Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-12
maj. JOHN 6. COHEN
IS AWARDED DEGREE
BY WASHING

LEXINGTON, Va, June 10.-Com-
mencement exercises at Washington
and Lee university today were mark
ed by the awarding OF an honorary
LII. D. degree to Major John S.
Cohen, president and editor Of The
Atlanta Journal. who has taken a
prominent part in the movement to
re-estabhsh the Robert e. Lee Me-
mortal School OF Journalism as a
part of the institution.
Major Cohen was notified several
weeks ago of the action of the board
of trustees in comforting the degree
upon him and appeared in person to-
day to receive it. The university
has a custom which prohibits the
comforting of degrees unless those
to whom they are awarded appear
in person to receive them.
General Lee established the first
school IF journalism in America
when he came to Washington col
lege shortly after the close of the
Civil war, but eight years after his
death the poverty Of the institution
resulted in it's discontinuance, &C
cording to officials.
At the suggestion Of DR.. Henry
Louis Smith, president of Washing
ton and Lee, the Southern Newspa-
per Publishers association in 1921
assumed management of campaign
to re-establish the school of jour
nalism.
Is Named Chairman
Major Cohen was appointed chair
man of the committee to direct the
enterprise. In 1928, he reported to
the association that $3S, 900 had been
subscribed by the editors toward the
$50, 900 expected from them before
any public appeal should be made.
DR.. Smith, upon the invitation of
the association, delivered an address,
at the conclusion of which $4,000
additional was pledged by the edi-
tors.
During the past winter q number
of cities have been canvassed and
the total subscription now reaches
$4,000, said DIR. Smith.
Major Cohen was born in 1870, at
Augusta, Ga, the son of Phillip
Lawrence Cohen, who entered the
army at sixteen years of age and
surrendered with Lee at Appomat-
tic. Major Cohen Is a grandson of
Major General Ambrose Ransom
Wright, a distinguished Confederate
commander, lieutenant governor OF
Georgia and a member of congress.
The Atlanta editor received his
first newspaper training on the Au-
gusta Chronicle and at the age of
nineteen became a reporter on the
New York World
In 1890, he became identified with
the newspaper Of which he is now
president and editor. On the day the
Spanish-American war was declared,
Major Cohen sailed with the Ameri.
can fleet, under Admiral Bob Evans,
He witnessed the first capture of
enemy ships, wrote many news
stories and on the call for Volun-
teers returned to Georgia, where he
was commissioned first lieutenant
in the Third Georgia Volunteer In
fantry He was promoted to the
rank of major and served in the
army of occupation in Cuba at the
conclusion of the war
Serves in Washington
During the second administration
OF President Cleveland, Major Cohen
served as Washington correspondent
of The Journal and secretary to the
secretary Of the interior He took a
leading part in the establishment of
the national highway and also was
Influential in establishing an an
nual opera season in Atlanta. Ma
Jor Cohen, through his newspapers.
has taken an active interest in the
development OF Emory university
Oglethorpe university, Georgia Tech
and other educational institutions of
the south. He recently was elected
democratic national committeeman
for Georgia.
In speaking of the memorial
school of journalism, officials of the
institution said that such an enter
prise will accomplish p
three-fold purpose. 1t will raise a
more fitting monument than anv
pile OF lifeless marble, however
splendid and costly, to the memory
or General Lee; it will furnish to fI-
lure generations a much needed and
most fruitful nursery Of patriotic
leadership; and it will tend to M
lift and inspire the present south
by bringing this power and buster
generation into close contact for a
while with the ideal virtues of the
OLD south as embodied in the match
less character of Robert Edward
Lee, who, fifty years ago, sacrificed
his mortal life that his lifework
might thus become inopoor+a1