University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Communique, 1953-2020 Journalism 1984 Communique, 1984-1985 University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994). School of Journalism Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/communique Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994). School of Journalism, "Communique, 1984-1985" (1984). Communique, 1953-2020. 8. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/communique/8 This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the Journalism at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Communique, 1953-2020 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM C om m unique oroth yM . Joh n son Ha legacy of lean prose and laughter This Mel Ruder photo was Dorothy Johnson’s favorite picture of herself. She especially liked the dog, which she, said was “slinking from the scene” to avoid watching the author o f “A Man Called Horse” mount up. V olu m e 41 Missoula, Montana 1 984-85 Issue two-year study funded by the Gan­ But we need help. We need more finan­ nett Foundation concluded last year cial assistance from the media that are em­ that journalism education in the ploying our graduates and we need help United States is “grossly underfun­ from you, our alumni. Last year, many of A you responded generously to our maiden ef­ ded.” The American Society of Newspaper Edi­ fort to raise money. Some 40 of you, listed tors noted in August 1984 that journalism on the bottom of this page, contributed schools face “serious financial problems,” more than $1,300 to the Dean Stone Lectures and called on media corporations and other fund and others of you, also listed, contrib­ private sources to increase their financial uted to the Excellence Fund or the new support to journalism education. journalism scholarships. We hope many more Now as never before, the Gannett study alumni and friends will help us now and suggests, the differences between the na­ will continue to do so on a regular basis. tion’s best J-Schools and the mediocre ma­ Dorothy M. Johnson was very concerned jority lie in the amount of outside financial about the tight budgets at the UM J-School, help the programs receive. for which she had a special place in her Dean Charles The DMJ fund — honor her memory Hood Dean Stone Lecture Fund None of this surprises us at the Univer­ heart. She once remarked publicly that this sity of Montana, where during recent years Penelope Wagner Peabody school seemed to be one of the few places Nathaniel Blumberg appropriation increases have not kept pace left where the teaching of spelling and gram­ Lois/Robert Holt with rising costs and climbing enrollment. Mary L. Vanderslice mar still mattered. The creation of the Dor­ Norma Tirrell Complicating the situation further is a com­ othy M. Johnson Fund by Mel and Ruth Charles Johnson (plus match from Cowles Media) munications revolution that is requiring jour­ Ruder gives us a wonderful opportunity to Paul H. Lloyd-Davies Don R. Larson nalism schools to equip themselves at least honor Dorothy’s memory and to strengthen Scott Sorensen minimally with sophisticated electronic the journalism school in many areas we Majorie Bennetts equipment. Joe Frank Purcell have just mentioned. We want to make the Robert C. Gibson A decade ago the UM journalism budget DMJ Fund the principal vehicle through Nancy L. Harris supported modest travel for our faculty; the Jill Thompson which journalism alumni and friends can Lorraine Lindahl visits of distinguished journalists; a work­ help the school financially. The yearly inter­ Molly Herrin shop or two a year for high school students Bryan DiSalvatore est from this growing endowment will be Gwinn Dyrland or working professionals; reasonable in­ used to give us the edge we need to remain Lexie Verdon Barr (plus match from Washington Post) creases in books and periodicals for the J- an excellent program. As a first step, we are Collette Cornelius Library; a supplies and equipment fund that Kathleen Mensing Rehbein adding to the endowment—with the permis­ John Talbot kept our operation running smoothly; publi­ sion of the donors—last year’s Dean Stone Larry/Lysandra Bruce cation of the Montana Journalism Review, Blanche Lanstrum Lecture contributions. Patricia Taylor and salaries that were not unattractive to We know that professional journalists are Douglas Moher the best young teaching prospects in the not made of money. We probably told you William Lundgren country. T.H./Ruth Regan as undergraduates that the rewards of a Mary Ellen Myrene Today, our budget barely permits us to journalism job are not usually monetary. But