Tuesday, June .7, 1960
Summer Nebraskan
Page 3
a Fight Every Day . . .
.Daily Nebraskan
tart to btardom
Heritage
Includes
NUGreats
By Jerry Petsche
Digested and Reprinted
From
The Nebraska Newspaper
There's a fight going on
down there every day," the
veteran observer of the Uni
versity of Nebraska campus
newspaper said.
Pressed for an explana
tion, he continued:
"Yes," he mused, "It's be
tween the pitfalls of inexper
ience and the struggling de
sire of youth to communicate
well."
The Daily Nebraskan is not
a large daily newspaper, nor
can it lay claim to being the
oldest in the state, nor is it
produced by the most adult
thinkers. It does, however,
have a heritage enviable by
the standards of great met
ropolitan, dailies as well as
our nation's finest weeklies
dedicated to community
service.
From the confines of its ed
itorial walls in the past have
clattered the typewriters of
Herbert BrowneQ Jr.
literary and journalistic gi
ants, statesmen and ambas
sadors. Now-Famens People Staf
The young people still clat
ter away searching for the
apt phrase, the expression
that will "stick," the meat of
an idea, and in their attempts
to find these, they hope to
find themselves. And if the
clattering echo of the Daily
Nebraskan's ancient type
writers could strike by-lines,
here is a sample of bow they
would read-
Wtfla Gather was one of
the Erst editors of the Hes
perian Student, a monthly
from which the Da'y Nebras
kan found its direct origin;
she won the Pulitzer Prize in
1922 and is going down in
history for her writing and
.observations of the American
immigrant.
Oorothr Canfield Fisher
was an editor about the same
time as Willa Cather; she be
came famous for her novel
' Bent Twig," and will be re
membered as an all-time Ne
braska literary great
The late Herbert John
ton, (a graduate at the turn
of the century) was the high
est paid cartoonist in his
business at the time he re
tired from the Saturday Eve
ning Post in 1541.
Internationally famous
Herbert Brownell Jr., former
U.S. Attorney General, was
a reporter for the newspaper
in 1920.
John Allison, a Daily Ne
braskan editor in the mid 20s,
has held high office in the
U.S. foreign service for 27
Jerry Petsche is a prize
winning poet and journalist.
His articles and poetry
have appeared in the sta
tion's leading publishing
magazines and literary
quarterlies. He is a 1958
graduate of the University
of Nebraska school of jour
nalism and is now a mem
ber of the public relations
staff at the University.
years, serving in Japan and
Indonesia. He is presently our
ambassador to Czechoslovak
la. A Few More Greats
Just as impressive is a list
of eminent men who have
turned to careers in journal
ism and who might well have
struck the keys of a type
writer for the first time in
earnest for the Daily Nebras-
an. Records show these men
were on the staff:
Eagene Robb, 1930 pub
lisher of the Albany, New
York, Times-Union;
Paul Zimmerman, 27,
sports editor, Los Angeles
Times:
BiU McGaffin, '32, Wash
ington bureau, Chicago Daily
News:
Herb Kelly, "28 editorial
page, Des Moines Register;
.Edward .Morrow, .27,
associate editor; Omaha
World-Herald;
Meter Haekler, "27, exe
cutive. Associated Press,
New York;
Jail us Frandsea, 27,
news editor, UPI, washing-
ton, D.C.;
Howard ADaway, '33, ed
itor, Popular Science Month
ly;
William McCleery, "31,
associate editor. Ladies
Home Journal;
Glenn Buck, Tt, publish
er, Nebraska Farmer;
Edward Stanley, "26, di
rector NBC, New York;
James McGaffin; "26,
news director, WOW-TV,
Omaha;
Robert J. Kelly, "Jl,
manager of public relations,
Chrysler and Imperial Com
pany, Allen Park, Michigan;
Burton Marvin. '35,
dean, William Allen White
School of Journalism, Univer
sity of Kansas, Lawrence.
List Goes On-and-On
The Nebraska weekly
newspaper field has its share
of former student staffers.
Included in the list of men
who wCl be remembered are
Fred R. Zimmer, a Cedar
county publisher who wrote
a bang-up sports column;
Jack Pollock, news editor of
the Sidney Telegraph, a for
mer student editor; and
George P. Miller Jr.. owner
of several newspapers in the
state.
There is no way of com
pletely separating history
and tradition from the pres
ent policy and operation of
the Daily Nebraskan, and be
fore we re vie v the mechanics
of operation, we should look
at the history.
