Columns of Thought

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INSIDE JOURNALISM

Volume 1, Issue 8 Columns of Thought

Good Listening, Good Reporting, Good Arguments Make for a Good Post Columnist

Who’s Who? See Page 3

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Composing Columns KidsPost Article: “It’s His Opinion” In the Know The INSIDE Journalism curriculum guide provides information and resources Column: A signed article o f opinion that can be used on many grade levels and in many subject areas. Here are a few or strong per sonal expression, suggestions for using the material in this guide. frequently by an expert or authority, tha t appe ar s regularly in a publica tion Columnist: Writer who provides T hink about Columnists believe it.” Have students locate a c omment ary on lives, lifestyles and Distinguish news from editorial column in today’s Post. Who is the issues from column writing. This issue columnist? Where is it? After reading Comment ary: Explana tions and of INSIDE Journalism focuses on the column, have them write a note to interpret a tions; per sonal narra tive column writing and newspaper the columnist. Fe a ture: P rominent or special article, columnists, so-called because they “Either way, good or bad, hugs or story or series in a newsp aper or write articles called columns. Unlike heckles, this is the best thing about periodical; ma y be tied to news or o f a good reporter, who tries to hide his being a columnist. With your actions, human interest personality, the good columnist often there is a corresponding reaction,” L ede: The opening line or p aragraph o f tries to become a personality. wrote Bill Plaschke, a Los Angeles a news article, editorial or fe a ture In that way, a columnist can help Times sports columnist. “It is a R eview: Article written to evalua te and give a newspaper its character and constant, ever-changing public report to determine the worth o f a product make it more interesting for readers. card that slowly teaches the columnist (for ex ample: movie, television At a large newspaper such as The not just about his community, but program, book, music, rest aurant) Post, there’s a columnist for almost about himself. It is evidence that Syndica ted: The work o f writer s every topic you can imagine in most people are being touched. It is the handled by or ganiza tions tha t sell the sections. In KidsPost, Fred Bowen feedback that us crazy journalists writer s’ work to various news media writes a weekly column on sports. seek most, from the people who whether it is print or bro adcast matter most.” Share Use “The Columnist Connection” Meet the Columnist tell which are from columns? with older students. This column by Marc Fisher has worked at The Post Among the examples given is one The Post Ombudsman Michael Getler for almost 20 years. In 2000, he began from Michael Kelly. A gifted writer relates how columnists fulfill the his column that appears in the Metro and editor, Michael Kelly will be need of newspapers “to connect with section. Give students “Meet the posthumously named “Columnist readers and communities.” (For more Columnist.” of the Year” at the 2003 National on the ombudsman, read “Now You Society of Newspaper Columnists Are in the Know” curriculum guide.) L e arn About L edes (NSNC) conference. Kelly, who was Give students “Parts of Speech at syndicated by the Washington Post F ind a Column the Beginning.” You may need to Writers Group, died in Iraq April 3 You can tell a column from other review the parts of speech before while embedded with the Army’s articles in several ways. All have the giving this assignment. If students 3rd Infantry Division. Scheduled name of the author in larger type at cannot find examples from The Post, to receive the honor on her son’s the top. (Making their names bigger ask them to write their own ledes, behalf is “Family Almanac” writer than reporters’ bylines is part of that beginning with the correct part of Marguerite Kelly, a syndicated “becoming a personality” idea). Most speech. columnist in her own right. express the personal opinions of the Older students should be given For explanations on the categories author. Some use the third person; “Take the Lede.” The page reference and more examples go to http:// others use the word “I”—as in “I tells students in which section of the library.thinkquest.org/50084/write/ think it,” “I believe it” and “I can’t paper each lede was printed. Can they takelead.html

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Meet K a tharine Graham and political commentary, how-to). R esourc es Give students “Finding One’s Enrichment Voice: Katharine Graham.” 1. Get to know the work of On the Web This provides students with an one columnist. Select one of The ➤ http://library.thinkquest.org/50084/ introduction to the remarkable Washington Post columnists. Read index.shtml wo m a n w h o wa s p u b l i s h e r o f T h e five or more columns written by Only a Ma t ter o f Opinion? Wa s h i n g t o n Po s t, 1 9 6 3 - 2 0 0 1 . O l d e r him or her. Write a short paper: “Columns and Commentary,” section of s t u d e n t s s h o u l d b e e n c o u ra ge d What do you learn about the Web site prepared by teachers, provides t o re a d K a t h a r i n e G ra h a m ’s world or your community from how-to, types of columns, columnists, Pe rs o n a l H i s t o r y. Yo u m ay w i s h this columnist? What is her or models and lesson plans. Also visit t o p l ay p o r t i o n s o f t h e a u d i o b o o k his point of view? How well did the “Art of Writing” section for more i n w h i c h M rs . G ra h a m re a d s the columnist convey his or her examples of ledes. f ro m h e r m e m o i r. A n ex c el l e n t narrative? Do you agree or disagree ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- c o m p a n i o n t o h e r m e m o i r i s t h a t with the opinions expressed? dyn/opinion/columns/?nav=hptoc o f Be n ja m i n B ra d l e e , A Good 2. “Washington Post timeline, Washington Post Columns Life: Newspapering and Other 1963-1976” and “A Changing Adventures. Community, A Changing Role” may A collection of regular contributors and be used to stimulate discussion of columns organized by sections of The T hink About Freedom o f R eligion the time period in print and at The Post. Those by Marc Fisher are included. Re a d “ Yo u a n d Yo u r R i g h t s : Post. ➤ http://www.asne.org/ Rel i g i o u s Fre e d o m a n d To l e ra n c e ” ANS WERS: Parts of Speech at index.cfm?id=1469 fo r b a c kg ro u n d . P re s e n t t h e C a s e the Beginning:1. verb; 2. pronoun; ASNE Awar ds S t u d y t o s t u d e n t s a n d g i ve t h e 3. indefinite pronoun used as an Read sample works of winners in h o m ewo rk a s s i g n m e n t. “ W h a t adjective; 4. proper noun; 5. article commentary and seven other categories. Wo u l d Yo u D o ? ” i s p rov i d e d fo r followed by an adjective, explain ➤ http://www.spj.org/awards_sdx_ yo u n ge r s t u d e n t s . how hyphenated words create an gallery/01_col.asp adjective; 6. preposition; 7. noun. Society o f P ro fessional Journalists Write Award winners in annual contest include Columnists should inform and “It’s His Opinion” can be found at general and sports columns. entertain readers. Columnists http://www.washingtonpost.com/ ➤ http://www.columnists.com/ express their opinions, but also wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/ include news, interviews and A51164-2003Apr28.html. Na tional Society o f Newsp aper Columnists research. Columnists should make “The Best Approach for Kids Find code of ethics, commentary, hall of readers laugh, cry, think and care. Is Not Child’s Play,” a column by fame, books and links. Give students “How to Write a Marc Fisher, can be found at http: Column.” //www.washingtonpost.com/wp- IN PRINT Ask students to write a column. dyn/education/kidspost/nie/ Monica McCabe Car doza. You Can Write a They might write MY VIEW A51166-2003Apr28.html. Column. (or name their own columns) in For focus to closing graph, how to write timely, response to the “You and Your ON THE C OVER engaging piec es. From the top, left to right: S tephen Rights” material or to what Fisher John B . K achub a, editor. How to Write Funny. Barr, Federal Diary; Thomas Bos well, wrote in his KidsPost-only column, Ex amples and interviews with the likes o f D a ve “The Best Approach for Kids Is sport s; Nora Boust any, Foreign; Donna Barry, Tom Bodett and R oy Blount. How to add Not Child’s Play.” You might use Britt, Metro; Warren Brown, automo tive; humor to c olumns, short stories and dialogue. material from the “Only a Matter Sally Jenkins, sport s; Tony Kornheiser, of Opinion?” The Web site includes sport s; Bob L evey, Metro; Courtland Campbell B . Titchener. R eviewing the Art s. information on different types of Milloy, Metro; Tom Shales, S tyle; How to write reviews o f f ilm, television, drama, columns (including review, social Michelle Singlet ary, Color o f Money music and danc e.

