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Spring 2008 • Volume 42, Number 3 among the media Newsletter of the History Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication tory history class I’d taken since 1976, when I finished the core re- Taking Notes: quirements for my bachelor’s de- gree. This was an 800-level class on Teaching Jour- “State and Local History.” I was ex- pecting a class about how to study nalism is More From state and local history by looking specifically at the antebellum pe- than Training the Chair riod in South Carolina – that’s what the catalog description led me to Journalists expect. Instead, I got a whole new By Traci Griffith Book History world opened up for me. St. Michael’s College Oh, we still read everything ever written about South Carolina in the Meets Teaching in a journalism and mass antebellum period (I’m convinced communication department requires of it! It seems like I never didn’t an interdisciplinary approach. Luck- Journalism have my nose in a history book in ily I’m an interdisciplinarian at that semester. They were stacked, heart. The intersection of media and piles of them, five and six deep, all History law became clear to me while sitting along my kitchen wall). But what I in my Media Law and Ethics class By Debbie van Tuyll, was expecting to be a course about in graduate school. Thanks to Pro- Head and Program Chair sources and historical themes ended fessor Philip Keirstad, now retired up being something very different. from Florida A&M University, I re- Just about 10 years ago, I walked It was an introduction, for me, any- alized that I could pursue both areas into the first non-journalism-his- continued on page 5 of interest. After attending law school I found On the inside that I couldn’t ignore the siren call of journalism and searched for a way • Write Well and Be Read pg. 2 to combine the interests. Memories • Noteworthy Books in Journalism History: Biographies pg. 3 of that graduate school media law • Fresh Methodologies Could Invigorate Journalism class flooded back and I launched a History pg. 6 new career as a journalism profes- • Book Blurb pg. 9 sor. I like to say “I’m a journalist • The National Women and Media Collection pg. 10 continued on page 4 Write Well and Be Read By Patrick S. Washburn Roosevelt Hotel in New York or is the first 90 pages of Practicing Ohio University March 15, where I will be joined History by two-time Pulitzer Prize by Maurine Beasley and Jean winner Barbara Tuchman. She I have frequently surprised Palmagiano (St. Peters College.) covers everything from the value colleagues, as well as graduate While the subject is broad, covering of anecdotes to the importance of students, by saying: Isn’t it interesting everything from how to get organized writing for a wide audience. Then, that we are in a communication field before you write to setting writing read her book, The Guns of August, and about 80 percent of the faculty deadlines to how to make the best which is about the start of World members can’t communicate very written arguments, one thing that War I. Next, go to Western Writing, well. Sure, they usually write in a will be touched upon (at least by me) which was edited by Gerald W. grammatically correct fashion, but will be the importance of writing in Haslam, and read “On the Writing keeping readers interested in what a way that furthers learning instead of History” by Wallace Stegner, they write is not something that of merely adding to our knowledge. which discusses the importance they can do—or care about doing. I worked for more than 10 years of playing up drama in historical Instead, they mainly pay attention to as a reporter and columnist on daily writing. Follow that by reading explaining their research method or newspapers, as well as another his book, Beyond the Hundredth the significance of what they have five years part time, and there was Meridian, which discusses John examined or talking about what one maxim that I heard in every Wesley Powell’s two explorations of they have found. While all of this newsroom: Keep the reader turning the Grand Canyon. Finally, I would is important, does communication the page. In other words, if people do suggest reading Stephen Ambrose’s really occur if readers are bored or not finish reading an article because Undaunted Courage, which is about lose interest? I don’t think so, and I you did not keep their interest, you the Lewis and Clark expedition. think that is a major mistake. have wasted your time writing it. In reading the three books that I What I am suggesting is that it Historians have been saying the have suggested, I am reminded of is important to spend just as much same thing for a long time. Samuel something that I tell our doctoral effort on the writing of history as Eliot Morison, who authored two students: In every course you take, the researching of history. Because books that won Pulitzer Prizes, pay careful attention to not only what most mass communication graduate said: “Journalists, novelists and is being taught but how it is being programs ignore the value of good free-lance writers are the ones that taught. You can learn a lot about writing, this prompted me to put extract the gold, and they deserve good and bad teaching by doing this, together a panel for AEJMC in every ounce they get because they but you have to make an effort to Chicago in August on “The Art of are the ones who know how to write watch someone teaching or you’re Writing History.” Joining me on histories that people care to read. likely to ignore it. The same applies it will be three widely published What I want to see is a few more to reading the three books above historians in our field: Maurine Ph.D.’s in history writing book-of- by master story tellers. Instead of Beasley (University of Maryland), the-month adoptions and reaping reading them just for the knowledge W. Joseph Campbell (American the harvest of dividends. They can they impart, pay careful attention University), and Mike Sweeney do it, too, if they will only use the to how each person mesmerizes the (Utah State University). A similar same industry at presenting history reader. Stegner’s book may surprise panel will be held this spring at the as they do in compiling it.” you the most because it reads like AJHA-AEJMC Joint Journalism For those interested in writing a novel even though it is hard-core, Historians conference at the history well, a good place to start continued on page 4 2 Clio Spring 2008 NOteworthy BOOKS IN JOURNALISM HISTORY : BIOGRAPHIES Compiled by Donna Harrington- materials at the Library of Congress, Examiner and his Hearst syndication Lueker, including 1,200 recordings of service allowed her to reach more Salve Regina University, McBride’s programs. than six million readers a day, and Jhistory Book Review Editor for more than thirty years she ruled Myra MacPherson. All as “The First Lady of Hollywood.” A media maverick who spent four Governments Lie: The Life and Barbas uses an impressive array of decades under FBI surveillance. Times of Rebel Journalist I.F. sources, including divorce records, A media mogul whose empire Stone (Scribner; reviewed by oral histories, and archived private straddled two centuries. An on-air Matthew Dallek, Alicia Patterson and professional correspondence. host from the days of early radio Foundation Fellow) whose show took women beyond the A former reporter for the Washington Ben Procter. William Randolph domestic sphere. These personalities Post, Myra MacPherson offers a Hearst: The Later Years, and others have been the subject of detailed and deeply researched 1911-1951. (Oxford University noteworthy biographies reviewed biography of media maverick I.F. Press; reviewed by David R. for Jhistory in 2007 and archived Stone. The biography often reads Spencer, The University of on HNET. Brief descriptions of five like a paean to Stone, and at times Western Ontario) of these books follow; full reviews lacks the nuance and balance found In beautifully written prose, author can be accessed at http://www.h-net. in other biographies of journalists Ben Procter takes readers through msu.edu/~jhistory/. of the period. But MacPherson one of the most productive and successfully shows Stone as an most turbulent periods in the life Susan Ware. It’s One O’Clock and influential media critic and strong of media tycoon William Randolph Here Is Mary Margaret McBride: progressive voice. The book covers Hearst—the years in which the A Radio Biography. (New York Stone’s work for such liberal media titan has to cope with the University Press; reviewed by publications as The Nation and death of his mother and in which he Maurine H. Beasley, University of New York’s PM and for his own meets and falls in love with actress Maryland) publication, I.F. Stone’s Weekly. Marion Davies. It is during these Little noted today, Mary Margaret years as well that he becomes the McBride was a household word in the Samantha Barbas. The First subject of the drama-documentary 1930s and 1940s, with her popular Lady of Hollywood: A Biography Citizen Kane, which premiered in daytime radio show attracting of Louella Parsons (University 1941. Procter’s portrait of Hearst millions of listeners and exerting of California Press; reviewed by reveals the man’s complexities.

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