ADVICE TO YOUNG JOURNALISTS

[To the Editor of the SPEcmyron.] Sin,—You kinclly invite me to say a few words in answer to Mr. Walling of the Institute of Journalists. I am familiar with the resolutions passed by this and other bodies concerning schools of journalism, and I have replied to them upon various occasions. For the Institute, naturally, all journalists have great respect, but personally, I would have more if it had not proceeded to attack establishments with whose methods it is clearly unacquainted.

Mr. Walling reminds you of a resolution passed unanimously by this professional body in which we are told that no fellow or member is to be associated with any school of journalism, or with any other course of education in journalism which has not been approved by the council. What steps the council has taken to satisfy itself as to the merits or demerits of these courses, I really do not know. I certainly have never been approached, and therefore I feel that the Institute, being totally ignorant of our methods here, and of their results, should express neither approval nor disapproval of them until it has examined them. Such an examination has been invited by me ; in fact, it is the business a this school to invite investigation of the closest character, both as to the work that is done here, and the fruit of it. But I shall take leave to say that until the Institute has made some effort at investigation, its criticisms upon this establishment, at any rate, are worthless.

Let me say in the briefest words that we have now been established here for eight years ; that we have coached nearly 5.000 students, and that our work over these eight years has been attended by exactly four complaints. From the others we have received unnumbered letters of recognizance and approval. Our students have written and are writing practically for every great publication in this country, and for many abroad. We have foreign correspondents appointed by great newspapers in Europe, in the Far East, and in South America. One of the foremost posts on a great Sunday newspaper is held to-day by a student of the London School of Journalism. This year the editor of the greatest South African group of papers, himself a student of the school, decided that it would be to the enduring benefit of the young men connected with his staff, and of other young journalists in South Africa, if they were to take the course of journalism at this School. They have done so to the number of thirty-three. It is hardly possible for us to open a morning paper here, and not to find some contribution from a student.

So much for what is called professional journalism. Let me point out, however, that of every hundred students entering this establishment, not 5 per cent. are destined for jobs upon newspapers. Such jobs are not in the main desired by those who work with us. There are 50 per cent. of short-story students, and 45 per cent. of people who believe that they have something to say and are desirous to say it well. To assume, Sir, that the only people permitted self-expression should be those who are engaged at a weekly or yearly salary by daily newspapers, that the contents of our great journals should be supplied wholly by leader-writers, special reporters, musical and dramatic critics., and literary editors is an admis- sion that many might think laughable if it had not emanated from a representative institution. To say that you will confine all public and written utterances to salaried journalists is surely to go back to the days of the Whigs and the pillory.

As Lord Northcliffe said when we founded this School, there are thousands of people in this country who have some- thing new to tell us, and who should be encouraged to do so.

We exist largely to encourage those people. They are amateurs certainly, but why not ? Are there no amateur painters, amateur musicians ? If the literary world were closed to all but those who served an apprenticeship to it, what would have been the fate of W. W. Jacobs, Maurice Hewlett, Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and of many others engaged in a serious profession, but turning to ours because they were conscious of gifts ?

As the thing stands, the Institute of Journalists appeals to be all for a journalistic Fascism which would ruthlessly expel the views of any writer who did not draw a salary from a newspaper on a Friday morning. Happily, this particular

kind of unionism is impossible in this country. Many of the great weekly journals could not exist but for the free-lance %%Titer. The daily papers, I venture to say, would be a poorer thing without them, and if, Sir, people are to express their views and to tell us of things about which we do not know, surely it is good that they should be equipped for their task, and not fail in that elementary technique, the lack of which has prevented so many from obtaining publication.

The London School of Journalism exists to teach such technique to all who seek to do good work. Its students are best qualified to say how that task has been accomplished. I think that many hundreds of them would, upon request, respond to such an invitation.

That journalism is, for the moment, in a poor way, where

jobs are concerned, I admit readily. The fact is pointed out to many young men who come to me here with the idea of making journalism a whole-time profession. But while we are careful to tell these young men that they must be prepared to serve an apprenticeship upon a country paper before they can hope for a London job, while we point out to them that jobs to-day are exceedingly difficult to find, we must neverthe- less remember that journalism must go on, that it employs many thousands of men, that every year so many of these pass out of service, and must. be replaced by younger men. Therefore the proposed suppression of education where journalism is concerned would be a kind of trade suicide, of which I must assume that even the Institute would not approve.

Other professions, Sir, arc suffering with our own. Painting, I suppose, was never so poorly paid. The musical world is complaining bitterly, and there must be a glut of briefless barristers. I have yet to learn, however, that the Academy of Music has ceased to train musicians, that the schools at Burlington House are closed, or that the Benchers are refusing to call men to the Bar. We must carry on in the hope of better times, and we are carrying on here, even though but 5 per cent. of our students are seeking service in a newspaper office.

Let me sum up by asking Mr. Walling one question. Is not

this uninstructed objection to education—for that is what it comes to—is it not in the main due to the wholly unnecessary fear obsessing many professional journalists that men may be trained at this place who will supplant them in their jobs ? Let these faint hearts be reassured. The number.of men to be discovered with that particular kind of talent which makes fax success in regular newspaper work is, small indeed. Would

• that it were greater.

I see, Sir, that I have omitted to make any reference to the poem in Punch, but until Mr. Walling seemed to suggest it to me, I had been unaware that the proceedings of the Institute of Journalists were to be regarded as comic.—I am, Sir, &c., LAN PEMBERTON,

Director of Studies.

London School of Journalism, 110 Great Russell Street, London, W.C. 1.