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Ho w is a wr iting a column diff erent an d that ha p pe n ed twice—o n ce fo r from wr iting ne w s st or ies? a column criticizin g anti-Wo rl d Bank Writin g a column i s like writin g d e m o n s trato rs, an d o n ce w h e n I a n ews articl e in that I am te llin g d e fe n d ed so m e V irginia high sch ool a s to ry a bo ut so m e thin g that’s s tud e nts w h o we re e xpe ll ed fo r ha p pe n ed, so m e thin g that te lls u s p ullin g a se nio r p rank. a bo ut h ow we li ve an d w hy we be have Do readers ever ge t mad at you? as we d o. But it’s diffe re nt becau se I Man, d o th ey. I’ve bee n accu sed am p rese ntin g a point o f view —I’m Meet the Columnist o f be in g a fasci s t, a co mm uni s t, a te llin g th e read e r w hat I think a bo ut hate m o n ge r. An gry read e rs attack m e thi s s to ry. That so un d s eas ie r than Metro’s Marc Fisher fo r m y politics, race , faith, an d a ge . n ews re po rtin g becau se I can j u s t say But m os t read e rs w h o write in j u s t w hat’s o n m y min d, b ut it’s actuall y th e s tree t l eve l—an d column s reall y want to kee p th e d e b ate goin g , an d har d e r becau se I have to gi ve read e rs o nl y wo rk if th e write r takes yo u that’s o n e o f th e m os t sati sfyin g parts a reaso n to care a bo ut m y o p inio n. so m e p lace yo u have n’t bee n. o f writin g a column. What can you do as a columnist that Ho w did you ge t t o be a columnist? Do you pre tty much ge t t o sa y what “regular” report ers can ’ t do? I was a n ews re po rte r an d feature you w ant, including opinions? Th e great thin g a bo ut writin g a write r fo r 18 y ears be fo re I wrote m y No o n e at th e Pos t has eve r column i s that I can l e t th e n ews firs t column s, in th e Pos t Ma gazin e . res tricted m e fro m sayin g an ythin g in d ecid e w hat I write a bo ut, o r I can Th e edito r o f th e Pos t’s M e tro sectio n th e column. My edito r will so m e tim es j u s t foll ow m y inte res ts. An d if I want liked m y Ma gazin e column an d as ked say that a column wasn’t o n e o f m y to be funn y o r eve n s ill y, I can d o m e if I wo ul d be willin g to make th e be tte r o n es—an d so m e tim es h e ’s that. s witch—s h e didn’t kn ow it, b ut s h e right —b ut h e wo ul d n eve r kill a For e x ample? was o ffe rin g m e th e o n e j o b I’d al ways column becau se o f a pos itio n I took. wanted. I can walk d own K S tree t wearin g Which wr it ers do you admire mo st? Where do you ge t your ideas? a gas mas k to see h ow peo p l e will I grew u p in New Yo rk C ity readin g react. Re po rte rs can d o s tran ge Column s are eve ryw h e re—in m y great n ews pa pe r columni s ts s u ch s tunts too—I o n ce p ut o n a w hite dail y life , in m y kid s’ co nve rsatio n s, as J imm y Breslin, Pe te Hamill, Red la b coat an d se t u p a ta b l e o uts id e in e-mails fro m read e rs, in hall way Smith an d Ira Be rkow. My firs t j o b th e Pos t b uil din g , w h e re I as ked chats with Pos t re po rte rs, in an gry o r was in Miami, w h e re I wo rked with passe rs b y to tas te ta p wate r, bottl ed p l easant calls fro m th e peo p l e I write columni s ts C harlie Whited, w h o wate r an d s wimmin g pool wate r to a bo ut. wrote s ix column s a wee k an d kn ew see j u s t h ow bad D.C. wate r was. Ho w o ft en does your column run? eve ry b l ock in town; Carl Hiaase n, (Peo p l e liked th e pool wate r bes t — w h o pe rfected th e art o f s peakin g se rio u sl y !) It’s eas ie r fo r columni s ts to My u s ual sch edul e i s Tu esdays, truth to powe r ; an d D ave Barry, be a littl e wacky. Thursdays an d alte rnate Sun days, b ut w h o kn ows that tru e s to ries are What’s fun about being a columnist? I’m o n a slightl y redu ced sch edul e fo r m u ch m o re fantas tic than fictio n. a few m o nth s w hil e I wo rk o n a book. It gi ves m e an e xcu se to go Th e write rs I admire are th ose w h o an yw h e re , as k an yo n e an ythin g , an d Do you hear from readers much? see th e wo rl d with th e ir own clarity th e n write w hateve r I think a bo ut It d e pe n d s o n th e to p ic an d h ow an d li s te n cl ose l y to th e m u s ic o f th e w hat th ey’re d oin g with th e ir li ves. o utra geo u s a view I’ve e xp ressed, voices aro un d th e m: Harol d Pinte r As a re po rte r, I co ul d d o th e firs t two b ut I s ure d o: Th e ave ra ge column an d Sam u e l Becke tt, Jam es Joy ce o f th ose thin gs, b ut n ot th e thir d. ge n e rates a bo ut 40-60 e-mails, an d FranzKafka, To m Wolfe an d D o n DeLill o. What’s no t fun? maybe a d o ze n l e tte rs an d a b un ch o f p h o n e calls, b ut th e e-mail co unt So m e tim es it’s har d to fin d th e o fte n ri ses we ll into th e hun dred s. tim e to go o ut an d e xamin e a s to ry at Th e reco r d i s m o re than 600 e-mails,

