Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-03
COLLEGE JOURNALISM.

The inauguration recently, in a con
siderable number of secondary schools,
Of student papers and periodicals,
leads TO the consideration Of student
Journalism not only in secondary in
situtions. but in colleges OF the United
States.
The status OF this journalism al pres
ent does not confer especially high
honor on the American undergraduate.
or on American colleges. This is es-
especially srue relative 10 journals
that have 10 do with technical or schol-
arly interests. II we except few suca
periodicals, the Yale Review. for in
stance, and look beyond the college
daily. we find large proportion Of the
literary weeklies and monthlies nearly
II a standstill as TO funds and ideas.
The editors OF many OF these jour
nails find it necessary TO spend good
part OF their time IN drumming up de-
nnQuent subscribers. The principal
activity manifested by many a colleg
literary magazine is TO start and TO
stop To the modern era Of literary
producti1 eness the college man al least
while in college. seems to be a compar-
atiyely small contributor. The best
men are needed to make college jour
nalism popular. for deep within most
students hearts is the possibility Of
being awakened 70 love for real liter
ature. As cne student said recently:
Many a man is found reading classic
literature on TIE sly.
There is insistent need OF strong col-
lege leaders who viii rise up to champ
ion college journalism and college read
ing as today they fight for athletics
Then college sentiment will make pop
ular the pen and the book. When book
life is as popular as play life. college
conversation will have new point; the
fraternity man will feel able 10 spend
an hour away from the fellows" and
the rag-time piano, and the docile pro
fessor. starting out reluctantly TO visit
his students, viii not need 10 sigh
Make me a child again just for to-
night" as lie immolates himself for q
long. dreary evening trying TO smile
and talk wisely of college politics and
baseball averages.
Perhaps il is too much 10 expect, in
an age where the demand for quick re-
suits is taking away much Of the op-
portunity Tor thorouehness ana de-
liberate thoughtfulness. that these pc
riodicals should be the vehicles of
ideas that come with solitude anG clear
thinking Certain it is that these jour
nails reveal the lack OF thoroughness
as well as a limited field OF knowledge
in regard to educational tendencies
both in America and the old world
Schools Of journalism like those of
Columbia and the University of Penn
sylvania help, but there is also need
of certain men set apart for editor
ship OF these college magazines as an
important and vital part of their edu-
cational training.
The general curriculum. which now
pays little regard TO the time given to
such periodicals, should reward such
work in proper way. In fact, college
journalism should be one of the means
to dispel the criticism, so often brought
against undergraduates TO the effect
that they are unable TO write good
English and to spell correctly The
clear expression of clear ideas is at
least an important part of college
education, and along this line college
journalism has not yet been appreci-
ated or utilized to its possible capac-
ity Christian Science Monitor.