4-14-09: SPJ conference highlights DePauw's journalism history
By: Andrew Bruner
Issue date: 4/14/09 Section: Editor's blog
In my last post, I mentioned the legacy that 1929 alum Bernard Kilgore has left on The DePauw through a fund he left to the newspaper. Kilgore is a giant in the journalism world for making the Wall Street Journal into a media powerhouse during his time as editor of the paper from the 1940s through the '60s.
Kilgore's legacy will be just one of the parts of DePauw's journalistic heritage on display this weekend when the Society of Professional Journalists gathers on campus for its 100th anniversary.
SPJ is one of the country's most prominent journalism organizations, and it was founded at little old DePauw back in 1909 - first called Sigma Delta Chi, a journalism fraternity. In-depth talk of journalistic ethics is probably boring to most of my readers, but it's worth noting that SPJ's code of ethics has been considered an industry standard for decades. You can check it out at http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp if you're interested.
During the weekend, Richard J. Tofel, the author of a recent Kilgore biography will discuss his book; professor Bob Steele will moderate a panel on the future of American journalism; and former NBC News anchor Jane Pauley will speak as part of the Ubben Lecture Series. For anybody remotely interested in media, it's a packed weekend.
(I realize it's a packed weekend for other reasons too: Little 5, two big campus concerts and admitted student weekend.)
As all these events near, I think it's important to note what a deep history in journalism DePauw has. As a member of The DePauw's staff, I benefit from that legacy every day even though I'm not aware of much of that history.
SPJ's founding at DePauw took place in a corner room on the first floor of East College. When you walk into the room, there are some plaques about SPJ, but the display doesn't knock you over the head. I had never entered that room or known there was a marker of SPJ's founding on campus until this semester, my eighth and final one at DePauw.
Kilgore's legacy will be just one of the parts of DePauw's journalistic heritage on display this weekend when the Society of Professional Journalists gathers on campus for its 100th anniversary.
SPJ is one of the country's most prominent journalism organizations, and it was founded at little old DePauw back in 1909 - first called Sigma Delta Chi, a journalism fraternity. In-depth talk of journalistic ethics is probably boring to most of my readers, but it's worth noting that SPJ's code of ethics has been considered an industry standard for decades. You can check it out at http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp if you're interested.
During the weekend, Richard J. Tofel, the author of a recent Kilgore biography will discuss his book; professor Bob Steele will moderate a panel on the future of American journalism; and former NBC News anchor Jane Pauley will speak as part of the Ubben Lecture Series. For anybody remotely interested in media, it's a packed weekend.
(I realize it's a packed weekend for other reasons too: Little 5, two big campus concerts and admitted student weekend.)
As all these events near, I think it's important to note what a deep history in journalism DePauw has. As a member of The DePauw's staff, I benefit from that legacy every day even though I'm not aware of much of that history.
SPJ's founding at DePauw took place in a corner room on the first floor of East College. When you walk into the room, there are some plaques about SPJ, but the display doesn't knock you over the head. I had never entered that room or known there was a marker of SPJ's founding on campus until this semester, my eighth and final one at DePauw.
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