Verna Green Smith pay the phone bills. One-person trips to re­ Patrick Sheehy there are thousands of UM journalism gradu­ Janet Trask Cox gional journalism conferences in Denver and ates, and if each of you could contribute a Daniel O’Boyle Seattle wipe out an out-of-state travel fund Paula Walker few dollars each year to help us maintain Theresa M. Murphy designed to serve both the dean and the fac­ our excellence, your money would be well- William D./Loretta Charlotte James ulty. Workshops and distinguished visiting spent. Col. and Mrs. G.A. Sorensen Maibelle Christy lecturers are fewer; library acquisitions are Please write out a check to the Dorothy John/Teresa Kafentzis less substantial; the Montana Journalism M. Johnson Fund, and mail it directly to Sam Gilluly Sue O’Connell/Mike Dennison Review has disappeared. Finally, low salaries the University of Montana Foundation, 600 have figured in the departure in recent years University Avenue, Missoula, Mt. 59812. New scholarships and gifts of two talented young teachers. Thanks! Mel Ruder We’re not demoralized by this. As the Blanche Coppo Lanstrum 1984 Communique shows, good things con­ D.J. Shults tinue to happen to the School of Journalism Virginia Braun d -------- Rich Landers and we’re proud of our performance under CLE. M-o o Dorothy Rochon Powers these difficult circumstances. We’re working Dorothy Brading Scott Gratton on methods to cut costs and exploring in­ Vivian Palladin novative ways to meet our needs. C o m m u n iq u e The 1984 Communique was produced by an Writing and editing: Charles Hood and War­ honors class in advanced publications design, ren Brier. taught by Patty Reksten. The students were David Fenner, senior from Helena; Marlee Photography: Bob Cushman and Patty Reks­ Miller, senior from Eugene, Ore.; and ten. Christine Johnson, graduate student from Hamilton. The Communique is an annual publication Typesetting: The Missoulian and UM Print­ published by the University of Montana ing Services. School of Journalism and is distributed to alumni and friends. Printing: UM Printing Services. Dorothy M. Johnson’s death ends lifetime love affair with language Author Dorothy M. Johnson, a member of the journalism faculty from 1953 to 1967, died at home Nov. 11 at age 78. She had suffered from Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses for the past few years. Miss Johnson taught the magazine courses at the J-School. In 1952 she resigned as news editor of the Whitefish Pilot to become secre­ tary-manager of the Montana Press Association, which had its office in the Journalism Building. Miss Johnson was the author of 17 books and more than 100 short stories. She was best known for three stories that became movies: “The Hanging Tree,” “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” and “A “I noticed in the paper last week Man Called Horse.” The movies starred Gary Cooper, John Wayne, a county budget item of $1,200 for Jimmy Stewart, Lee Marvin, Richard Harris and Karl Malden. She also was an inveterate writer of letters to the editor of the a gopher revolving fund. I wonder if Missoulian, criticizing subjects that ranged from a so-called county the gophers have made a reasonable Gopher Revolving Fund to use of the word “gift” as a verb. attempt to provide their own recrea­ Miss Johnson was the recipient of five national and regional awards for her writing. In 1973 she received an honorary doctor’s tion. And I suggest we might be able degree from UM. to do an even better job if the gophers She referred to herself as “a little old lady who had a right good time getting here.” received a federal grant.” Her colleagues remembered her splendid sense of humor, her life­ Dorothy M. Johnson (Letter to the editor— Missoulian) time love affair with the English language and her meticulous re­ search for her novels. One of her fondest remembrances was having dinner with Gary Cooper when he visited Missoula to announce he would appear in “The Hanging Tree.” ‘How to Get on a Horse’ Dorothy Johnson’s character and personal­ public hearing concerning “a tract of land ity emerged from a host of non-professional located in and being a portion of the SE IV2 activities remembered by her friends and of Section 18, T 13N,R19W.” She said: “This “The City of Missoula fans. For example: is the second such piece of gobbledegook •Her many speeches, which always had I’ve received recently. Presumably Missoula advertised for applications for the same title-“How to Get on a Horse.” County wants to tell me something but the the position of Ward 5 ‘alder- •Her Christmas letters, which were ripe effort was a total failure...Let’s have some person.