Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-21
Wonnen's
Clubs
Theta Sigma Phi
Issues Handbook
On Publicity
By Frances Lide
Womon's Club Editor.

No organization can expect very
much in the way of newspaper
space or radio time, unless it Is
doing something that is vital and
interesting to q substantial block
of the public.
Work with other organizations
but choose the cooperating
group with great care and beware
of becoming Communist sound
ing board.
If you are appearing in televis-
ion, give careful thought to your
clothes and accessories. For in
stance. if you wear hat. be sure
it doesn't obscure or cast shadows
on your face.
This is a sample of the range Of
advice contained in the Hand
book for Publicity Chairmen,"
just published by the National
Capital Chapter of Theta Sigma
Phi, honorary professional fra
ternity for women in journalism.
The copyrighted guide on pub
lie relations made its debut last
week at the publicity clinic"
sponsored by the fraternity in CO.
operation with American Univer-
sity.
GAS publicity chairman you may
have had the idea that your job
consists solely Of sending notices
and stories to the press" the
handbook states in an introduce
tory chapter. This Is a basic
part, but only one facet OF your
Job. Whether your title includes
the words public relations, or not,
the words, in their broadest i'm
MISUNDERSTANDING with the
public-are inherent in the job
which you must do for your Or
panization. = To interpret
your organization to the commu-
nifty you must know all possible
media to use, know all the tech
niques, the tricks of the trade, the
dos and don'ts."
From there. the handbook pro-
ceeds to give a painstaking. con-
else and detailed summary Of the
"dos" and "don'ts" Divided into
four sections, it covers the Scope
of Your job" and the respective
uses of the press, radio and other
media.
Although much Of the content
Is in a general vein, in that 1t
would apply to public relations
anywhere, the handbook is slanted
particularly, to publicity chairmen
of the Washington Metropolitan
Area.
Among its most useful features
are charts giving specific informa-
ton on the headlines. personnel
and requirements Of newspapers
and radio stations in Washington
and nearby Maryland and Vr-
ginia.
AS the handbook's authors see
1t. women have tremendous re-
sponsibility in these difficult
times responsibility that can
be met through organized effort.
With that premise in mind, they
give special attention to ways
and means of conducting CAM
paigns so they will attract the
widest possible public interest.
Concrete suggestions are Of
fered for creating news" Atten-
ton is called to such means OF
reaching the individual as flyers.
folders, pamphlets and direct
mail.
Editors will welcome the prac-
tical counsel on such matters as
the preparation Of press releases.
(The handbook points out that
what interests community paper
doesn't necessarily interest a met
ropolitan daily, although 1t adj
vises that neither medium should
be neglected0
Picture editors will be pleased
with the reminder that photogenic
subjects help make good photo
graph.
And the handbook even goes
into the matter of what the pub
licity chairman should do when
his or her group is In "hot water"
Mrs. Ellen Helton Young was
editor in chief Of the handbook
which is being made available to
the public by Theta Sigma Phi.
Her address is 1927 South Inge