Sunday, Janttary 21, 1940
Editorial Opinion
Comment
Bulletin
TTie DAILY NEBRASKAN
The School of Journalism
. . . and its b est interests
"Tin fttnetron of tht pt chronicler,
teacher and interpreter has become infinitely
more complex and more exacting in the past sev
enteen years. The range of Intelligence and
knowledge demanded of the men who write news
papers and those who direct these policies has
broadened tremendously. If that is true and in
my opinion it undoubtedly is no further argu
ment is needed for special training for a journal
istic career."
from a recent editorial In Chicago Times.
During the past six months those interested in
the welfare of the University of Nebraska have seen
many administrative and personnel changes. Within
the next several weeks, more will probably be an
nounced. In the wake of those changes came defi
nite improvements in the school of music, now a
part of the new college of fine arts, and the college
of "dentistry. Improvements remain to be made in
many other divisions. Among those divisions where
bettermen is sadly needed should be the school of
journalism, the accredited position of which has
been hanging in jeopardy for quite a while. Like
graduates of many other schools or colleges in the
university, its graduates leave with little, prepara
tion for the practical only a distorted concept of
high idealism, and a knowledge of background with
dubious value.
The idea that journalism can be taught has its
believers and non-believers in every field of actual
journalistic enterprise. There are those who say
much can be learned in schools in preparation for
a journalistic profession. There are others who
decry journalism as a profession and say the busi
ness can be learned only by spending years in
practical, actual experience. Here we should not
be concerned with the possibilities presented by
the latter argument. The very fact that Nebraska
has a school of journalism nestling among the
clouds of its curriculum gives proof that it recog
? nizes journalism as something like a profession
for which classroom teaching will fit the student.
; It is that classroom teaching, then, that needs the
improvement, the betterment.
Those close to the school of journalism will ad
mit that the department's status in the American
, Association of Schools and Departments of Journal
ism, an accrediting organization which seta up cer
tain high principles and standards for curricula of
a professional level, has been endangered. Thirty
one schools over the nation are so recognized. The
school does not rank as outstanding in the eyes of
the American Press Society's board of governors.
Those schools chosen by 'that society include those
; at the universities of Boston, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa,
Marquette, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North
western, Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, Syracuse,
Washington, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania State col
lege. Like other schools, too, it might easily be ac
cused of misrepresenting it actual facilities (such
as listing professors teaching one or two courses as
full-time faculty members) in order to maintain fa
vorable position in the accrediting organization.
A recent, well-needed addition to the univer
sity was a man who had spent four years in va
rious capacities on the university paper at Michi
gan, and whose father was in newspaper work at
Chicago. That man was Chancellor C. S. Boucher,
who recognized the need for improvement in the
school of journalism as quickly as those in other
departments. Though unconfirmed, it is our guess
that the survey now being taken by the Nebraska
Press association is a direct request of the chan
cellor who wishes tangible facts with which to
work. The survey, results of which will probably
be announced sometime early in March, was sent
to all newspapers in the state requesting their ad
vice on how the Nebraska, school of journalism
could be improved. It is not unlikely that the re
sults of that survey will coincide with the opin
ions of the great glut of students now in the
school.
Opinions of those students show definitely that
there is lack of actual experience offered, that there
is possibly lack of interest, at least to the point of
being inspirational, on the part of several faculty
members. Experience to journalism students could
easily be gotten in the publication of the DAILY
NEBRASKAN, but it has seemingly behooved no
member of the journalism staff to become aware of
those possibilities. It might be interesting here to
note that possibly one one member of the DAILY
taff next semester will be an enrollee of that
school. It is further interesting to note that most
students who have "made good" have done o be
cause of their work on the DAILY, not because of
bare training in the school.
Nebraska's school of journalism needs a place
ment bureau for the poorly-prepared graduates it
turns out. It needs more advanced courses, and
more courses dealing with the business manage
ment of papers. Most of all, it needs more faculty
members faculty members who arc decisive, who
have stamina, or whs have self-disclpiii;, the
requisites of any professional man. It is In need
of moii whs know their field nd who are able to
disseminate that knowledge to others. It needs an
"attitude" that will make students seek advice
and interest. Its more advanced courses must deal
with fields of political science, economics, and
history. Students are only as good as their pro
fessors. And as J. N. Darling, of the Des Moines
Register and Tribune says: "Journalists need bet
ter brains and deeper understanding." The Ne
braska school of journalism is sadly in need of
re-awakening.
