Page 21 - To Dragma November 1924

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 17

" I f I were starting out to do newspaper work and I wished
to have every chance on my side, I should start, first of all, by
being a woman."

Not only are schools of journalism all over the country pour-
ing out a small army of eager young women who believe that
there are lots of opportunities in their chosen field, but newspaper
work is constantly finding new recruits f r o m other professions. I
know a graduate of the Home Economics Department of the
University of Iowa who began her writing with articles on the
preparation of f r u i t f o r a famous f r u i t trade journal. Now she
is on the staff of the Washburn Crosby Milling Company. That
may not sound like a literary career, but it is. When she is not
giving food talks over the radio now operated by the Washburn
Crosby Company, she is writing articles on food f o r advertise-
ments, circulars, and bulletins. I have a friend who came to the
rather abrupt end of what she had hoped to be an artist's career,
who now writes a weekly feature story on art. The writing field
is always in need of the specialist. The school department which
almost every newspaper conducts, offers opportunities to the col-
lege woman with special training in education.

I n preparing f o r a newspaper career, I emphasize the need
for specializing along some particular line during college. W r i t -
ers who not only can appear to speak with authority, but who are
authorities, are needed by every newspaper and magazine. Cours-
es in municipal problems and city management would be an in-
valuable help to the girl who expects a job as a city hall reporter,
with the federal buildings and welfare organizations. Home
economics courses such as cooking and interior decorating offer
the girl who would have someting to write on about which she is
an authority, a background for a future position.

Not long ago at a national convention of bankers, it was pointed .
out that seventy five per cent of the buying of the nation is done
by women. Managing editors have long been aware of that. I n
justice to their advertisers they must make their papers and mag-
azines appeal to the women who buy things. Here is one very
simple explanation of the increasing number of women writers.
There is a great need for more features that will appeal directly
to women. Editors want articles that have "the woman to
woman" touch—and can men write them? Perhaps. But cer-
tainly not as well.