The Washington times., 1917-10-28
The head of the School of Journalism at the Universi
Of Missouri sends this letter.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
IJMR1A
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
OFFICE OF THE DEAN

brisbane:
Will you be good enough to suggest to me what
books general In character-not reference books
are, your opinion, indispensable or at least em
! nalisti
cerely, WALTER WILLIAMS, Dean
An to this letter Is an answer to every human
being who asks What should read?" For newspaper
man needs GENERAL knowlsdge
First for us all comes THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,
the tool with which the mind works. necessary to the brain
the carpenters tools the backsmiths sedge hammer
the weayer's loom-to the workers hand
pEART. -'H 'ANs D's' D al IL 0H' D00A' oman A''-
Learn your English language from Shakespeare. And
srriVed-thas is, STUDY HISTORY ''''' - ''l'''
The best quotation for every intelligent citizen including
the editor, is this from Cicero:
mot to know what happened before time is to re-
main always child What does life amount to if do not
oobns the memory Of past centuries with the events of
sufficiently complete knowledge of history can be OBJ
tanned in short Of reading You need not know the
name Of every king the date Of every battle the particular
money the exact nature Of the supersons that
trOlled him while ne controlled the people.
''The Martyrdom of Man. by winwood Reade is good
Eealed religion
The Ancient Regime by Taine, is an admirable work.
showing what before revolution gave them free
dom The book also emphasizes the value Of religion the
only friend that the poor man had the only protector against
Herve's History of France" gives an admirable view
Of the ancient days from the Stone Age onward up to
within sight Of what we call civilization
What the world needs and lacks is history of human
thought human invention and human progress that for the
ordinary hard working man. would take the place of years
Of indiscriminate reading
Read history of philosophy and see how the human
brain has struggled from the day Pyhagoras day
of Mrs Eddy the pifu effort of finite mind to explain
nfnite-ke trying to the depth of the with
yard stick the distance of the nearest fixed star with
Lewes 1.-The Biographical History of Philosophy is
not the most accurate but to read We recommend it
You will observe with interest that philosophers lived to old
agewhich shows that it pays to think you think
footshly.
Read books that stimulate imagination The kind of
book depends upon the kind of brain you have Children
need DICKENS, THAcKERAY.
of healthy intellectual appetite should find his
inspiration in such book Haeckes Riddle of the Uni
verse" Wallace's book "Darwinsm," his Wonderful
Century" Spencer's First Principles"
Your thought grows the thought buried in booksas
the forest grows upon the dead trees buried in the soil
Read Andrew D. Whites splendid work "a History of
the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom
When you read such books the students and teachers
remember always their discussion of religion and
characters that you must make allowance for the preud
Of living TODAY and unable to understand conditions
and necessities of a day gone BY
Read Lecky's History of European Morals" his
tory Of morals is history of the front brain fighting against
the animal instinct and baser impulses called of lower
back brain inherited from our animal ancestors.
- =
Read volney's Ruins Of Empires"
Read, Of course, Buckles History of Civilization in
England ndundoubtedly the best worlds history written
although intended only preface to the greater
work Of which his death deprived the world.
Read the poems of Shelley and Keats at ntervas-to
give the solemn part Of your brain a rest
Read Sterne's Sentimental Journey Through France
and Italy F" the most nearly perfect English prose.
Read little Of fennyson-whch In English poetry Is
Ike custard pie among foods. II win rest you
Try Locksley Hall" for eakily absorbed noble feeling
Read at least enough Of Vqaifs 70 know why he stands
y the king Of Ashtng HinksrL Try hs little book