No greater proof of this necessity is needed
than citation of the repute and quality of some of
its courses, this nation's press of today, and the
success attained by those graduates of other
schools where serious training has been provided.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OFFICIAL BULLETIN
This bulletin Is for the use of campus organizations, students and fac
ulty members. Announcements of meetinos or other notices for the bulletin
may be submitted at the NEBRASKAN office by 6 p. m. the day before pub
lication or at the registrar's office by 4 p. w. on week-days and 11 a. m.
on Saturday. Notices must be typed or legibly written and signed by some
one with the authority to have the notice published. The bulletin will ap
pear daily, except Monday and Saturday, on page two of the NEBRASKAN.
Wf TkwA.
1 RoiutdupL
Davis, Loos, Mahnkcn))
GI.EE CIXB SINGKRS.
Applications for tryonts for the univer
sity singers and the men's (lee dab may
be me this week at the oftlee of the
school of masle.
FACVl.TT SCHOLARSHIP I.ECTVRE.
Dr. Theodore A. Klessrlbaeh, department
of agronomy, will tflsrnss "The Mode ef
Agronomic Research" nt the Faculty
Scholarship lecture pro (tram today In
the t nion. The address will follow n din
ner to be held at 0:15 p. m. Dean O. J.
I'erpison la In charge.
wlH not be considered ant II Monday,
Feb. t.
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
Students may listen to the New York
Philharmonic OrrheMia broadcast this aft
ernoon In the faculty lounge of the I'nlon.
TOWNE CIXB.
The Towne club will meet at ft . m,
tomorrow ka Parlor A of the Inken.
TASSELS.
Tassrta wlH meet tomorraw it I ), n.
' hi Inloa SI3.
PHI ALPHA DELTA.
Phi Alpha Pell will meet tomorrow at
:S0 p. m. ha Parlor X of the Vnioa.
BVRNS LECTURE.
Ir. Whitesmith win lectwe on Robert
Burns at 4 p. an. tomorrow ka lma Par
lors X M Y.
UNION BOARD.
The Student Union board of raanagom
will meet Taesday at 1:3 p. m, la taw
faculty lounge.
SIGMA FT A CHI.
Sigma Eta Cht pledge wHI meet Tnea
day in I'nlon SOS at 1 p. m. Actives are
to meet la Union 313 at 7 p. m.
PHALANX.
Phalanx will meet Tore day at T:M f. av
ka I ntoa 316.
EVANGELICAL STUDENTS.
The l-raimc of Evangelical Students wMI
meet at 7 p. m. Tuesday in Union 31.
GAME LEADER CLUB.
Members of the Game leader dub w
meet lueaday evening.
IW CHOIR.
Y. W. Vesper ehatr wiH ami reWtte
Monday.
CORN COBS.
Corn Ctrt worker will meet Ed Dosek ka
the DAILY office trmarraw at S p. m.
SACRIFICE FOR WAR
If the European war suddenly breaks out with
increased intensity in the next few weeks, calling
for more sacrifices from the populace of the bel
ligerents, at least the British can't say that they
haven't been warned. Viscount Halifax, British for
eign minister, today prepared and called upon tlje
British public, in an address in London, "for greater
sacrifices than you have yet been called upon to
make."
This address follows closely upon the heels of
the Prime Minister's address of two weeks ago,
and restated precisely the same warning. The two
speeches were received by the public in very much
the same manner. In both cases the public was dis
appointed that more official news of the war and
its progress had not been forthcoming.
Both speeches were mainly an appeal to the
patriotism of the public, and were cheered lustily
when references were made to the might of the
British Empire.
Halifax answered no more definitely than Cham
berlain the vital issues that faced the cabinet. The
Hore-Belisha incident was ignored. The question of
how material aid would be supplied to Finland was
equally vague. The method that Britain h&a found
to render the German magnetic mines ineffective
was carefully concealed. The question of British
diplomacy in the Balkans, and particularly in Ru
mania, was not mentioned; neither was there any
declaration of any British offensive by air against
the German naval bases. Yet the speech was re
vealing for what it implied and for what it did not
precisely say.
In the first place, it showed that the British
were fearing a very severe attack by Germany in
the near future, and that they were making rapid
preparations to meet this. This is further corrobo
rated by reports seeping in from Belgium and Hol
land to the effect that German troop concentra
tions on their borders indicated a new movement
of some kind on the western front.
