The Kansan.
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, JANUARY 20,1910
A
VOLUME VI.
A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
NEWSPAPER CONFERENCE TO MEET ANNUALLY.
Meeting at the University Yester day Was of Much Benefit to Schools of Journalism
Charman, Charles Moreau Harger of the University of Kansas.
The National Conference of Schools of Journalism was the outcome of the meeting of teachers in journalism departments of Western colleges and universities here yesterday. This first conference will be followed by annual meetings. The first officers are:
Secretary, Walter Williams of the University of Missouri.
Executive Committee, Willard G. Bleyer, University of Wisconsin; George E. Vincent, University of Chicago; C. V. Gregory, Iowa State College.
The next meeting will be held at Columbia, Mo., by invitation of Dean Williams of the University of Missouri.
These were the proceedings of the afternoon conference, and indications are for a wider interest in the teaching of journalism as a result of this meeting.
All the delegates present a yesterday's meeting showed great interest in the proceedings, and expressed themselves as favoring a permanent organization. Many expressed the belief that a number of schools of the middle West which were not represented at the meeting yesterday, would send delegates to the next meeting. The time of the next meeting was left to the chairman and secretary to decide.
The first national conference of schools of journalism, which met at the University yesterday. brought together a number of teachers of journalism and men engaged in newspaper work, for the purpose of discussing the work of the schools.
In addition to the University five schools had representatives present: The University of Missouri, represented by Dean Walter Williams and Professor Ross Kansas State Agricultural College, represented by J. D. Rickman; Iowa State Agricultural College, represented by Prof. C. V. Gregory; Ottawa University represented by Prof. E. R. Nichols; the College of Emporia, represented by Prof. H. R. Brower.
The out-of-town newspaper men present were Arthur Brisbane of the New York Journal, Henry J. Allen of the Wichita Beacon; W. A. White of the Emporia Gazette; Charles Sessions of the Kansas City Journal; and Wm. Sout'ern of the Independence, Mo., Examiner.
That part of the conference which was arranged for the entertainment of the general University public was marred by the failure of Arthur Brisbane, the principal speaker, to reach Law rence in time to make a talk in chapel.
Following the chapel exercises the real work of the conference began, with the reading of a paper on the organization of the school of journalism at the University of Missouri, read by Dean Williams. At the close of Dean Williams' paper, Prof. C. V. Gregory and Professor Ross made short talks and by the time they had finished Mr. Brisbane had arrived.
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It was nearly noon when Mr. Brisbane took the floor. He rushed through his speech at lightning speed. He spoke from notes and organized his talk as he went along. Those who heard him could see how it is easily possible for Mr. Brisbane to dictate his editorials into a phonograph at the rate of a thousand words every ten minutes, as he says he does. The talk was mainly a defense of "yellow journalism." Mr Brisbane gave his reasons for thinking it the best type of journalism. He got in a lot of matter, however, about his assigned subject, which was "Things a Journalism School Ought to Teach."
Luncheon at the Eldridge house followed, at which about thirty-five guests of the University were present. After the luncheon, Chancellor Strong called upon W.A. White, Prof.C.V. Gregory and Prof.E.R.Niebols for short talks.
The conference then adjourned to the hotel parlors. C.M.Harger presided. Prof.H.R.Brower discussed the faults of English teaching in the high schools. J.D.Rickman told how the newspaper work at K.S.A.C. was organized to turn out good printers. W.Y.Morgan, Dave Leahy, and Charles Sessions spoke commending in the highest terms the work of the schools of journalism The outcome of the discussion was the organization of the permanent conference which will hold annual meetings.
OH, YOU KIDS!
Senior Laws Are Going Back to High School Ways.
The 1910 law class is about to set a precedent through the fact that they are going to wear class pins. Frank Ford was appointed chairman of a committee to choose the design of the pin.
More Social Life.
BRISBANE ON JOURNALISM
The Masque club held a social meeting in Fraser hall last night. The pleasure of the evening were sketches given by a few of the members to entertain the rest. Another meeting will be held soon to elect new members.
Lydia Cook, a freshman in the College, went to her home in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday a ternon. She was taken sick Monday with tonsilitis.
SAYS IT IS GREATEST FIELD FOR USEFULNESS.
Newspaper Is to the Race What Language Is to the Individual.
In delivering his address before the newspaper conference yesterday, Arthur Brisbane spoke only from meagre notes and so rapidly that a stenographic report was out of the question. His manner was not at all that of the orator, but rather of the business man full of his subject, thoroughly sincere, and intent upon making his meaning vividly clear in the fewest possible words. He began by describing his own career as a newspaper man:
I have been a working newspaper man for twenty-six years. I began as a reporter on the New York Sun at $15 a week. I quit after a year and went to Europe. While I was there, the Sun asked me to take charge of its London bureau. I was then 20 years old. The offer was too good for a young man to turn down, so I accepted. I soon returned to New York and was night editor of the Sun. Later I went to the New York World. I am now an editorial writer for the Hearst papers.
