen of Sheba when she saw the
of Solomon's kingdom, Be
hold, the half was not told mel"
The whole civilized world owes a
debt of gratitude to news-writers and
day by day is awakening to a fuller
realization Of it's magnitude.
Notice of Sale.