JOURNALISM, SCHOOLS OF. Though at least one private school of journalism was founded in Great Britain before 1900 no wide or recognized movement towards journalistic educa tion was undertaken till after the World War. The year 1919 marked the establishment at London University of a course in journalism. Students of the course, which takes two years, must receive instruction in English composition and practical journalism and are given their choice of three subjects from such fields as the History and Development of Science, of Political Ideas, the Prin ciples of Criticism, Economics, Philosophy and Psychology.
There is also a course in journalism at Bristol University, and instruction is given by the London School of Journalism. The latter, a private body, was founded in 1919 at the inspiration of Lord Northcliffe and with the support of the chief newspaper proprietors. Instruction is largely by correspondence. (X.) In the United States.—Probably the first prominent advocate of schools of journalism was General Robert E. Lee. As president of Washington college (afterwards Washington and Lee univer sity) he began in 1869 some classes in journalism; but his death the following year and the general disfavour with which the idea was received resulted in their speedy discontinuance.
The idea of education for journalism was put on a different footing by the announcement in 1903 of Joseph Pulitzer's agree ment to give two million dollars to Columbia university for the foundation of a school of journalism. The suggestions he made are, in the main, still in force, not only in the Columbia school, which was opened in 1912, but in other schools.
In the meantime a beginning had been made elsewhere. In 1908 the Missouri school of journalism was established, equal in rank with the other schools of the university. At the universities of
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, courses of journalism were established. The •graduating classes in 1926-27 numbered nearly ',coo.
The strongest schools and departments of journalism were organized in the American Association of Schools and Depart ments of Journalism, which includes the following universities, schools being marked 5:--Missouri (5), Syracuse, Kansas State agricultural college, Indiana, Illinois (S), Kansas. Columbia (S), Northwestern (5), Oklahoma (S). Ohio (S), Oregon (S), Texas, Washington (S), Iowa (S), Montana (S), Nebraska (5), Wis consin (S), Minnesota, Louisiana and Michigan. Instruction in journalism in about 3o other universities might also be granted first class standing. In addition to these, journalism is taught in nearly 200 other colleges and universities, and in many high schools.
The university authorities have been somewhat divided from the beginning as to whether instruction in journalism should rest upon a high school education or upon four years of college. The general plan has been to require two years of college and to make the other two years required for the degree partly or wholly pro fessional in character. In all the schools and departments of journalism connected with the American Association of Schools and Departments of Journalism, courses are given in reporting, copy reading, editorial writing, feature writing, history of jour nalism, and the law of libel, varying from about half to nearly all of the student's total work. The other courses include psychology, socioldgy, political science, economics, history, literature, lan guages and similar subjects. ( J. W. CuN.)