Second, recent events rather tend to prove that
the British blockade is being very keenly felt in
Germany.
Third, the speech today pleaded for united effort on
the part of all Britons in the sacrifices which such
an attack would need. It was a plea to forget party
lines, past blunders' and miscues of the government,
and pull with the government for a victory.
JAPAN'S COURTSHIP
Japan's predicted wooing of the United States
has begun. Last Wednesday the Japanese foreign
minister declared that Japanese-American relations
"must be normalized," and that in this connection
he was planning suitable measures to put in effect
on expiration of the Washington-abrogated American-Japanese
trade treaty which lapses Jan. 26.
Today an indication comes of what the first of
these "suitable measures" is to be. According to &
Tokio journal, the Japanese government next Wed
nesday will issue a decree providing for continua
tion of existing duties on American goods after that
date. Thus the Japanese hope to put the issues
squarely up to the United States. In the event that
our nation should take action of any type against
the Japanese, the island leaders will be able to
justify themselves before the home folks, by point
ing to the "hostile actions'' of the western power.
At first glance it would appear that it is the
hope of the Nipponese that the United States will
respond in, the same way and continue, at least
temporarily, the termi f th present agreement
The probability of such action is, however, ex
tremely slight.
Student Pulse . . .
Students and faculty member are invited
to write letter to this column. Letter should
not be longer than 300 icords and must be
signed.
Sociology majors clo
they get a square deal?
(FA. Note: Ii is likely that these letters
were prompted by reference several days
ago to jealous friction among members of
departments? They, at least, suggest this
great question: "Should advisers, who for
some reason doubt the abilities of some of
their colleagues, steer students toward
those courses because of certain curricula
requirements?)
To the Editor:
Do the university departments
exist for students or the faculty?
I am a senior with a major in
sociology. What chance do I have
for a job after four years of scrap
ing together enough money to go
to college? My professors tell me
that there are no chances of a job
unless I take from one to three
more years of college. Then I see
on the bulletin board the an
nouncement of a civil service ex
amination for a sociologist at
$2,000 a year. The requirements
are:
1. Four years of college and an
A. B. degree.
2. Twenty semester hours of so
ciology with six hours of rural so
ciology. After four years of college,
where am I? I have not been ad
vised to take any rural sociology
because the arts and science pro
fessors had to fill their classes.
Last year when I suggested taking
a course on ag campus I was told
that "it is not a worth while
course." Worth while? at least
to have a chance at a job? Per
haps it wasn't worth while to the
professor who had the job.
Would it not be worth while for
the sociology department to for
get a fascist sort of self suffici
ency to the extent of co-operating
with the ag college or any other
college which can help prepare its
students to make a living?
This letter may sound bitter but
bear in mind that it will do me no
good. I write it only in the hope
that those who are following m
may be better prepared.
Because I do not graduate I can
only sign this
X marks the sec senior o. tKa
spot.
To the Editor:
This letter pertains to all stu
dents majoring in sociology. As
a graduate of the university, with
a major in sociology, I recommend
that those students majoring in
that department include a few
hours of rural sociology in their
class schedule. I have found the
employment situation very acute)
for graduates from the university.
If I had been properly advised
to include a few hours of rural so
ciology in my sociology major X
would have readily found employ
ment in the social field. I hop
students in sociology will adhere
to this warning and include rural
sociology in their class schedule,
A Graduate,
Dale Meyer
Psychologists write paper
Dr. W. E. Walton of the depart
ment of psychology and R. W.
Bornemeier, who received his
master's degree from Nebraska in
1937, are authors of an article
"Color Discrimination in Rats,"
which is published in a recent
number of The Journal of Com
parative Psychology.
Ferguson asked to meet
Dean O. J. Ferguson of the col
lege of engineering has been in
vited by the president of the En
gineering Institute of Canada to
attend the annual dinnei Jf the
organization in Toronto Feb. 7.
Other engagements, however, pre
vent his attendance.
fh DailyMebmskan
0.cia Newspaper 0 Mart Than 7.000 Wee
THIRTV-MNTH YEAR
Offices Union Building
Day 2-7181, Night 2-7198, Journal 83338
Menibei Associated Collegiate Press, 193956
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AM DAILY anslrnea' editerist. are the eplnioa ml Its eiMars. Their views I
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