rage Eight
s.

it was a "strictly personal" appearance that Sidney Harris. columnist for the Chicago Dally
News, put in at the annual Theta Sigma Phi-Sigma Delta Chi banquet and Matrix Table last
week. Sponsored by the two campus journalism societies for a group of selected guests. the
banquet featured an analysis of "The Perils of a Columnist" by Mr. Harris. pictured above

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday. May 22. m4

 

with officers of the organizations.

* 'k *

Chicago Daily News (IolumnislL Addresses Grinnell
0n Difficulties. Rewards of Newspaper Profession

| By Ann Showalter

"The purpose of my column
Is to make people think," as-
serted Sydney J. Harris at the
Sigma Delta Chi and Theta Sig<
ma Phi spring dinner and Mat-
rix Table last Thursday.

Writer of the daily column,
“Strictly Personal” for the
Chicago Daily News and the
Publishers Newspapers Syndi-
cate, Harris spoke on the per-
ils of a columnist with the
above goal. ,

The first peril is no one really
believes in the freedom of the
press. “You believe in freedom
lip to the point at which the
writer stops pointing his finger
at your neighbor and starts
pointing it at you,” he charged.

He explained that me column-
Ist often becomes cynical be-
cause his critics seem ‘inde-
fatiguable in writing long and
semirliterate letters to the edi-
bor' while no one writean to
praise a column.

Publicity seekers pose a
threat to the columnist
"Countless individuals, craving
the heavy wine of notoriety,
will resort to any method to
get their names in print Some
will even settle for an unfavor-
able mention.”

Besides those looking for per-
lonal fame, there are the pew
.ple with a mission. The journal»
ist is forced to spend many
hours a week listening to these
“save-theworlders."

“Friendship,” H a rris an
nounced, “is the most danger-
ous pitfall of any newspaper-
man and perhaps of any man"

When a journalist starts liv-
lng with the people he is trying
to write about, corruption be-
gins to set in. “The columnist
relinquishes his professional
Virginity; he becomes a lap dog
instead of a watch dog"

The columnist must avoid
taking himself too seriously—
confusing himself with God
“The good columnist always

 

‘k ‘k *

keeps in mind the possibility
that he may be wrong.”

But the opposite side of this
coin, confusing the people with
God, is just as dangerous. Har«

ris does not believe in “giving
the people what they want."

Harris switched to talk about
his personal experience as a col<
umnist. '

“I am frequently asked,
‘Where do you get your mater-
ial? and I always reply, ‘I steal
it.‘ n

He claims that few people
read anything worthwhile to-
day, so the field is open for a
re - interpreter of traditional
ideas “The professional writer
is always reading; a writer who
stops reading stops thinking."

* * *

Another question people often
ask is, “Don’t you find it hard
to turn out a column every
day?_” He does not have diffi-
culty finding topics and be-
lieves "the man who has to
slave away at a creative job is
not in the right job"

Harris always tries for hon-
esty, outspokenness and a per-
sonal approach in his column.
“Beneath the flimsiest subject
1 try to insert a serious vein."

Speaking of the reasons for
becoming a columnist Harris
stated, “In spite of the nervous
strain it involves, the profes-
sional holds an irresistible
lure. It lets a man express him—
self on any subject he
pleases.”

 

Don't look now. but . . .
Summer is almost here—-

EVERYONE

AT
HARRISON'S

wishes you a happy vocation

Plan Encampment
ForSlUdenl Leaders

Plans for a 1964 Student
Leaders Encampment are now
underway under the leadership
of Susan Taylor, committee
chairman. The event is sched-
uled for October 2-4 at Pilgrim
Heights Camp, Montour, lowa
and will include forty students
selected from various offices
and positions on campus and
twenty faculty and administra-
tion members in positions
where they deal with student

affairs The weekend retreat
will be used for planning and
discussing the development of
next year's campus programl

Other members of the En~
campment Committee are Nan-
cy Cox, Jim Stoddart, Karen
Lauterbach, and Mike Arnow.

‘3

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