Exhibit JC42 - The Leveson Inquiry

For Distribution to CPsThe University of London Diploma for Journalism: The Educational Background and Aims ofthe CourseThe Assistant to the Director of Practical Journalism, 1937-39The person appointed as Assistant to the Director of PracticalJournalism, Miss Joan Skipsey (later Mrs Galwey), had herself attendedthe course as a student between 1934 to 1936. In that year she first of allhelped Dr. Harrison when he was editing the Penguin Shakespeare series,before herself taking a job with Allen Lane of Penguin Books (in the officialhistory of the company her name is mistakenly given as ’Skipsie.’) MissSkipsey (See appendix XVIII) had worked on printing trade and fashionpapers for two years prior to joining the course as a student, and joinedClarke as his Assistant from Penguin Books.Since Skipsey’s first year as a student had been under the old teachingmethod and her final year was the first under Clarke’s regime, she hadexperienced the impact of his teaching first hand and knew what to expectin her role as his assistant. Possibly a little horrified by the immensity of thetask before her she wrote to Clarke and his reply dated 8 t" July 1935 saidshe ’need not fear any misunderstanding’ regarding her ’appointment...and you will be responsible to me for all your activities in that position.’Skipsey was obviously worried about possible problems that might ariseshould Harrison’s secretary be away.Clarke assured her ’Things will be simplified in the matter of liaison by aweekly conference which Dr. Harrison and I proposed to hold everyThursday at which you will be present. This will give us the opportunity tocoordinate our activities as we go along. ’65 Daily attendance would benecessary, as would sharing his office until one was available to her and’one duty will be to answer any telephone enquiries and receive callersand, of course, in the absence of Dr. Harrison callers who wish to see himwill be dealt with by you.’ Clarke recommended that ’you might be turningover in your mind some aspect of the executive duties which I shall leavevery much in your care. They are, for example:- attending to the register,arranging assignments, provision of the ticker [Reuters’ news service] anddelivery of Press Association copy, publicity for the courses, records ofstudents.., correspondence files, preparation of lecture lists, typing out allmy lectures as required [and] assisting me in elementary instruction of FirstYear students and assisting also in the examination and sub-editing ofcopy.’ Clarke ended by saying he was sure ’you are going to find itenjoyable and inspiring work’ and gave her his private address and phonenumber ’in case you wish to get in touch with me.’So it was that, at the start of the academic year in October, 1937, Clarkewas able to operate the course nearer to his ideal than had earlier provedpossible, with the immediate prospect of seeing the journalism coursecentralized in King’s College and operating the revised syllabus firstmooted in 1935. In effect, he was only to have two years operating thecourse this way before war intervened - far too short a time to have mucheffect, but just sufficient to show the way things might have developed hadthe London University School of Journalism materialized in the form he andHarrison had proposed (See Syllabus at Appendix XV).92MOD100051263