The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-08-06
CHAS. A. DANA
CENTENARY
Today Tooth Anniversary of
Birth of Famous News
paper Man
HINSDALE, N. H,
HIS BIRTHPLACE
Started Life as Dry Goods Clerk i'll
Buffalo-Tried Brook Farm Life Be
fore Taking Up Newspaper Work -
Started Under Greeley.

NEW YORK, Aug 6.-This weeks spe
cial contribution toward making 1919 the
greatest centennial year on record is
the Tooth birthday anniversary of Charles
A. Dana, for many years editor of the
New York Sun and the man who is cred
tied with having created the profession
of journalism in America.
Mr.. Dana was born in the town of
Hinsdale, n. H., Aug. 6, 1919. He had
two winters in the country schools, and
at the age of IA was sent by his parents
10 Buffalo, where he became clerk in
his uncle's dry goods store. He mastered
the Latin grammar while clerking in the
store, and when Is years old resolved to
have an education. With his own saw
ings and with some help from relatives
he entered Harvard at the age of 81. His
eyesight having become impaired, he was
obliged to relinquish the college course at
| the end of the second year.
One year later he became member of
| the Brook Farm community at Roxbury,
| Mass For three years he remained at
| the experimental station, which was
\ started by devotees of transcendental
| philosophy. During his stay he took his
first lesson in journalism Associated
with Parke Goodwin and others, he con
Quoted weekly publication devoted to
| Fourieristic doctrines. Finally he severed
his connection with Brook Farm owing
| to his holding views which clashed with
those of the founders and to his conclu-
sion that social conditions were not to
be revolutionized by such community ex-
| periments.
| He went to Boston and assumed edi-
| torial charge of the Chronotype, which
was published by Elzur Wright He was
then % years old. He had improved his
time at Brook farm to add to his knowl
edge of the classics, and to begin the &C
QUESTION of that vast fund of cyclopediC
knowledge which became invaluable tc
him later
In lS47 he came to New York as re
porter on the Tribune at $40 a week He
became city editor. and in ls4S he spent
eight months in Europe as correspon
dent. Within two years Of his connec
ton with the paper Horace Greeley made
him managing editor of the Tribune H,
soon showed the strength of his charac
ter and Greeley placed great faith in him
During the time Mr. Dana was manag
ing editor of the Tribune he found tim
to lay out and compile the American Cy
clopedla. In connection with his frieno
! of Brook farm days. George Ripley, h
worked from 1853 until 1863 on the cvclo
pedia. The first edition, published il
1863 connrised sixteen volumes
: When Mr. Dana left the Tribune il
1862 he accepted subordinate position
T. in the war department at Washington IN
der the Lincoln administration. Sool
afterward he was made third assstan
secretary of war under Edwin NJ Star
ton. Dana went to the front and KEEP
Lincoln and Stanton posted as to tn
character Of the men who were condue'
i. ing operations and the meaning of event
: : as they appeared The qualities whic
8 made Dana good journalist made hir
4 vivid and accurate reporter of miltar
!. happenings President Lincoln once RI
!, ferred to him as "the eyes of the 30,
errmcnt at the 'front.'
Dana held a government position unit
( the end Of the war. In 1865 he went
:; Chicago to take editorial charge of til
| Republican, a new paper established an
: supported by a ring of Illinois politician
: and 6nanciers. The Republican. whic
was the first newspaper absolutely undo
a Mr.. Dana's control, did not succeed AT
t. or one year Dana abandoned Chicago an
y returned east.
. The Sun was purchased from Moses J
:. Beach III 1867 by a coterie of whic
< Charles A. Dana, William M. Evart
Y Marshall @. Roberts and Fred Conklir
5 were the principal members Before lor
the paper became a financial and pop
3; lar success. 1t pictured on every pae
. Dana's own powerful, cultivated, passio
n, ate self. The Sun was Mr. Dana NJ
Dana was the San He remained in cor
i plete control of the paper until his deaf
which occurred in 1897