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MARC FISHER The Best Approach for Kids Is Not Child’s Play

ter Michael Jordan played his final that a school, government or company The other day, The Post reported Agame in a Washington uniform, I is doing something for The Children. that Montgomery County’s schools searched through my “filing system,” But so many of these announcements are changing their system for grading which is what I call the towering piles are based on ideas about children that students, forcing every teacher to base of notebooks I’ve hurled randomly simply don’t make sense. grades only on exactly how well you’ve around my desk, and found my notes The past couple of years have been mastered each item in the curriculum from the day three years ago when he a rough time for everyone, yet we —paying no attention to class first became a Wizard. hear endlessly about how traumatized participation, effort, improvement, or When basketball’s premier star came children are by war, terrorism, the any other factor teachers normally use. to Washington (first to be an executive, sniper and so on. Yes, some children Here’s another case of adults bending not a player), the mayor of Washington have been quite sad about the troubles over backward to make certain that and other important people announced in the world. But others prefer to go every child is treated precisely the that the people who would benefit about their business, studying, playing, same. The assumption is that children most from Jordan’s presence were—you growing up. And still others think a lot can’t understand that different teachers guessed it—The Children. about those troubles and handle them have different personalities and “This is someone who is really going as well as any adult does. different expectations, just like different to show our children what it is to be a Too many parents, teachers and other parents or bosses or friends do in the role model,” Mayor Tony Williams said. authority figures assume that children adult world. The whole idea sells kids Not so fast. Jordan’s an impressive are far more fragile and delicate than guy, great player, hard worker. But a they really are. The school I went to in short. role model? Almost any child who seeks New York City is considering telling A generation of parents who grew to follow Jordan’s path is destined to be its 9th and 10th graders that they can up with more freedom than anyone disappointed. Role models are people no longer walk off the campus during else had had in a century has turned who enjoy full, balanced lives in careers free hours or lunchtime because they’re around and adopted a stifling, confining that improve the world and families not ready to be out on their own. One approach to their own kids. That’s that relish life. Isn’t it possible that teacher who favors the change says the nature of the pendulum of history; children, like adults, welcomed Jordan’s kids can’t learn independence unless an it swings back and forth. But it’s a arrival not because he is a role model adult is there to supervise them. Excuse dangerous path, because kids can but because he’s a lot of fun to watch? me? That’s a recipe for extending handle much more than we’re letting It’s hard to go more than a few days dependence. The only way to build them experience—but only if we let without hearing some adult announce trust is with trust. them take on their world.

Mar c F isher has worked a t The Post sinc e 1986. Before launching book is a reporter’s view o f Germany after reunif ica tion, focusing on his c olumn in April, 2000, F isher served as The Post ’s Special R eport s the c ountry’s struggle with it s history during a c entury o f trauma and Editor, editing and writing fe a tures and enterprise stories for the aggression. For four ye ar s F isher as the Bonn and Berlin bure au chief o f newsp aper’s front p age. In addition, F isher’s c olumn, “Po tomac The Post, beginning with the drama tic event s o f autumn 1989. Conf idential,” appe ared in the Sunda y Magazine. After his return from Germany, F isher wro te pro f iles, report age, F isher is the author o f After the Wall: Germany, the Germans and essa ys and criticism for The Post ’s S tyle section. He also wro te the the Bur dens o f History, published in 1995 by Simon and Schuster. The Post ’s radio c olumn, The Listener, and wro te regularly about jaz z.

Parts of Speech at the Beginning

The first paragraph of a KidsPost story can tell Different parts of speech begin the lede. They child: “You’re special.” you who the story is about, what happened, help to bring variety to your writing. The lede (“Remembering a Trusted TV ‘Neighbor,’” Feb. where the action took place, when it took that follows begins with a preposition that gives 27, 2003) place, why the action took place and how the us information about time. After reading two Below are first paragraphs from KidsPost event happened. prepositional phrases, you find out that “Fred stories. Write in the left column the part of Other times, writers of ledes (another name Rogers” is the subject of the sentence. What speech with which each lede begins. In The for the first paragraph of newspaper stories) just four actions did Mr. Rogers do for 34 years? Washington Post find a lede of an article or want you to think about a place or object. You For 34 years, without fail, Fred Rogers put on column that begins with the same part of have to read more paragraphs to know the main his sweater, changed into his sneakers, looked speech. Copy it in the right column. topic. out from the TV screen and said to each small

