South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-10
PROF. COONEy
SPEAKS At CLUB
Dean of Journalism at Notre
Dame Addresses the
Woman'S Club.

Journalism of Notre Dame univer-
sity. addressed the members of the
Woman's club Saturday afternoon
at the public library on Women in
Journalism" Prof. Cooney took
the place of Rev. Fr. Charles l.
O'Donnen. who is now with the
American expeditionary forces in
France. and who had been secured
10 speak On the present status of
poetry
Prof. Cooney's familiarity with
the subject made his talk unusually
entertaining. He explained at length
the meaning of the term, journal
ism, with its various ramifications.
and pointed out the place which
women are beginning TO take in this
great field. He held out encour-
agement for the young woman, Gag
er TO break into the game" and
stated that the opportunities are
greater now than ever before. He
said in part:
Journalism is one of the, great
est of world forces. Some think it
the very greatest. it is the strong
est Of all powers that create and
guide public opinion, and public
opinion is as the atmosphere in
which our mental and spiritual
selves live and breathe. Public opin-
ion in this country, makes and un-
makes our laws, our administration.
our institutions; il also affects deep
ly our individual personal views,
standards, purposes in life.
Influences OF Press Great.
mo one escapes the influence of
public opinion. None therefore es-
capes the opinion of the press. And
so. 10 the intelligent and responsible.
journalism is a subject of vital in
terest. OF pointed interest, too, is
the part taken by women in max
ing journalism what il is. and in any
endeavor TO make il all that it
should be- For women constitute
half of the human family, and are
spoken of by men, without meeting
any violent contradiction, as the
better half"
Journalism is more than news
paper work. The term as used
here, embraces also the wide activi-
~ of publications known generally
as magazines. In the office of both
newspaper and magazine, there is
the greatest variety of occupation"
Speaking of the part which wom-
en- AXE in journalism, Prof Cooney,
said "it seems 10 be an accepted
opinion that women participate to
some extent in this impulse TO re-
port what they observe in the world
around them, and male critics
would not be at all surprised. nor
think that women were merely
boastful if they claimed some slight
superiority over men in this par
ticular fundamental literary prompt
ing.
Women Fitted For Work.
Even crusty male editor tacitly.
if not openly. admit that for some
newspaper positions, women are bet
ter fitted than men. The position
of society editor is in nearly every
instance filled by a woman. AS a
rule also. the editor of the woman's
page or section is a woman. Ere
quently the larger papers retain
special women writer's for club
news. book notices or reviews. criti-
cisms of moving pictures. cookery
articles. beauty hints. love matters
and the like. and not infrequently
woman reporter is retained to
write human interest stories full Of
what newspaper folk call sob
stuff" In these lines women admit
teddy excel.
Briefly. every piece of writing
is in it's theme and treatment, pre-
dominantly emotional or predomi-
nantly didac:ic. Experience has
shown that woman writer's. as a
class. are more at home and more
| successful, and are engaged in larg-
er numbers, in emotional writing.
Women Exert influence.
Right now women exert vastly
greater power over the press than
they are ware of. Newspapers know
that they must please the women OF
their city and neighbOrhood if they
are 10 live. For this reason. women
may have great influence in journal
ism without becoming newspaper
workers, either as employers or con-
tributors"
Concluding his talk. Prof. Cooney
said: Journalism is not, 10 my
mind, the place for the hard and
narrow man, nor the vain and self
ish woman. 1t should be the field
reserved for the knightly of the
race. for those who know and dare
TO lead-to lead courageously and
vigilantly, with little thought of self
and with great and kindly thought
of the multitudes who follow II
this conception be correct. Their
there is place for women in journal.
ism in far greater numbers than are
I found in the profession TODAY"