The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-11
THE HAsKIN LETTER
MAKING WRITERS
81 Frederle J. HaskIn.

tage which this sort of knowledge
viii give the college Journalist over
the unframed man is self-eyident-
This practical character. as gi-en
in the course OF Journalism at Colum-
bia. is rejected in all the smaller col
leges. Thus the daily paper OF the
University of Washington is publish
| ing red-hot war correspondence.
Aimar Auzias de Turenne. member
of the class of 1915. being at the
front with the British army Students
of the School of Journalism of Texas
recently covered local fair for all
of the local papers and the Associat-
ed Press, and did it in first class
style.
Another very interesting feature OF
these courses of journalism is the
number of women who are taking
them. Women are breaking into the
newspaper game more and more
every day. and the next generation
| is going to see 4 great number o.
highly trained women writer's taking
I their places beside the men. The
women CT the University of Michigan
recently edited, without masculine
assistance, a number of the Car
goyle," the college humorous pub
lication. In all OF the schools OF jour
naIism wneye they can gain admis-
sion, the women are Well ! Sp1 ~S1AAe@
and are showing startling aptltuoe
| for getting and writing news
All of the more complete courses
in Journalism include instruction in
article-writing, and usually in short
story work. so that practical prepa-
ration for ma gazine as well as news
paper work is afforded Further
more. the spread of instruction IN
Journalist has been paralieled by a
development OF practical courses IN
literature Not many years ago. the
study of literature in any university
consisted chiefly in reading and an
alyzine Shakespeare plays and the
essays of Addison and Steele. Then,
gradually, the professors began tax
ing notice OF the short story. the only
native American form of literature
But the courses were purely cut
tural'' and not designed to teach
anyone how to write stories Grad
ually, instruction in literature mas
become more and more practical I'M
til. today. men OF ability are step
ping out of college and into magazine
Offices. For example, there is
course in short story writing at Co
llumbia University which requires tie,
student 10 write some thirty or fort!-
stories. and which has for its puT-
nose solely to teach him how TO
write. Similar practical courses In
the drama are found in many OF the
larger universities, the classical eS-
ample being the advanced course n
Harvard, which produced Edward
sheldon and Edward Knobiauch. two
of the most promising young dram
Artists now writing for the American
| stage. A number OF plays written
| by members of this class have been
produced on Broadway
Thus has writing become within a
few years a profession which may be
taught and learned as well as law OF
medicine. Thorough instruction IN
! Journalism, which is the first step OF
| almost every literary career. is
! within the reach of almost everyone
These things bode well not only for
/ the literary aspfrant, who has mere
! tofore worked alone and in igno-
| rance. but for the future of literary
and Journalistic standards in this
country.