Part of Speech Example from KidsPost Your Example 1. Imagine living in a fancy hotel in New York City with your mother, your nanny, your dog and your turtle. That’s what Eloise does. Of course, Eloise isn’t real. She’s a character in a series of popular books written in the 1950s by an actress and singer named Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight. —“The Life of Eloise,” April 23, 2003

2. You use it about five times a day, but you’re not supposed to talk about it. If you do, it’s usually with hushed tones and giggles. —“That Other Super Bowl,” April 22, 2003

3. Every day, the two girls search the news about the war, looking for clues to something very, very important to them: their mother’s future. —“Watching, Waiting, Wondering,” April 10, 2003

4. Ted Johnson is a kid in allowance heaven. He gets $20 a week. —“Money? Make Some Allowance,” April 8, 2003

5. A bike-and-hike trail leading to the Capitol dome. Special “Mobile Police Vehicles” with DVD players, snacks and bean bag chairs to keep cops comfortable. Trash cans designed to work like gum-ball machines. (Watching litter go down, down, down would be so much fun, people would stop dropping things in the street.) —“Not as Easy as A-B-C,” March 4, 2003

6. For years scientists have argued about how dinosaurs became birds and learned to fly. Did they run along the ground real fast, flapping their wings until they took off? Or did they climb into trees, spread their wings and glide? —“Scientists Try to Explain Dinosaurs’ Link With Birds,” Jan. 27, 2003

7. Years ago kids in the Washington area went through another version of Code Orange. It was called the Cuban Missile Crisis. —“Forty Years Ago, It Was Much Like Today,” Feb. 20, 2003 NAME ______Take the Lede

The first paragraph of a news story is called the lede. Write a lede on the back of this paper. Then change the The traditional news lede provides the reader with most, lede by beginning with a different part of speech or if not all, of the five Ws and one H of the story—who, approach. Try different types of ledes several times until what, where, when, why and how. you have written a lede that grabs the reader and conveys The ledes of news stories, editorials, columns and an attitude appropriate for the content of your story. other feature stories are all important: Information is These examples are from The Washington Post. Use given, a setting is conveyed, an attitude is established or them as models. perspective is presented.

TRADITIONAL NEWS LEDE basket, nor Allen Iverson dropping a notable achievements to embarrassing BEIJING, April 25 (Friday)— double-nickel on the Hornets. It’s the failures. From a pinnacle of Police cordoned off 2,000 patients unforgettable sight of Maurice Cheeks bipartisanship after the Sept. 11 and medical staff members at two leaving his team’s bench Friday in terrorist attacks, it plunged into some major Beijing hospitals Thursday Portland to put his arm around 13- of the fiercest partisan strife that and the government sent hundreds year-old Natalie Gilbert as she stood Capitol Hill has seen in years. of students to a quarantine facility at mid-court holding a microphone —Helen Dewar outside the capital, declaring it would but having fumbled the words to our “107th Congress Sped, isolate anyone who might be infected national anthem, all alone and visibly Then Sputtered” with the SARS virus. in despair. October 20, 2002, A9 —John Pomfret —Michael Wilbon “China Seals Hospitals to Fight “Cheeks Lends Harmony DELAYED LEDE SARS” April 25, 2003, A1 To 1st Round of Playoffs” First we will mourn the brave and April 29, 2003, D1 beautiful who fell out of the sky. ALLUSION Then, however, we will proceed to President Bush resembles both the ATMOSPHERE the usual post-catastrophe ritual: Little Red Hen and Aladdin as the Deep inside a decrepit Anacostia investigation and recrimination. We war in Iraq subsides. He has baked school building with a deadbolted will search for the culprits. Some a loaf of liberation and hope for that front door, down the hall from the human agent will be hauled out to broken Arab country—with precious teacher bellowing, “Get your damn bear the blame. And we will search little help from presumed friends. To face out of his damn face,” beneath for the cause: flying foam, wing accomplish that, he rubbed the magic one of the Soviet-style wall posters damage, insulating tiles, whatever lamp of U.S. military technology and that the District schools never seem —we will find it. But we will miss the summoned a genie with powers to to get enough of (“Competency point. remake the world. Requires That Workers Are Able —Charles Krauthammer To Productively Use: Resources, “It’s Time to Dream Higher” Fairy tales persist because they Information, Interpersonal Skills ...”), Feb. 4, 2003, A25 capture essential truths about the despite every barrier to success you human condition. can imagine, there’s magic inside Mr. DESCRIPTION —Jim Hoagland Bennett and Ms. Sanker’s Chess Club EAST OF THE EUPHRATES “Wars Tailor Made” room. RIVER, Iraq—Near the crest of the April 27, 2003, B7 —Marc Fisher bridge across the Euphrates that Task “Freed by Chess, Cornered Force 3-69 Armor of the 1st Brigade ANECDOTE by D.C. Priorities” of the 3rd Infantry Division seized The lasting, even impacting April 29, 2003, B1 yesterday afternoon was a body that impression from the NBA playoffs lay twisted from its fall. He had been so far is not of Kevin Garnett CONTRAST an old man—poor, not a regular exhorting his teammates from the The 107th Congress is concluding soldier—judging from his clothes. bench during overtime, nor Tracy a two-year run that lurched from He was lying on his back, not far McGrady swooping toward the high drama to dreary deadlock, from from one of several burning skeletons NAME ______of the small trucks that Saddam Iraq needs only four people to REPRESENTATIVE/ANECDOTE Hussein’s willing and unwilling achieve post-Saddam Hussein Most mornings, 4-year-old Dorian irregulars employed. The tanks and success. Unfortunately they are Cardenas Rios searches his family’s Bradleys and Humvees and bulldozers George Washington, James Madison, tiny Langley Park apartment for and rocket launchers, and all the rest Alexander Hamilton and John scraps of paper and crayons to pack of the massive stuff that makes up Marshall. in his Scooby-Doo backpack, so the U.S. Army on the march, rumbled —George F. Will desperate is he to go to preschool. past him, pushing on. “Wanted in Iraq: —Brigid Schulte —Michael Kelly A Few Good Founders” “County Faces a Tough “Across the Euphrates” April 24, 2003, A25 Call on Head Start” April 3, 2003, A23 April 26, 2003, A1 PUNCH EXAMPLE He always promised he’d be back. SUSPENDED INTEREST In 1880, abolitionist and author —David Montgomery She hadn’t been back to China in 20 Frederick Douglass lived at Cedar “Bullets Shatter a Brother’s Hopes” years, and she was intent on taking it Hill, his house in Anacostia, with his April 29, 2003, C1 all in: the shiny new gated suburbs, first wife and four granddaughters. the big gulps of gritty smog, the His census form listed his race as QUESTION familiar taste of tender stewed snake. “mulatto,” his age as 60 and his WATERVILLE, Maine—I never —Michael Laris occupation as “U.S. Marshall,” for thought the United States would need “In N. Va., a Perilous which he is now less well known than a Franco-American Anti-Defamation Trip With a Chinese Virus” for his speeches and books. League. But who would have April 20, 2003, A1 —D’Vera Cohn imagined that guilt of being French- “Snapshots of Americans by-association would become the stuff TIME From 1880 Census” of McCarthyism-lite in 2003? SEATTLE—One week before the October 24, 2002, B1 —E.J. Dionne Jr. midterm elections, American voters “Freedom-Fried Republicans” are distracted, anxious and unsure, HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE/CONTEXT April 25, 2003, A23 driven to vote—or not—by a laundry Every powerful nation sustains list of issues without an overriding itself with a historical narrative. QUOTATION theme. And neither Republicans nor Rome imagined a barbarian world “His [tax plan] seems to go places Democrats appear to be favored. panting for its embrace. The British where I’m not going to hear from my —William Booth and Dan Balz and French chased colonial expansion constituents.” “Many Voters Wary while convinced of their civilizing as Crucial Election Nears” mission. The United States reigns as With that oblique endorsement of October 29, 2002, A1 the world’s hyperpower, but believes tax increases on District businesses, itself a humble republic rising only freshman D.C. Council member reluctantly to war. Adrian Fenty, an up-and-coming —Michael Powell lawmaker from Ward 4, gave voice to “How America Picks Its Fights” the politician’s tax creed, as expressed March 25, 2003, C1 by the famous former Senate Finance Committee chairman, Louisiana’s Russell Long. The politician’s guiding HUMOR/ALLUSION principle of tax reform, Long said, is: An old baseball joke: A manager “Don’t tax you, don’t tax me. Tax that says his team needs just two more fellow behind the tree.” players to become a pennant —Colbert King contender. But, he says, “The players “How the District Can are Ruth and Gehrig.” Save Lives and Money” April 26, 2003, A25 Volume 1, Issue 8

