THE question of the practicability of a college course in journalism has been lately taken up by several colleges and discussed at some length. It is not a new question; it has been considered before, but no college has undertaken to establish such a course till the University of Chicago offered one this fall which was not only "to study and practise the art of journalism," but also "periodical literature, literary editorship and book making." This course has been called delusive, not only because of its probable impracticability but also because too much seems to be attempted in the short session of six weeks.

Journalism is at best a hard profession-if it may be called a profession,-college journalism, even, in the amount of time and work and thought it demands is much more difficult than one generally thinks. The standard of journalism, as illustrated in the average newspaper of this country is low, partly because it lacks well trained and cultivated men and partly because the wretched state of the public mind is not satisfied with anything higher. There is, therefore, a need for improvement in the tone of journalism that we may have more journals in this country to compare favorably to those of Great Britain.

A course in journalism may seem "delusive" at first glance,-even, perhaps, at a last glance. Yet the course at the University of Chicago has a practical side worth considering. It aims, in words of a member of the faculty "to put into just and effective comparison the different ideals and standard of journals in this country; and, again, to put into like comparison the different types of journalism prevailing in the United States on the one hand and in Great Britain on the other." In addition students will have experience under careful criticism in writing editorial articles and paragraphs on current topics and perhaps in reporting. Such a course is not ideal, perhaps, but, If developed, it would probably become more if not fully satisfactory.

The number of students from Harvard entering journalism is growing larger each year. The greater part have had no experience in this work and are ignorant of its nature and of the chances where it can be improved. The experience on a college paper is very little, it is true, in comparison to that which the infinitely greater work on city papers brings; but nevertheless the diligent and earnest work which a college journal calls for helps, even if it be a little, towards developing a good journalist. If this course at the University of Chicago does not try to cover too much ground, as it perhaps threatens, it may succeed, and it is to be hoped it will succeed, in its object. In that case it may be well for us, in view of the growing number of graduates taking up journalism and also in view of better journalism in the journals of this nation, seriously to consider the establishment of such a course at Harvard.