Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-24
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
!. C. M.

!. C. M.
AN INTRODUCTION TO JOURNAL
ISM. Edited by Lawrence Murphy.
School Of Journalism, University OF
Illinois. New York: Thomas Nell
son & Sons.
Not till yesterday. or thereabout, was
journalism as scholastic pursuit admit
ted to college or university. Even then,
no overwarmth Of welcome met 1t at
the door, And, save for exception here
and there, no adequate preparation for
its full usefulness was made.
Formalized education has, as q rule,
looked down upon the newspaper as a
medium distinctly unsuited to its own
general outlook and specific purposes
A parvenu Of the press, that daily sheet
hurrytng along with its overload of
news, jumbled fact and no fact, gossip,
scandal, sensation--much Of it due for
revision or plain denial with the sue
ceeding issue. A menace to clear think
ing, all this, education said. A barrier
to sound judgments. A perverter Of
good taste In the intellectual field.
Yet, and in despite Of such GOODNESS
Of regard from professional stand
point, the newspaper has held its own.
Decidedly has held its own and has,
along with education Itself, 1t stands
as one Of the two great forces in mod
ern life. The schools and the press
are paramount. The first provides the
mechanics Of reading. The second ex-
cites taste for 1t. If that taste seems
to the schoolman to be a perverted
one, it is just possible that he himself
Is In a measure accountable.
For a newspaper is primarily mer-
chandise, thing to be sold. What
ever lofty purpose may lie concealed
within its distribution, the basic de-
mand is that 1t be distributed. SO 1t
dresses itself for such adventure. It's
first page may shout aloud. But that
is to call attention, keen and wide. Its
headlines may jostle and crowd-that,
too, is for public reach. And If edu-
cation deploreS the general concern
over trivial and foolish things-why,
education had its chance in shaping
public taste, certainly in this great land
where boy and girl must be educated.
according to the law Of the land. Just
another one of those pesky and often
disconcerting circles that are forever
swinging human affairs into the great
circulatory system of the spheres them
selves.
Somewhat tardiiy, therefore, college
and university began to take notice OF
the newspaper as reviving material for
that academic sluggard, English and
composition" Nowadays, 1t is not alto
gether uncommon to fnd the daily
sheet figuring in the company Of classic
shades of literature and other Sacro-
sanct relics of recognized learning.
(Some day that news issue will drift
down to teach the beginnings OF arith-
metic, to contribute prideful later read
ings, to offer current events properly
tied to their causes and probable re-
satisfactory in the making-to en-
body stories about nature and human
nature. This phase Of the matter is yet,
however, generally in the ofnng) What
counts is that journalism has, finally,
broken into the school house.
Meanwhile the newspaper had itself
become school. Take at random list
of outstanding current writer's. Novel
lists, political analysts, financial experts,
travel recorders, adventures, interna-
tional authorities-al highly competent
and eagerly accepted. The majority Of
these began as reporters. Police Court,
political campaign, social TODD, &C.
lebrity to take into account, markets
and shops-the whole whatnot OF
news to be gathered and set out in
pith and point and picture-an this the
school Of the newspaper in which these
up the news, just putting the news
across-big schools
To round this indubitable fact, "the
School of the Newspaper" into concrete
proof and striking panoramic effect,
suppose you take up this book, AN
to Journalism" Its editor
holds the truly promising place, "di-
rector of school Of journalism" in q
Primarily, to place his work
In advantageous projection, one as
sumes, he offers this outlook upon the
growth of Journalism. Here Is q de-
velopment, out of itself, so to speak
like the spinning of the silk worm, Ike
the growth of the plant. Determine
ton and genius, enterprise and ability,
an inner sense Of the vital Importance
Of the press in a democratic govern
convictions and urgencieS
into this great man and that
one have, along the years OF Americas
growth, produced that amazing extern
sion course of institutional learning,
the American newspaper. Produced, be-
sides. the enviable career Of Journalism.
the happy and adventurous lot OF the
Ideal newspaper writer.
First, this is an orderly book. A
priceless quality for any undertaking
as Heaven itself long ago found out.
We pay too scant tribute TO that 1act
Of order as the prime essential TO un-
any subject. But here 1t
is. Four parts serve to set out the
survey Of this writer. Three
of these offer views Of the subject IN
hand. advance opinions upon it from
MANY a high source Of experience and
forecast. The fourth part
stands the reader beside workers In
specialized departments Of the Aeld as
a wholo
Hardly a book at all in its effect.
Rather a company of experts, the most
Of whom are well known to readers,
talking freely and earnestly on the
subject which each has worked into the
blood and brain Of his own profess
sional life. Immediate, personal, alive |
IS this study.
AS whole It repictures the fabulous |
growth of the press. the story goes |
pack, briefly, to sketch the early effort |
toward making the newspaper. A
hing to smile at now, those first ap- !
oearances. But the smile Is very |
grateful one. For out Of those old little |
sheets grew, finally, the Giant who each |
lay benignly leaves my paper" at the |
ioor. And from 1t speedily line up |
With the wide world itself in its inter-
ests and enterprises. Magic - nothing !
short.
The bulk Of this study, however, is
If current quality, contemporaneous in
spirit, immediate in its sense of per-
;onality, in its forelooking attitude
and intent. Only enough of historic /
substance to outline the present and
20 define the future.
The table of contents reads like
rood story-that is, it does If you are
old to the newspaper idea as the most
If us are. Picking pretty much at ram
i. E;Ya