Page:The Newspaper and the Historian.djvu/525

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the University of Heidelberg , — the first of the kind ever delivered in any German university .62 The work at Lille, it is interesting to note, dealt with the press rather more than with the technical side of journalism and included courses on the great journalists of

England, the press laws of France , and the history of the French press, including also the practical duties of a journalist. The commentofa French writer was: “ The Americanshave established a school for journalists — the thing is possible with their concep tion of a journal - . . . Days, Months and Years, however, will

pass before this dream materializes (in France ].” 63 But a great cosmopolitan journalist had already gone far be yond anything as yet suggested in America in advocating a

national school of journalism in every country. De Blowitz outlined a long and extensive course for the training of journal ists in the highest sense of the word, — not simply seekers after news, butmen with breadth of view and depth of knowledge. He

then urged the establishment in every capital of a paper to be called The Judge and a federation of all national schools of journalism . “ It would in the end,” he says, “ succeed in forming, with the help of The Judge in other countries, a universal justice, to redress all errors , to chastise bad faith , to make public opinion

more wholesomeand sane,and by the high and impartial severity of its judgments, it would force those who enjoy the terrible and responsible honour of holding the pen , to remember their duty as

well as their interest, and to bow before an enlightened public opinion , at last protected against the poison which was formerly

poured out for it.” 64

British writers have been less enthusiastic both as to the theo retical importance and the practical value of such schools.

Goldwin Smith in writing of the proposal to found a college for the training of journalists finds it “ doubtful whether the pro 62 E . P. Oberholtzer , “ Courses in Politics and Journalism at Lille," Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, September , 1896 , 8 : (342) - (349) .

One course of six lectures was given by M . E . Tavernier on “ The Duties and Practice of Journalism ." These lectures, probably somewhat extended ,

have been published under the title Du Journalisme, 1902. 63 Ib ., p . (347) .

64 H . de Blowitz , “ Journalism as a Profession,” Contemporary Review , January, 1893, 63: 37-46.