The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-22
GETTING A START.
The NEWS AND The NEWSPAPER.
By NATHANIEL O. FOWLER, Jr

BY NATHANIEL O. FOWLER, Jf.
We must eat, We must drink, We must
sleep, II we would exist We must do
something beside eating, drinking, and
sleeping. II we would live.
There Is q great big difference between
merely existing and living. The tadpole
erists. but he does not live in any high
sense
Man must do more than exist II he
would lift himself above the animal state.
1t Is difficult to designate, so as to be
universally acceptable, the things which
are Of fundamental Importance, beyond
those which have to do only with ex-
istence. There Is much which affects US
Intellectually and morally, but above
most Of IT. and running close to educa-
ton itself, Is a knowledge Of what IL hap
pening. as well as of what has happened.
All the book learning in the world. and
all the academic education possible for
one to absorb. are Of little value unless
supplemented by q familiarity with what
is going on, not only what Is taking place
directly about us. but the great move
ments Of the times.
History deals with the past. News deals
with the present.
History furnishes Q foundation. News
keeps US up to the times.
I consider the habitual reading Of q
good newspaper as necessary as Is educa-
ton itself. and second only to those
things without which We could not
breathe and have our being.
I have no sympathy with those who
condemn the newspapers. because they
occasionally-some of them frequently
misrepresent or refuse to confine them
selves to facts.
The newspaper IL not perfect, and II
will not be until its readers have reached
that state.
The publisher Of the newspaper. as he
runs, Is as honest as Is the average busi-
ness man; and more so, I think; because
his position gives him better opportunity
to realize his responsibility to his con-
stituency.
The editor. Of course. has the average
human faults. but he is q man of more
than common integrity; and, intellec-
tually, he ranks above the majority Of his
fellows. He makes mistakes. So does
everybody else. He may overemphasize
his news, and occasionally allows bias to
enter his editorials; but, take him as a
whole, he is reliable. trustworthy. and q
man Of integrity.
Notwithstanding the mistakes made by
the newspapers. the bulk Of the news is
reliable or is as true as human endeavor
can make it.
/ would. if could, introduce the news
paper into the public schools. and en-
ploy specialists to teach the proper read
ing Of 1t. 1t SHOULD be part Of the cur
riculum Of every school above the lower
grades.
The news. I believe, Is an essential part
Of education. Without news We should
return to the age Of feudalism, and each
set Of people would be ignorant Of the a.
fairs Of others. except Of those within
their immediate environment.
To condemn the newspapers because
some of them are unreliable II as fool
ish as to refuse to eat bread because
some flour Is sour.
The news OF the world 10 gathered with
care. Most of 1t is written honestly by
men who are capable Of discrimination.
and who practice 1t.
Read the newspaper. young man. and
young woman, too. II you do not, you
cannot consider yourself educated.
Copyright l9l5J