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

How to Write a Column

Columnists clearly present a point of view. They do this readers laugh, cry, think and care. using facts, quotations and their own opinions. They can Marc Fisher has been a Washington Post columnist since tell about the lives of other people or their own. Some use 2000. Use his responses to learn about writing a column. humor; some use serious examples. Columnists should make

Where do you get your ide as? When you sit down to write a c olumn, something that I reported, something wha t ’s the f ir st thing you do? that has not been the subject of Columns are everywhere—in my news coverage in the paper, then I daily life, in my kids’ conversations, I try to figure out everything I want feel obliged to present the basics of in e-mails from readers, in hallway to say before I type the first word. I all arguments before I say my side. chats with Post reporters, in angry or often wake in the middle of the night But if I’m writing about something pleasant calls from the people I write to jot down phrases or ideas on a pad that everyone’s heard about—say, about. of paper I keep on my night table. war in Iraq, or the sniper—then I’m comfortable just presenting my own How long does it t ake you to write a Does someone edit your c olumns? perspective. c olumn? My editor is Bob Barnes, the Post’s metropolitan editor, and his job is to When you w ere in school, w as there It depends on the kind of column— read each column critically, looking a particular class or a particular columns that tell someone’s story for lapses in logic, sometimes asking t eacher who helped you ge t where or take a reader to a news scene me if I really want to say whatever you are t oda y ? usually take a couple of hours to foolish thing I’ve said. I used to edit I had th e fo rtun e to s tud y with write. Columns that consist mainly columns when I was an assistant teach e rs in high sch ool an d coll ege of my own argument might take the city editor, and I know it’s very hard, w h o l oved th e so un d o f lan gua ge— better part of a day. If I’m writing because the Post has a deep belief in Te k Yo un g Lin, w h o taught m e in 10th grad e to li s te n to th e co nto urs on deadline about something that letting each columnist say whatever o f a s peake r’s se nte n ces; D anie l happened that day, I can write the he wants to, yet an editor always has Se ltze r, a p ro fesso r w h o taught m e column in half an hour. a responsibility to help a writer make th e b as ic laws o f human drama; an d his point as clearly and efficiently as John M cPh ee , w h ose co urse was an Do you do a lo t o f reporting for a possible. inte n s i ve e xe rci se in makin g each c olumn? wo r d co unt. Do you feel tha t you must be “fair” in I try to get out of the building and the sense o f ref lecting all sides o f an report most of the columns—at least ar gument or is it ok a y to just present one a week. I strongly believe that no your side? one can write a compelling column just sitting in a windowless office. Depends. If the column is about

The great thi ng a bou t wri ti ng a colu m n is that I ca n le t the new s dec ide what I wri te a bou t, or I ca n just follow my i nte rests.