Nebruku Started ia ISM
Early in the 1870s (the
University was founded in
IS3) several small pamph
lets appeared on the campus.
They were primarily outlets
for student literary expres
sion. Included in the list were
the Sombrero, Lasso and the
Hesperian Student The Hes
perian Student was owned by
a small group of students and
professors. Willa Cather and
Dorothy Canfield Fisher were
among the first contributors.
In 1332 the , Nebraskan (a
weekly) was founded. Even
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Here is a modern staff of the Daily Nebraskan in the quarters in the Student Union.
here the newspaper did not
completely break away from
its literary tradition. Poetry
and short stories appeared
frequently although the
greater portion of the news
paper was reserved for news.
Hesperian Takes Exception
Editorially, the Hesperian
Student and the Nebraskan
were at odds, battling each
other on the basis of what
the editors called "style and
literary excellence."
This kind of writing struck
the editorial and 1 i t e r a r y
nerves of both staffs and the
breach widened until . 1901,
when financial -difficulties
forced ' incorporation. The
Daily Nebraskan was begun
in that year and was pub
lished and owned by the Hes
perian Publishing Company,
a group of students and a
few professors.
Pub Board Comes Into Being
In 1906 the Board of Re
gents purchased the fledgling
operation which started with
a capital value of $1,500. Ac
cording to the newspaper's
own account, the University
received all editorial physical
property and what plant fa
cilities were owned by the
students and professors.
The Board of Regents then
appointed a group of men to
take the place of the Hes
perian Publishing Company
management. All student po
sitions were retained. Since
that iime a Senate Subcom
mittee on Student Publica
tions (referred to as the "Pub
Board") serves in a review
ing capacity. The board is
made up of five professors
and administrators and three
students selected by the stu
dent council from the sopho
more, junior and senior
classes.
Editorial Freedom
A few comments from Dr.
William E. HalL director of
the school of journalism and
a member of the subcommit
tee, will serve to' explain the
relationship between the Uni
versity and the Daily Nebras
kan where "editorial free-i
dom" is concerned:
"There is no editorial cen
sorship of material prepared
for the Daily Nebraskan. Stu
dents stand responsible for
what they write and print
Editorial freedom does not
mean editorial license to vi
olate commonly accepted can
ons of journalism. Student
editors recognize this and pat
tern their papers according
ly," he said. "This does not
mean panty-waist journal
ism; it means all sides get
fair editorial hearing. There
are no 'sacred cows' in the
campus community. The abil
ity of student editors to use
freedom constructively is per
haps as good a test of the ef
fectiveness of our education
al system as has yet been de
vised." First Dubbed "Riley's Rag"
Several long-time observers
of the Daily Nebraskan be
lieved the influence of the
school of journalism during
the past two years has had a
Ex-Editors Recall Old Troubles
And Offer Advice on Education
"That's the editorial that got me in trouble
with Phi Beta Kappa," Eugene Robb an
nounced Robb, now publisher of the Albany, N. Y.,
News-Times, and other former editors of
the Daily Nebraskan were reviewing old is
sues of the paper at the first Daily Nebras
kan Editors' luncheon Friday at the Uni
versity Cub.
The luncheon, arranged by Herb Probasco,
editor for the fall semester, was attended
primarily by editors from the Omaha and
Lincoln region.
Robb, graduate of 1930, said he wrote an
editorial denouncing the method of choos
ing members of Phi Beta Kappa. Ia view of
the different grading levels of the various
schools and colleges, he felt that grades
should not be the only consideration in nam
ing members. He said he also believed, and
still believes, that first semester college
grades reflect high school training more"
than ability and should not be used in se
lecting Phi Beta Kappas. Robb was named
to Phi Beta Kappa himself before the edi
torial was published.
and Cream, and for a semester the Rag had
two editors.
NU Bought Paper
It was also during McCaw's editorship
that the University Board of Regents bought
the Daily Nebraskan from the private cor
poration which owned it. Before University
ownership and University pay, McCaw said,
he was paid in stock.
The editors turned away from back issues
to discuss education as they knew It, and
education as they recommended it
' Herbert W. Potter, editor in 1909, was
most specific. Counseling, to him, is one of
the most important facets of the modern
University and the one most lacking when
he was here, he said. "I graduated and
hadn't the slightest idea what I was to do,"
he said.
In contrast E. E. Hines, editor in 1958
and now a University graduate stodent
recommended a fine arts curriculum as be
ing the most important part of a college
education today.
