March 2007 Page
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Volume 32, No. 2 March 2007 QUOTE OF THE MONTH “In any country, the press protects and empowers the government, whether it be a dictatorship or a democracy. “In a dictatorship, the government is one person. “In a democracy, as in the United States, the gov- ernment is the people, all the people. “Thus, in the United States, the free press, guaran- teed and protected by the First Amendment, has the awesome responsibility of protecting and empowering the people through the accurate, objective, and free flow of news.” — Douglas Perret Starr, Professor of Agricultural Visit the ISWNE’s Web site: Communications and Journalism, Texas A&M University www.iswne.org Published by the Institute of International Studies, Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO Join ISWNE in the Black Hills, June 27-July 1 People attending the ISWNE 2007 summer by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, his family conference in the Black Hills June 27-July 1 has continued the project since his death in will have several unique opportunities to 1982 and his widow, Ruth, will speak to the experience the western region of South group. The schedule includes a rare trip to the Dakota. top of the mountain where the likeness of And getting there for the start of the confer- Crazy Horse is emerging. ence late Wednesday afternoon is essential Thursday’s program will also include sessions for people wanting to see Mount Rushmore. on American Indian issues and the annual Not only will the group see the national career program for American Indian high memorial that features 60-foot sculptures of school students. The noon meal will be held four U.S. presidents, but the group will be spe- at the restaurant at the base of the moun- cial guests at the evening lighting ceremony. tain. Thursday evening activities, back on the In addition, Gerard Baker, superintendent of SDSMT campus, will feature entertainment Mount Rushmore National Monument, is and fellowship at the hospitality room. scheduled to speak to the group. Baker, the Friday’s programming, on the SDSMT cam- first American Indian to serve as superintend- pus will explore some of the scientific ent of the monument, will bring a unique research underway in the state as well as a perspective to the experience for ISWNE visi- look at South Dakota’s populist, independent tors. political tradition. The group’s annual busi- The Avenue of Flags at Mount Rushmore The conference is slated to begin mid-after- ness meeting is also planned for Friday. Memorial leads visitors to the Grandview Terrace. The walkway is lined with the official flags of the noon Wednesday on the campus of South Friday evening activities planned in down- Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 56 U.S. states, territories and districts, arranged in town Rapid City will include a reception and alphabetical order. The Avenue provides direct Rapid City. Buses will leave around 4 p.m. dining opportunities. and easy access to the Grandview Terrace and the with a stop for the evening meal in Keystone Presidential Trail, offering spectacular views of en route to the memorial. Saturday will feature the editorial critique. The editorial critique — many would say it is the mountain sculpture. Thursday’s daytime programming will take the traditional heart of the conference — is the conference guests to Crazy Horse being expanded this year. In addition to the Museum in Rapid City will provide a fitting Memorial, a carving in progress at round table discussions, this year’s critique cap to the conference. The displays there Thunderhead Mountain near Custer. The will include an overview session. (See related bring together four major prehistoric and his- sculpture portrays the Oglala Sioux (now story, page 4.) toric collections to tell the story of the Lakota) warrior Crazy Horse. Started in 1948 Western Great Plains from the perspective of Saturday night’s banquet at The Journey continued on page 3 The International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors President’sresident’s By Harry Hix School of Journalism & Broadcasting Reporteport Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. Dealing with students often a paradox Isn’t life interesting. mailing a friend.” Glad we got that cleared up. We did, didn’t I’m not sure if that should be punctuated as a May I be forgiven. I thought an intolerant we? statement or as a question. It’s just a thought and offensive thought. However, it remained The search for meaning sometimes boils down tippy-toeing its way through my mind as I only a thought, not a verbalization. It’s hard to, did you mean what you said, Mr. Hix? cogitate on what to write for this month’s col- to talk when you’re gritting your teeth to the I think that was the situation with another umn. Life has been moving at a fast pace in point of lockjaw. student, who lost as many points on an recent days at the Hix household and I have The midterm exam in the reporting class was assignment as some basketball teams score in been facing some weighty questions from stu- Tuesday. Rather than taking on the daunting a game. dents. All of which have combined to make task of grading essay or short-answer ques- time fly by. One of the requirements in the reporting class tions with a class of 81 students — it’s enough is that students include with each news story In the midst of that fly-by, I got a pleasant, work to grade their lab and out-of-class story they write a list of the sources interviewed for but straightforward, e-mail reminder from assignments each week — I made the test the assignment. That list is to include the Chad yesterday: “Harry, could you have a col- multiple choice. names of the sources, their titles and either umn by Monday?” I allowed as how I could One issue we have been dealing with is the their phone number or e-mail address, and — for those of you who aren’t Southern, that use and placement of attribution. Our pre- the list is to be attached to the printed copy of means, “yes, I can” — and so here I am pon- ferred style for class assignments is to place the story turned in for grading. dering what I should write. the attribution after the first sentence in multi- The list has a two-fold purpose. One, it is for I want to be sure that anything I write is clear ple-sentence direct quotes. That, we suggest, my use. If I decide that some fact, name or and easily understood. Of late, some doubts informs the reader quickly who is being quot- other information in the story needs to be have arisen about my ability to express ed. checked or verified, or even if I should just myself clearly. So, one of the questions on the exam asked: wish to be assured that the sources were inter- For instance, in a reporting class lab the other “In a multi-sentence direct quote, the pre- viewed, I can contact the appropriate source. day, I observed that a couple of students were ferred placement of the attribution is:” Four The second purpose is for use by editors of the surfing the web or checking their e-mail rather options were given, including option B, which campus newspapers. Stories assigned in the than listening to my pronouncements, which read “after every sentence in the quote.” class are also turned in to the campus paper included instruction for that day’s in-lab A student came to me, pointed to option B, for possible publication. Having the list of assignment. So, I admonished them: and asked: “What does this mean?” sources is valuable to the campus editors “Folks, please extend me the courtesy of listen- “I’m sorry, but what don’t you understand?” should they desire to validate something in ing to what I am saying and do not be doing the story. “It’s just not clear. What does it mean?” other things such as catching up on your e- Because of the importance of the list, a severe mail while I am explaining today’s assign- What do you mean, what does it mean? That penalty is assessed if the list is not attached to ment. Aside from being rude, that will result was only my thought, not what I said. the story. That penalty is minus 30 points, in your not understanding the assignment “I think it’s clear,” I said. “It means that you and it is clearly stated in the class syllabus and thus not following directions.” would put the attribution after every sentence that failure to attach the list will result in a Frankly, I thought then, and I think now, that in the quote.” deduction of 30 points. In addition, I inform what I said was clear. Quit doing other things “But do you do that?” the students orally about the penalty, and it is and pay attention. “That’s what the question is asking. Is this the included in a document titled News Story Apparently, I was wrong. Right after I handed correct answer or is the correct answer one of Guidelines. I give a copy of these instructions out the information sheet for the assignment the other three choices?” to each student and a copy is posted on the class Web site. and told them how much to write, a student “But I need to know what this means.” skipped up to my podium, smiled at me, and Chief among the points the student had lost asked: “Well, do the best you can.