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The Columnist Connection

B y Michael Getler consistently, to touch their lives most during the same period last year. and what prompts them to write to But homicides were not the real Aside from delivering the news, the paper are the columnists. Metro subject of his columns. Rather, it newspapers need to connect with has a number of good columnists. was the routine overlay of crime readers and communities. One But two—Courtland Milloy and Marc that affects so many lives and traditional way to do this is to make Fisher—along with Colbert King, a neighborhoods. “I would ask,” King sure reporters, and editors as well, deputy editorial page editor whose wrote, “what about the stray bullets, get out into the city, go to the scene Saturday column on the op-ed page frightened neighbors, heartbroken of events, circulate, talk to people frequently focuses on the city, strike survivors? Many of the crimes other than those interviewed in me as special. committed in our city today— offices, know what’s on the minds What their columns have in robberies and assaults with deadly of those for whom they write. This common is that they are heavily weapons—hardly ever get mentioned seems obvious. But I’m not sure reportorial. The writers take us places in the newspaper or on television how much of this goes on anymore that we—and often the newspaper— and radio . . . because they are too in newsrooms where you can often haven’t been. They put us at the common and because no one dies.” find almost everything you need to scene of things we are not likely to King listed a sampling of such crimes produce a respectable story by sitting witness, introduce us to people we during three days in April. Excluded at your computer and punching otherwise would never know and from his list, he pointed out, “are in Web sites, research links and focus on small events that tell larger reports of homicides, sexual assaults, transcript providers and making a stories. They take us down alleys, auto thefts, burglaries, thefts from phone call or two. into barber shops, inside church homes and cars of which the city The Post has a vast circulation area buildings that are for sale and to has experienced hundreds” since the spanning the District and sizable schoolyards where rival gangs paint previous week. chunks of Virginia and Maryland. So murals on the walls. These pieces are This, King concludes, “is the even with a 220-person Metro staff— often more intimate than the daily kind of stuff . . . the mayor and roughly half of them reporters—that’s news coverage and make the region a lot of ground to cover. And aside and city, in particular, seem somehow the police chief would just as soon from the daily Metro section, that more alive. not see portrayed prominently in a staff also puts out eight weekly Extra King, for example, with a string of newspaper. . . . But this is precisely sections for the District and most of columns in March and April, managed what too many residents in our city the surrounding counties and three a portrait of crime in the city with have to live with.” Extras twice a week for the more- more resonance than one usually gets The Post, of course, reports distant counties. from daily newspaper stories. The extensively on major crime, and the Lots of solid, bread-and-butter columns drew hundreds of responses Extras have a comprehensive listing coverage is in the Metro section— from citizens saying “Amen” and of all crimes every week. But King cops, the courts, the schools, the adding their own experiences. In finds a way to present this issue in its budget and politics. And there have mid-March, King pointed out that in broadest effect on daily life, in a way been a fair number of honors for big, the previous two weeks, 12 people that connects with readers, the way thematic Metro and investigative staff had been murdered in Washington, good reporters do, even without the projects—including three Pulitzer more Americans than had been lost commentary. prizes in the past four years. in the U.S. military’s operation in This ombudsman’s column was Yet what is interesting, at least from Afghanistan. Early this month, he printed in The Washington Post, my observation post, is that what reminded us that 55 people had been Sunday, April 28, 2002, B6. seems to connect with readers most killed this year, 8 percent more than 10 April 29, 2003 © 2002 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 1, Issue 8

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

A Changing Community, A Changing R ole Washington Post Timeline

This was an eventful time period in A sa m p l i n g o f s o m e o f t h e b e s t k n ow n 1963: After the de a th o f Philip Graham, the life of The Post and a historic one “ a b u s e o f p owe r” c o nve rsa t i o n s . T h e her husb and, K a tharine Meyer for our country. s u m m a r i e s we re c o m p o s e d b y t h e Graham bec omes publisher o f The s t a f f o f t h e R i c h a rd N i xo n P re s i d e n t i a l Post. Under her le ader ship, the R e ad about Wa ter ga te M a t e r i a l s P ro j e c t a t t h e N a t i o n a l modern Washington Post is cre a ted. A rc h i ve s . 1965: Benjamin C. Bradlee is hired ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/ R e ad about P resident Richar d M. Nixon as deputy managing editor. The wp-srv/onpolitics/watergate/ f ir st reporter s he hired to join The splash.html ➤ http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Post were D a vid Broder, War d Just, Wa ter ga te 30 Ye ar s La ter history/presidents/rn37.html Bart R owen, Dick Harwood, Don The Watergate investigation brought Richar d M. Nixon Ober dorfer, Geor ge W ilson and fame to The Washington Post and the Presidential bio and highlights of his S t anley K arnow. reporting team of Bob Woodward and administration. Carl Bernstein. The duo unraveled a 1969: The f ir st edition o f the S tyle web of political spying and sabotage ➤ http://www.nixonfoundation.org/ section is printed on Jan. 6. S tyle that had all the elements of a T he Richar d Nixon Library & Birthplac e bec omes a model for fe a ture sections Hollywood saga. In the end, after 40 Official Web site of the Nixon throughout the c ountry. government officials were indicted Presidential Library. Read the public 1971: After obt aining portions o f and a president resigned, many papers or learn about current activities the Pent agon Paper s, a top-secret would conclude that the system of at the center. government study o f U.S. polic y in checks and balances worked. Yet, the Vietnam, Post editor s and la wyer triangular relationship between public R e ad about the Pent agon Paper s struggle whether to publish the officials, the media and the public was A federal court had enjoined the New c ontent s. They published p aper s. altered forever. This site includes Post York Times from printing the files. At 1972: The Post report s a bre ak-in a t coverage, cartoons, documents and a the Post, Katharine Graham makes the the Democra tic Na tional Committee’s quiz. final decision: “Okay. I say let’s go. Let’s Wa ter ga te he adquarter s. Bob publish.” Citing national security, the Woodwar d and Carl Bernstein with http://www.watergate.info/ Justice Department gets an injunction skill and per sistenc e follow the story. ➤ T he Scandal T ha t Brought Down against further publication. A week The Post keeps Wa ter ga te on the Richar d Nixon later, the newspapers prevail in the U.S. na tional agenda. This site, prepared by a teacher, has Supreme Court. In addition to the memoirs of The Post moves to it s sixth, and received recognition from Education current, home a t 1150 15th S t. N.W. World and Surfing the Net with Kids. Katharine Graham and Ben Bradlee, Clearly divided into sections, including you might want to read Secrets: A 1973: The Post wins the P ulitzer P rize “The Burglary,” “Nixon Reacts to Memoir of Viet Nam and the Pentagon for P ublic Servic e and D a vid Broder Watergate,” and “The Investigation.” Papers, Daniel Ellsberg. wins one for his c olumn on the Read Washington Post archived For a more indepth study, go to American political sc ene. articles before reading All the The Nation Security Archives (http: 1975: S triking pressmen vandalize Presidents Men, then watch the video. //www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/ The Post ’s pressroom, diabling or NSAEBB48/) to read The Pentagon destroying all the presses. As a Listen to the Wa ter ga te Tapes Papers: Secrets, Lies and Audiotapes. result, there is no p aper on Oct. Archival documents, Supreme Court 2, and much-reduc ed editions for ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/ briefs and opinions, White House several week s as The Post is for c ed wp-srv/nation/specials/watergate/ conversations and excerpts from the to use alterna tive presses across the watergatefront.htm memoirs of Nixon, Kissinger and region. After f ive months, the striking Wa ter ga te Tapes Online Haldeman. pressmen are replac ed.

