New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
The Newspaper in Our 7own
4 Tb Of HE Couul,v Editors Job That HIS al Larger Jobs Too
Norman 7dIcoH in "Om Tonn, Of CTecnpicn' No""'

OHU, OF SIttHHtN'' ~''''/
To This end the editor should understand
the economic and business forces Whlcn are
at work within the community, ana ~ VIVA
direction its probable development les nc
,hould know enough OF human pSychoIoSS
and the trend Of the times TO discern Ihc
direction Of the intellectual and spiritual
forces that arc at work within the community
He should recognize the meaning OF ne"
movements, and his work should not De 10
nraise or denounce them, but constantly ~
explain them. 81
Tho country editor should continually DC
in touch with all elements Of the community
He should be able alphabetically TO get the
bootblack's point Of view and make II pam
to the millionaire, and he should be aoie 70
get the milionaire's point OF vie" ana ma"e
it plain to the bootbacH.
Io should never allow himself TO be man
aged by any man or group Of men. lie shouiu
never be servle But, on the other manu. ne
sbould not be hcadstrong and egotistic. lie
ought always to seek the opinions OF 'ne
worthwhile people of the community and to
be guided by them in so FAR as ne cohsc'eh'
tously thinks they are right
He should hesitate to take sides or to play
the reformer, but he should always be willing
/ o
noint of view He should be less concerned
in donouncing evil conditions than to under
stand how they came to be.
He should never attack or ridicule lndl-
viduals. He may often have TO tell unpleas-
ant truths. but they should be told with
, human understanding and in such way as
TO withdraw most Of the sting from them.
Most important Of all, he should keep his
own soul sweet. | mean he should keep il
sweet from personal raucors and hatredS' lie
should never lose faith in the hope for hu-
manity. his community and his fellow-towns-
men.
Heart and Soul of Community
Both in reading matter and in external APP
uearance his publication should be repre-
sentative of his town, so that any outsider oy
glancing at it could get some definite impress
sion Of what sort of community 1t Is. Every
issue should be a part Of the very heart and
soul of the community. Few people stop to
think to what an extent other people form
their opinions of a community by its publlca-
tions. And few people have yet begun to
guess how much can be done for commu-
nifty in a beneficial way by the circulation OF
its publications in the outside world.
All Of this. you will say, constitutes large
order for tho small-tOwn journalist But
these are only rev OF Jnc IhllSS "hI0H '"N
small-town editor and the small-town paper
should do and be, according to my conception
/ In the light of this you may see why, in
glancing over the last years file of "Our
Town" don't feel particularly jubilant about
the results achieved. You may see, too, how
ever, the conception that is behind 1t, and
why I. in a very humble sort of way, feel
hopeful. for wherever an idea is clearly con-
ceived there is always hope for its ultimate
realization.
| hope that you all will feel hopeful along
with me, and that you may feel stimulated to
Rear yet longer with my painful stumblings
and blunderings- you may. in short, see
and want what | see and want, and be i'm
| PEELED to continue to lend your support toward
its accomplishments really intelligent and
representative publication which we may con-
scentiously continue to call Our Town"