I believe that newspaper work is the very best field for useful effort unless a man is fortunate enough to have the ability to develop some great industry. In a selfish world it is natural that the greatest rewards should attract the greatest men. Industrial development is the problem of the century. Next to that I believe comes newspaper work.
The first thing is to know what journalism is. If you should ask me to go into some enterprise here I should want you to define the enterprise. Journalism is to the human race what language is to the individual. You know that physical evolution stopped as soon as men could talk. Then began evolution inside of the brain. Speech made it possible for men to combine in the crowd. Just as a small group may meet on common ground through spoken words, so millions of people are brought together in the columns of a great newspaper. A man who has a newspaper can talk to his community or to his state, or in some cases to the whole nation and that certainly is important. The newspaper editorial column especially, but also the news columns holds a place in the nation today like that of the public square in Athens. One of the ancient Greeks said that if the nation ever got so big it would not get together and talk it would fall to pieces. And so it would. But men can meet just as well in the columns of a newspaper as in Madison Square Garden. Every day you can have five or six or
fifty millions of individuals thinking very nearly along the same lines. Mr. Rockefeller cannot increase the price of oil in the most remote district without having it known.
Socrates had the satisfaction talking to his judges very plainly but when it was over he had to take his poison and die. Instead of drinking the hembock himself, Mr. Hearst gives it to the other fellow. He publishes the Archbold letters and Senator Foraker goes off into Ohio to die politically. The man who is thinking of going into newspaper work is likely to compare it with the practice of law. I think that the study of law for an ambitions young American is entirely unworthy. I say so with entire respect to the great lawyers and the great American judges who are occupying the bench. A lawyer takes anybody's money to fight his little personal quarrel or his big quarrel. The corporation lawyer gets rich, but I do not think that he is to be envied. A newspaper man has the people for his client. A man goes into a lawyer's office and gives his fee and the lawyer takes the case. The newspaper man looks at the question from both sides and adopts the policy that suits him. In a matter of general interest he can represent his state or in a matter of more general interest, he can stand for a nation. I would a thousand times rather be a small newspaper man in some little town in Kansas making a fight to compel my representative in Congress to vote for an income tax than to be Mr. Choate going down to Washington to make a speech against the income tax and getting $100,000 for doing it.
I will mention two examples of powerful newspaper men today Joseph Pulitzer, the owner of the New York World is a very big man. I think, perhaps, he is the most powerful individual in the country. In my opinion he has been somewhat changed by becoming rich. Not that he is any less conscientious but that the world looks different to his since he got money. He has done some extraordinary things with his paper. During the Cleveland administration he did one thing that perhaps no other man could have done. He notified the government at Washington that it would be wrong to sell United States bonds for only a little above par. No notice was taken of his warning. He wrote again. Finally when it became evident that J. Pierpont Morgan was about to succeed in getting these securities, Pulitzer telephoned his banker to send one million dollars in gold to Washington and offer to buy the bonds at a reasonable price, many points higher than the price offered by Morgan. That settled it. Incidentally, too, Mr. Pulitzer made a big profit on his purchase, because the bonds were very valuable.
(Continued on page 3.)
HONOR BELONGS TO THE WOMEN
GENERAL MOVEMENT FOR A NEW SYSTEM.
Men's Council Met With Women and Joint Action Expected to Bring Results.
Although the real agitation for the introduction of the honor system in the University was begun only a short time ago the progress has been so rapid that indications are at present that the school will be placed upon that system of taking quizzes within a short time While the change may not come in time to affect the order of quizzes next month, there is a likelihood that it will alter matters in final quizzes next spring. The work thus far has been done almost entirely by the Women's Student council of he University. That body has been agitating a no-cheating quiz for some time. Last Tuesday night the Men's council also took up the crusade in a meeting with the council of women. Permanent committees, whose duty it shall be to push the movement, were appointed.
At the same time a joint committee was appointed to confer in the eliminating of all conflict in dates of University functions and to arrange a calendar of University affairs, giving as many events as possible definite annual dates. This calendar will be published in the catalog of the University next spring.
The committee on political reformation of the Men's council announced that within a short time it would be ready to present a final written report on existing evils and needed reformation. A thorough review of politics in all classes has been made and it is understood that the most urgent need for reform exists in freshman classes by which students enter the school for the first time. As a rule they have no conception of true politics and many evils are the result.
Kansas Day Banquet.
The annual Kansas Day banquet will be held at Topeka, January 29. All K. U. Republicans are invited to be present. A special feature of this year's program is that all state candidates for office are expected to make the announcement of their candidacy at this meeting. Mr. A. M. Ebright of the Law School has been chosen as a representative of K. U. Republicans. Plates must be reserved in advance. Those expecting to attend from K. U. are requested to notify Foster Cline or I. N. Williams on or before Monday, January 24.
Prof. Wileox will address the Greek Symposium on "A Trip to Greece," Thursday at 7:30 p. m.
Vesper services will be resumed, beginning next Sunday afternoon.
Senior Party, Ecke's Hall, January 28. 75c. One of each couple must be a Senior.