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program F inding One’s Voic e: K a tharine Graham

In Personal History, her 1998 memoir, Katharine Graham wrote about becoming publisher of The Washington Post: “I had very little idea of what I was supposed to be doing, so I set out to learn. What I essentially did was to put one foot in front of the other, shut my eyes, and step off the edge.” She took leadership when women were not corporate executives. Graham is known for making the decision to publish the Pentagon Papers and for supporting her staff during The Post’s Watergate coverage. Yet, Robert Kaiser, former managing editor, wrote that it was the Post pressman’s strike that was “the biggest crisis of Mrs. Graham’s career.” Twelve years after she became publisher, she was confronting union practices, such as having too many printers on shifts and setting “bogus” type; some pressmen responded by vandalizing the pressroom. Nearly five months later, Graham’s decision “became not only a victory over the pressmen but over her own sense of inadequacy as well,” according to then editor Ben Bradlee. Bob Woodward remembers being 29 and telling Mrs. Graham that he and Carl Bernstein “weren’t sure anything like the full story [of the Nixon White House] would ever emerge.” She responded, ‘”Don’t tell me never.”’ It was clear that she expected them to “do better.” It was Katharine Graham’s idea to have an ombudsman, to listen to the public and make the paper accountable to readers and standards. FILE PHOTO —THE WASHING TON PO S T Washington Post Comp an y CEO K a tharine Graham in 2000. Contrasts in Graham’s Post ombudsman Michael Getler management style and her moral authority surprised man y in the newsroom.Av

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

wrote, “Newspapers work best when Graham never missed the awards for stories that will appear in these pages there is a sense of drive, spirit and superb teachers. next week and next month and next support, a culture that is aggressive Most essentially, she spoke with her year, stories that open eyes, right yet accurate, fair and confident decency. Ike Fulwood, Washington’s wrongs and teach us all. of what is put in front of readers. chief of police a few years back, saw To learn more about Katharine Mrs. Graham, in combination with grace in Mrs. Graham. “Here was Graham, read Personal History and a new editor, Ben Bradlee, whom a woman who had made decisions visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/ she brought from Newsweek in about the Pentagon Papers, about wp-srv/metro/specials/graham/ 1965, made that possible. Together, Watergate, but she always had this index.htm they motivated and made shine a passion about what happened to the Katharine Graham Remembered generation of journalists.” children in this city,” he said. (1917-2001) The Washington Post’s foreign “This was her city and she wanted This collection provides a bureaus grew. Graham interviewed it to be a good place,” said Maurice moving and informative tribute to world leaders and entertained wealthy Sykes, the former deputy school a newspaperwoman, publisher and and important people in her home. superintendent who worked with president of The Washington Post But there was more to Mrs. Mrs. Graham when she raised money Company. Appreciations expressed in Graham. for an early childhood center in The Post, Newsweek and live online. Marc Fisher concluded in Southeast. “With all the wealth and Hear her in her own words, excerpts “Katharine Graham Never Lost Sight all the power, she could relate to from Personal History. View video of Her City,” a memorial column those children on Stanton Road. She eulogies and audio memories. printed on July 18, 2001: was compelled by the disparity in Mrs. Graham was so modest in resources.” manner that even hardened reporters Once, investigative reporter Sari were awed by her occasional ripping Horwitz ran into Mrs. Graham in displays of moral authority. When front of the Post building. “She Chinese security agents searched stopped me and asked what I was Post correspondent Lena Sun’s office working on,” Horwitz recalls, “and in Beijing in 1992, confiscating I wasn’t even sure she knew who her personal papers, Mrs. Graham I was.” Horwitz told her about went to the Chinese Embassy on her reporting following up on the Connecticut Avenue on a Sunday in brutal death of foster child Brianna her pearls and banged on the door Blackmond. Mrs. Graham said: until someone would see her. “You know, that’s very important. She was not a fiery speaker, and Stories about children are really very until she wrote her book—in her important to me.” own hand on long yellow pads—she And the woman who met with hadn’t written much. She spoke with kings and weekended with presidents her newspaper—sending reporters and socialized with princesses around the region, nation and globe, offered to give the city reporter a not because it made money, but lift, because for all her stature, what because it is what a newspaper is she really cared about was the city supposed to do. She spoke with her her paper covered, the children

money—breathing life into many of who could not do for themselves, FILE PHOTO —THE WASHING TON Washington’s theaters, musical groups the minds and hearts that needed K a tharine Graham, chairman o f the and museums, great and small. She a boost. Katharine Graham’s legacy bo ar d o f the Washington Post Comp an y, spoke with her presence—of all the is not the power she wielded or the poses a t a p arty with author Truman events The Post sponsored, Mrs. company she built so much as the Copo te.