Dick Shugrue, also a 1958 editor, and a
law student, recommended history and
very sooenng ettect on uie
newspaper. Gone, they say,
is much triviality and the
tone of the periodic Rah,
Rah" sheets of a few years
ago. These observers believe
for the most part, that inter
pretive stories of depth and
quality are running at a high
er rate.
The operation of the "Rag"
(it was first dubbed "Riley's
Rag" in 1893 when a color
ful student, Frank T. Riley
was editor) has changed slow
ly during the past years.
The editor of the daily
changes each semester and a
general policy of ladder pro
motion based on experience
and ability prevails. Key posi
tions are filled by paid stu
dents. Salaries rauge from $35
per month for the editor to $35
per month for an experienced
reporter. More than nail ot
the staff, however, are not
paid.
Many of the students carry
normal scholastic loads. Key
staff members, including the
ediotr, usually carry less than
the average number of hours
per semester.
Several points should be re
viewed before outlining the
present business and editorial
operation of the newspaper:
The Daily Nebraskan is
a responsive ousiness noi
at all unlike the larger week
lies and smaller dailies in the
state;
Not a dime's worth of
tax money has been used to
subsidze operation of the stu
dent newspaper;
It is a self-supporting.
non-profit enterprise and both
advertising and subscription
revenue succeed in defraying
exoenses.
The newspaper's gross in
come figure runs about $35,000
per year at the present time.
The finances are audited un
der direction of W. C. Harper.
"Whea they read it" be said, "they, psychology as me most neipiui course r
wouldn't take tnv money. So I wrote an- students to take.
other one," this time denouncing them for
their treatment of him and their sensitivity,
"and tbea they took my money."
Another former editor with an even longer
memory was Sterling McCaw, editor emer
itus of the Norfolk News-Telegram, who
in 1901 was first editor o' Jie Daily Nebras
kan. Founding editor i ight be a better
term for him. During his editorship the
Daily Nebraskan merged with the Scarlet
'Laneuaee and English
Robert Schlater, 1942 editor, now with
KUOX-TV, highly recommends the study of
foreign languages.
English courses were most frequently
recommended by the former editors. Bell'
Farman, 1922 editor, w ho U now coordinator
of senior high school curriculum for the Lin
coln Public Schools, emphasized the "rich
background" offered by English courses.
73 . J!
Intra
Summer School Students Make a note to buy USED BOOKS and save this al
lows extra money for you to apply towards other expenses. Our ever-increasing
stock of USED BOOKS increases your opportunity to save. We also have an ample
stock of new books.
o o o e o o o o
q All ifems marked with
o yellow tog indicote o
reduced prictSo-o .
I
BLawJI
o
O
PICK A YELLOW TAG
fez BOOK STORE
VNHOP
ELF
VERV!CE
ri J 1 AND
VVAVE
director of student activity
funds, although the business
manager is primarily respon
sible for the continuing sol
vency of the newspaper.
The business manager of
the Daily Nebraskan will be
quick to point out that the
"Rag" serves as a vital link
between retailers and student
It is estimated that 8,000 stu
dents attending and families
visiting the University of Ne
braska each year spend near
ly $10 million in Lincoln.
When you walk into the of
fices of the Daily Nebras
kan you realize at once that
here is a group of young
journalists and businessmen
who mean business. They
are proud of their heritage
and traditions. They will be
first to admit that they've
made mistakes and will make
many more; they guard their
"freedom to speak and real
ize that the body of the Uni
versity is with them even if
it might not always agree
with their comment
'The Rag Spells Education'
Professional daily and
weekly newspapermen watch
the "Rag" for the trends in
the thinking of youth. It is
not uncommon to see an issue
discussed by the Daily Ne
braskan one day and see it
reported upon op editorial
ized upon the following day
by the Lincoln Journal, Lin
coln Star or Omaha World
Herald. You might call the Daily
Nebraska an institution with
in an institution. The inter
play between student and
professor, seller and buyer,
foreman and manager, re
porter and editor, the Univer
sity of Nebraska and the pub
he creats a world of men
tal activity all of its own
and spells education ia the
most vital way.'
8
- . .fur.
,.,.L...- '!j 't I
0
Keep It Cool!
Now that the sizzling days of sum- '
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culottes!
The woven plaid in polished cotton. Blue,
gold, brown, or green on white. Sizes 8 to 16.
Ik. 98
The needle point cotton pqtue in white or
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17J98
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Sfarlmear Street Floor