THE STUDY OF A SPECIALTY--GREAT ADVANTAGE FOLLOWS THE MASTERY OF TWO OR
THREE SUBJECTS
Now, if our ambitious young newspaper man intends to be the editor
of a sheet in a small city or a village, he should study every part
of the business in detail. But, if he means to remain on a big city
staff it will be to his advantage, after he has done general work for
two or three years, to decide what particular branch of the work he
prefers to follow and then bend effort toward that end. If he fancies
the writing of editorial articles, let him study the art of editorial
writing. If he aspires to executive work, such as is done by managing
and city editors, let him prepare accordingly. But, if he desires to
continue on the general writing staff he will find it very much to his
advantage--in connection with his general work--to study a specialty or
two. In the newspaper office the man who knows most about a given topic
is the man summoned to write on that topic. The expert on national
politics is sent to the national political conventions and the man
who knows most about finance must write the big stories of financial
moment--just as in football the best kicker is called on to kick the
goal.
Now, of newspaper specialties there is no end. Let yours be one in
which you will be interested, to master which will be a delight. One
young man of my acquaintance became fascinated with astronomy and he
studied it between times while working at his newspaper desk, mastered
it, became an authority on the subject, and was soon in demand as a
writer of astronomical articles and astronomical books.
Another young man became interested in geography and exploration until
he obtained intimate knowledge of the land and the seas that decorate
this fascinating old earth. His articles were soon in demand at
altitudinous rates. He hobnobs with explorers, directs in geographical
societies, superintends in the making of maps, delivers lectures and
writes constantly--and still the wonder grows that he can get so much
out of it.
Men who can write with authority on the subject of music are especially
welcome in newspaper offices, and a writer who knows engineering and
construction has a splendid specialty in these days of machinery,
enormous buildings and marvelous public works.
But, conspicuously above all other newspaper specialties let me put
politics, and next to politics in my opinion comes finance. In a
whimsical sense they may be said to go together, for do we not see
occasionally that politics has to be financed and that finance is at
the mercy of politics. Each in itself is highly important and together
they rule the world. Of politics there is no end--never has been--never
will be. Year in and year out its discussion fills more than one-half
of the editorial page. For centuries it has commanded the supreme
mental attention of statesmen and writers. It always furnishes the
great public issue, and here in America we all take part in it through
our right to vote and through our knowledge of the parties and the
issues and the men who represent them as set forth in the newspapers
which we all read. We might easily carry this suggestion to indefinite
lengths, proving by argument and by facts that a supreme knowledge of
this subject must be of greater usefulness to the newspaper writer than
any other specialty; and it may be added, in all truth, that no man can
become a really great editor without an intimate knowledge of politics.
Only a little less important to newspaper men as a special study is the
subject of finance. That melange of mystery called Wall Street we have
always with us. Its doings are deep and mysterious to the uninstructed,
but plain as a pancake to him who has studied them. The finances of the
nation always have had public attention. John Fiske, in his admirable
work called “The Critical Period of the American Republic,” has shown
how for eight or ten years after the Revolutionary War the young nation
was on the verge of destruction through inability to finance its
poverty. Since then we have had a dozen financial convulsions called
panics, each one followed by business depression and endless newspaper
discussions of causes and possible effects. Alway they must continue.
This particular study includes an enormous range of topics, including
the banking business and banking systems public and private at home and
abroad, international monetary systems, foreign exchange, gold exports
and imports, tariff imposition, currency systems, commercial credits,
problems of transportation, the financing of great undertakings through
the issue of stocks and bonds, the buying and selling of our enormous
agricultural product as well as the product of our factories--and many
other kindred topics which contribute to the live news of the day and
afford important subjects for editorial comment.
The principles of finance are given in various textbooks, but their
practical application can be made only through knowledge of causes
which change from day to day and which are recorded in current
publications. The same may be said of the politics of the day.
Almost all young men like to write about sporting contests because
they are interested and because they enjoy seeing the game. The public
demand for superior sporting news has compelled the printing of from
one to three pages of it daily, and the good sporting writer is usually
in demand. It is not difficult to catch the knack of writing for the
sporting page, but thorough technical knowledge is required. Interest
in sporting contests seems to be increasing of late years. They must
for a long time to come consume much newspaper space.
Also, young writers usually are ambitious to pen theatrical criticism.
They are interested in the theaters and like to attend them. But this
work is given to men of experience, as a rule. The field is limited,
the number of dramatic critics required is very few, and for various
reasons the post when attained is of precarious permanency.
The writing of book reviews is commonly an early ambition of the
college graduate especially. It fascinates with its promise of literary
research under the soft glow of the student lamp, the welcome warmth of
the cushion study chair, and the silent inspiration of dusky volumes
on the library shelves. And delightfully clean and interesting work it
is, to be sure, well worthy any student’s quest. Many newspapers print
a literary supplement once a week and it busies many pens. Usually it
is under the direction of an editor whose exclusive task is to provide
the matter for its columns. A large proportion of the new books sent
for review are given out to members of the editorial or writing staff
whose attention to them is in the nature of extra work; but some are
sent to persons outside the office. The labors of the literary editor
of a big city journal are constant and exacting for nearly every
book published is sent to him and they are numbered in thousands. He
has to provide for special articles on literary topics, also, for
answers to correspondents, and he has to prepare for printing proper
announcements of forthcoming publications which he sifts from a mass of
matter furnished by publishers. Very many books are sent to the daily
newspapers in the smaller cities, attention to which is usually divided
among various members of the staff.
The general writer on a staff seldom acquires more than a general
knowledge of the topic he is writing of; the specialist has expert
knowledge, and often it is sought to his very great advantage by
business or other outside interests. In these hustling times the expert
in almost any line of study finds himself in demand.