Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-08
| Just Between
Ourselves
By Philip II. Lovs..

Many new names have been ap-
pearfng In The Junior Star In re-
cent weeks. That. Of course, is be-
cause new correspondents are step
ping into the places left vacant by
"old" ones when they graduated
from high school last June.
Nearly every day brings . story,
article or poem from sons one
new to the J. s. and every week,
without exception, brings q parade
of boys and girls sent in by their
teachers Of Journalism or English
to inquire how one goes about be-
coming J. 8. correspondent.
Well, IS keep telling all who
come in, it's quite simple. Just write
q story, article or poem, and send 1t
In, along with your name, age, ad-
dress. telephone number and school.
II it's a good story. article or poem,
1t viii be published, and you may
receive a prize Of 81. And If it's a
story or an article, you will re-
ceive ]. s. reporters card, in adj
dition to the check.
What kind of contributions are
wanted?
Well, the only ironclad rule is
that they must be interesting.
Aside from that, the J. S. breaks
rules about as fast as any one
could make them. In other words.
1t doesn't place much stock in
rules.
Are you boy or girl Of not more
than high school age? That is, are
you still in high school or, If you're
working, are you 10 or under?
Then you're eligible to write for
the j. s.
The other day two high school
boys dropped in to ask about be-
coming j. s. correspondents. What
kind of stuff do you want?" one of
them asked. School news?"
mo, not school news" was the
answer. Not news-but features de-
veloped from news. For instance,
the junior class at your school gives
play. You could send in an item;
it would say that the juniors gave
their play, and members of the cast
were so-and-so, so-and-so, so-and-
SO and so-and-so. And nobody would
care a whoop except the few So
and-sos mentioned.
But suppose it happened that the
play was written by Susie Zilch, who
also played one of the leading roles
and, being a talented young artist,
painted the backdrops. Then you'd
have a grade A story-about Susie,
rather than about the play, but with
all the routine information thrown
in; in short, dull news item de-
veloped into a live feature"
Il see what you mean" the would
be correspondent replied. But
well, with no plays scheduled right
now, where can I find a story?"
Il notice you're carrying a cam
era" he was told. "Is photography
your hobby"
Eyes, it's my hobby and"-indi-
eating his companion-"George's,
too. George is doing all the picture
taking for the yearbook"
We'll, why not start with George
Write a story about his photo
graphic work-how he started It,
whether he develops and prints his
own pictures, whether he has won
any prizes or has made any money
with them. He ought to make a
good story"
So you can look for an interest
ing story about high school pho
tographer in an early issue of the
j. S. But that isn't the point; the
point is, there are stories - good
stories-all around you, If you'll Just
form the habit Of being on the
lookout for them. This chap, for
example, was walking around with
Ia story as companion and didn't
realize it, simply because he wasn't
thinking in story terms.
The truth Is, everybody Is a story.
II you can just recognize it. And
recognizing stories is q matter of
mental attitude: You've got to train
yourself to look at everybody and
everything with the thought, rs
there story in him?"
You'll be surprised how many
people will turn out to be walking
stories-good ones, too. And you'll
be able to buy lot more War Bonds
and Stamps with the dollars you win
in the j. S.
Try it, will you?
~