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program YOU and YOUR RIGHTS Religious Freedom and Tolerance School prayer is one of the most example, if a Muslim student wants Toleranc e for Other s hotly debated issues today. Ever to pray during the school day, the For more information on world since 1962, when the Supreme Court school must allow him to do so religions and tolerance, check out the decided a case called Engel v. Vitale, and must provide him with the following Web sites and books. people have voiced strong opinions appropriate space. This freedom to about the Court’s interpretation of practice religion is one of the most On the Web the separation of church and state. fundamental freedoms that Americans www.tolerance.org In that case, the Court decided that enjoy. Freedom of religion was one Toleranc e organized prayer in the nation’s public of the most important values to the Southern Poverty Law Center schools was not allowed because Founders of the United States of maintains a Web site where children it meant that school officials were America. can read and listen to stories, promoting one religion over another. In fact, the American government create a mural, and explore (http: In another recent case, the Supreme and people feel so strongly about the //www.tolerance.org/pt/), and parents Court decided that students may right of people to practice whatever and teachers can find informative run religious clubs after schools that religion they choose that we have articles on teaching tolerance to (http: include reading the Bible, as long as been willing to go to war to promote //www.tolerance.org/tol_at_home/). school officials are not promoting that this most basic tenet of democracy. student group to the detriment of One of the reasons our country is In P rint others. engaged in a war with Iraq is to Sara Bullard. Teaching Tolerance: The First Amendment to the U.S. create a more open society in which Raising Open-Minded, Empathetic Constitution guarantees that all citizens are not forced to wear, act or Children. Americans not only have the right believe exactly what the government Stanley Koehler. Tolerance 101: to freely exercise their religious dictates. For example, in some Islamic Practical Solutions to Interfaith beliefs but also the right to be free countries, women are required to Family Problems. from establishment of religion by the wear hijab, loose clothing topped by Marilyn McFarlane. Sacred Myths: government. The First Amendment a type of scarf worn around the head Stories of World Religions. reads: and under the chin. Mary Pope Osborne. One World, Congress shall make no law Even though many people Many Religions: The Ways We respecting an establishment of understand and value this freedom, Worship. religion, or prohibiting the free some Americans feel threatened and Peggy Fletcher Stack. A World of exercise thereof; or abridging the act out against those whose religious Faith. freedom of speech, or of the press; views differ from their own. For or the right of the people peaceably example, especially since September to assemble, and to petition 11, 2001, many Arab and Muslim the government for a redress of students have been the target of grievances. hateful slurs and violence from fellow Freedom to exercise religion means students and even some teachers. that no matter what religion you Hate often stems from ignorance. The practice, the government (including more we learn about one another’s public schools) cannot stop you differences, the more we can from practicing your religion. For understand and appreciate each other.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary am Ahranjani, academic c oor dina t or o f the Mar shall-Br ennan Fellowship P r ogram, is a 2001 gradua t e o f American Univer sit y Washingt on College o f La w. A na tive o f the Chicago ar e a, she has been ment oring and t e aching in public schools in Evanst on and Chicago , IL and D.C. f or almost t en ye ar s. Most r ec ently, she t aught c onstitutional la w a t R oosevelt High School in D.C. f or t wo ye ar s and curr ently t e aches in the aft er-school enrichment pr ogram a t Ma y a Angelou P ublic Chart er High School. 14 April 29, 2003 © 2002 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 1, Issue 8

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

YOU and YOUR RIGHTS Religious Freedom and Tolerance

C ASE S TUDY: ISLAMIC DRES S FOR WOMEN Most Muslim women today do not wear a full face veil. It is more common to see women in hijab, which literally means “curtain” in Arabic. Hijab is the generic term for the dress code. Women don’t share a common style nor have the same reasons for wearing hijab. For many it reflects the belief that they are following God’s commandments, are dressing according to “the correct standard of modesty,” or simply are wearing the type of traditional clothes they feel comfortable in. Hijab is the generic term for the dress code, and burqa is the head-to- toe covering that consists of a long, FILE PHOTO BY FR ANK JOHNS TON —THE WASHING TON PO S T shapeless robe and a veil that covers Enaas Sar sour,17, o f Falls Chur ch a t her family home. Shortly after the Sept. 11 ter- the hair and face with only a small rorist a t t ack, Sar sour was stopped b y a male security guar d a t BWI Airport and asked slit for the eyes. Hijab takes various to remove her he ad scarf in public, which goes against her religious belief s. forms in different Islamic countries. The Koran, which is the religious text environment by wearing, for example, follow? followed by Muslims, does not specify running shoes, jeans, a sweatshirt and 2. What holidays are important in what kind of clothing would or would a headscarf. your religion? not be considered proper hijab. Some 3. What is your favorite religious modern Islamic scholars describe HOMEWORK AS SIGNMENT holiday? Why? hijab as a code of dress stipulating Interview one student, neighbor, or that everything but the women’s a friend, who has different religious 4. Does your religion have any hands and face be covered. To comply views than you do. For example, symbols or symbolic acts? with the code, some Muslim women if you are a Catholic, find a Jewish 5. Do you wear any special clothes, wear a chador, an outfit that includes classmate to interview. Ask them jewelry, or symbols that identify a long, loose robe and a veil covering the following questions and bring the you as a member of your religious the hair but not necessarily the face. results to class so that you can share group? Many Muslim women in America them with your classmates: 6. Do you wear any of these items to adapt these items to a Western 1. What religion, if any, do you school?

YOU and YOUR RIGHT S The Marshall-Brennan Fellowship Program at American University’s Washington College of Law trains upper-level law students to teach a course on constitutional rights and responsibilities to hundreds of students in Washington, D.C. area public high schools. For more information about the program, please contact Michelle Carhart, program coordinator, at [email protected]. For curricular information or information on how to get involved, please contact Maryam Ahranjani, academic coordinator, at [email protected]. 15 April 29, 2003 © 2002 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 1, Issue 8

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program Wha t Would You Do?

If you were on the playground during recess and you heard a couple of students snickering about how Fatima, a classmate of yours, wore a scarf on her head to cover her hair, what would you do? Fatima was not around so she didn’t hear the conversation, but you like her and wouldn’t want her to know because you think it would hurt her feelings. Would you tell them to stop talking about her? Would you tell your teacher? Would you tell Fatima?

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