Repository: UIHistories Project: Sophograph - 1890 [PAGE 6]

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THE

SOPHOGRAPH.

THE COLLEGE BOY.

Here's to the lad of modest worth Esteemed most at his native hearth, Whose forward look and firm intent On culture of his mind are bent. He leaves the cot of memories dear. And unseen, drops a silent tear; Exiles himself from home and friends, For furth'rance of his cherished ends. Threadbare may be the coat he wears P e r h a p s his own meals he prepares Cheerless the place he calls his home— 'Twill brighter look in years to come. So to attain this one desire And kindle bright the living fire Does anything within his reach Will chore or tinker, write or teach. What if trials round him gather? What cares he for wind or weather? He little wiser e'er has grown Who never has misfortune known. Always appears that line sublime; " Not failure, but low aim is crime." With Hope his star and Faith his guide All obstacles he'll override. His aim—to make himself a man— This he may do if others can. Knows well the value of his work. And that it never pays to shirk. Thus, step by step, he fights his way, With cheerful spirit wins the day; And when at last hi- course- I ione, struggle o'er, the honors won, With pride he view he ordeal pi The discipline that e'er shall last, 'I knowledge gained, the pow ma<l<- known, H< ' himself alone. Now he anflun a higher ion, inee he han Gamed hi- ••ducation.

THE COLLEGE AND THE NEWSPAPER.

B U S I N E S S MAN, glancing over the columns of his favorite daily and sipping Lis morning coft'< seldom reflects that t h e sheet before him is a product of t h e highest degree of civilization and the out-growth of t h e complex demands of modern society. T h e public wishes to learn t h e history of t h e world for twenty-four h o u r s in as many minutes, and the fruit of t h a t demand i t h e daily newspaper. T h e nature-of news, accuracy of reports, and merit of editorials require for their p r e p a r a t i o n busiiu ability, sound judgment, a n d a trained mind. As t h e college is concerned only in t h e last, the value of a disciplined intellect shall b e herein most fully considered. I n other words, it is the p u r p o s e of the writer to discus t h e true province of colleges in the training of city newsp a p e r men, for in t h e metropolitan journalist is found t h e master in the profession. I n the outset it should be clearly understood that the qualifications of a successful journalist are so various a n d even antagonistic that all college learning is only a p r e p a r a t i o n r his duties, and

A

that journalism proper must oe learned in a newspaper office.

T h e first and indispensable requisite of a successful

journalist is known professionally as a "nose for news. It is a natural gift, which may by cultivation be raised

a l m o s t t o t h e rank of a sixth s e n s e , for t h e t r u e r e p o r t e r s c e n t s an item m u c h a s a b i r d - d o g s c e n t s h i s g a m e . B u t o t h e r qualifications a r e n e c e s s a r y t o t h e most complel s u c c e s s a n d one of t h e most d e s i r a b l e is a college e d u c a t i o n . T h e drill, which it affords in E n g l i s h c o m p o s i t i o n a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n in t h e u s e of l a n g u a g e e n a b l e t h e n e w s w r i t e r t o raise h i s work from t h e low level of petty