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THE HESPERIAN
I
they ask that courtesy and respect be laid
aside when the editorial pencil is taken up?
If so, The Hesperian is dead. But if not,
if we are correct in assuming that legitimate
literature will better suit the tastes of our
students than wild sensationalism and coarse
personalities will, we are very, very far
from dead.
THE KNACK OF WRITING PARODIES.
COLLEGE JOURNALISM.
The interviewer asked Prof. Adams what
he thought a college journal ought to be.
The professor sat a short time in thought,
and then said: "Well, it is hard to tell just
what a college publication ought to be.
There are different kinds of publications.
For instance, there is the paper which aims
to give college news and little else. Then
there is the paper which gives the news and
a certain kind of light literature, stories and
poems, the work of the students, and usually
of a humorous nature.
"These two seem to me to cover about all
the scope of college journalism. Then, of
course, may be added articles on college life
and affairs, and comments on current college
events.
"Of course it is possible to get out quite a
literary magazine, as for instance the Har
vard Magazine. The material for this is
supplied by the more advanced atudents and
the professors.
"I don't know but that it would be easier
to say what" a college paper should avoid
than what it should contain. One thing it
ought to guard strongly against is unpleasant
personalities. When they are good natured
they probably will not do any harm, but I
have seen them in our college publications
here where they must have hurt the feelings
of the one attacked, and were entirely out of
place."
The faculty of Colorado College have de
cided to give credit for all competent work
done on the college papers.
The title of this paper is "The Knack of
Writing Parodies," because it had to be. I
did not want to write about this; I wanted
to write about "The Art of Writing Poetry."
But the whole family objected. It always
seems as if you can't have your own way
very much when you are one of a family, es
pecially if you want to write poetry and the
famity don't think you'd better.
They argued with me about the title of
this in the most unanswerable way. They
said some cutting, sarcastic things about
poetry and me till I had to give up. I never
even think about poetry any more.
But I will not apologize for the paper. It
is better than the family could do, anyway.
So I will begin.
First, if you don't think you have the
knack of writing parodies don't try them.
It is much better to strike off on original
poetry. Then everybody can see at a glance
that it is original poetry and fight shy of it.
But if it starts)if like something they learned
when they were little, especially if the first
line is exactly like something they used to
know, then they expect something great and
are likely to swear. That would teach you
a lesson, of course, but it seems to me it is
better to learn the lesson in some way a lit
tle more pleasant.
Still, if you think you have some knack
for writing parodies I wanted to say "tal
ent," but the family objected again if you
really think you have the knack of writing
parodies, then perseverance is the first ea
sential. If you lack this you are likely to
quit after a couple of lines, and then the
family will say things uncomplimentary.
Besides, it is discouraging to quit a thing
after one has started. I have an uncle who
did this once, and it seemed to worry him
some. He tried a parody just at hap hazard.
The only poetry ho knew happened to be
Sunday school songs, so he picked out
a couple and went to work. First he
tried "Still there's more to follow." It
seemed promising, just to look at it. But
$
M
.
',"
