Arkansas newspaper cooperates with the University of Arkansas to hold a half-day School for Rural Correspondents, followed by a lunch at which the correspondents were guests of the newspaper. Cash prizes offered for the best rural correspondent's work in the next six months.
Survey report at annual AAACE meeting. "About 40 per cent of the county extension agents now furnish extension information to their local newspapers regularly, only a very few altogether neglecting to do so, but there is a distinct need for editorial training for agents." Among the training means proposed: journalism courses for prospective agents while in college, state news-writing training meetings held by the college editor for county agents, correspondence courses in news writing, and bulletins on news writing. American Association of Agricultural College Editors.
Author emphasizes intellectual curiosity as a striking characteristic of the effective agricultural college editor. Among other cited credentials: agricultural college education, newspaper training and practical farm experience.
Editorial comments positively on a course in agricultural journalism being taught at the University of Wisconsin. Cites need for more farmers to write for their farm papers.
Discusses the causes of prejudice against advertising schools. Argues that such schools have "come to stay. The critics have emptied their quivers but the school goes merrily on, teaching its students how to study human nature, how to study commodities, how to devise selling plans, how to write effective copy, design attractive displays, etc."
Describes the first agricultural journalism course offered at the University of Illinois. It was taught during second semester 1907, featuring agricultural editors as guest lecturers. "The demand for trained workers in this line is considerable and the managers of agricultural journals assert that the average student from college is of little value in a newspaper office. This is largely due to the fact that he has had absolutely no instruction in work of this kind. Very naturally, he is all at sea when he accepts a position on an agricultural paper."
