What Training Is Necessary for Success in Journalism?
A college education is a help, of course, but it is not absolutely necessary in the journalistic profession. One who wishes to become a journalist may enter the newspaper field as a reporter at almost any time after he has had enough experience and general knowledge to make him well acquainted with a number of subjects and when, in addition to this, he has learned to write his thoughts in clear, forceful language. Certainly a grade education is necessary and some high school education is advisable for the beginner. More and more as the field of newspaper work enlarges and broadens a full four-year high school course is becoming essential. The best opportunities will more and more open up only to those of wide experience and knowledge. Toward this experience and knowledge a college education adds very much, particularly if the college education deals with the theory and methods of newspaper organization, as well as with practical training in reporting and in editing work. Whether the foundation education is gotten in the grade school, in the high school, or in college, one must have acquired somewhere along the line the ability to write correctly and briefly in language that can not be misunderstood. Much of the ability to do this comes from the practical school of experience. Much of it, however, can be given in schools. More and more the emphasis is being placed upon thorough preparation before entering the profession of journalism.
Once the college man in a newspaper office was thought of as a joke by others in the office. They sneered at his style. Two things have happened to change that feeling. In the first place college men are now trained in a simpler style of writing than they once were. In addition to that they now get more practical training than they once did. Besides this, so many college trained men have done well in journalism that newspaper men are beginning to see that their success is due largely to the college training. On many papers today one will find the staff made up very largely of college men. On many papers now when they are looking for a new man for the writing force they often look for a man with a college degree.
The first school of journalism in the world was started by Joseph Pulitzer in 1904 at Columbia University. In the words of its founder the purpose of this school was to raise the standard of newspaper work through better education of those who enter the profession. “I am deeply interested in the progress and elevation of journalism,” he wrote, “having spent my life in that profession, regarding it as a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its influence upon the minds and morals of people * * *. It will be the object of the college to make better journalists, who will make better newspapers, which will better serve the public. It will impart knowledge, not for its own sake, but to be used for the public service. It will try to develop character, but even that will be only a means to the one supreme end—the public good.”[12]
[12] Vocational Studies, School Ed., Teachers’ Auxiliary, No. 16, Collins Publicity Service, Philadelphia, Pa.
Since the beginning of the Pulitzer School of Journalism at Columbia University, about 20 colleges and universities have put in courses in journalism. One of the requirements for entering these courses is the full four years of high school work. The course, itself, ranges from courses of lectures by newspaper men to a complete course, four years in length, which usually leads to a bachelor of arts degree, or its equivalent. Instruction in journalism includes a study of the English language, literature, and composition, the work of the reporter and editorial writer, the methods of gathering news, the technique of newspaper making, the general management of papers, the history of journalism, together with general history, economics, sociology, psychology. Typewriting and often stenography are also required for graduation. The college work in journalism is accompanied by actual experience on papers, either college publications or papers published in the city or town in which the college is located. Students trained in such courses know how to write a story, how to get up a headline, and how to write editorials, and because of this fact men so trained get promotions in shorter periods of time than others.
For the benefit of those journalists who have not the chance to take the full college course, several phases of journalism are given in the summer schools of many colleges, and special courses in newspaper and magazine writing are given in evening schools. Such courses can be taken at the same time that one is employed on a newspaper.
It is clear, therefore, from the above, that more and more journalism calls for education and training before one begins actual work as a regular reporter on a paper.