Exhibit JC42 - The Leveson Inquiry

For Distribution to CPsHacks and Dons - Teaching at the London University Journalism School 1919-1939: Its origin,development and influence.consider the whole subject. ’18 He also enclosed a copy of Collins’journalism syllabus for the Education Committee.H.T. Hamson summed up the Committee’s initial inquiries into existingeducational facilities by stating that: ’we wish.., to direct attention tomethods that will enable all half-hours being put to profitable use, wherebymembers can be directed to a sustained course of reading on a givensubject over.., three to six months. ’19This tied in with the Committee’s view of journalistic work: ’it rarely allowsfor regular hours for study, especially class work; and, further, that readingis often of a spasmodic, perfunctory, or scrappy nature. ’2° This enquiryrevealed no classes organised anywhere, specially for journalists, butpromoted the idea of journalists taking advantage of existing facilities by’fathering’ classes in any one subject if at least a dozen members could befound, as this made it easier for the local education authority to subsidisesuch courses. The Worker’s Educational Association, University ExtensionLectures, and the Home Reading Union and Ruskin CollegeCorrespondence courses were all recommended. 21 Study Circles andWeekend Schools were also recommended and, indeed, several flourishedin later years, as reports in The Journalist indicate. 22One aspect of the Committee inquiries - that of the attention given toeducation for their members by other trade unions and organizations - wasstated but no conclusions offered. It was left that: ’those professions thathave attained a higher status have done so by an evolutionary process inwhich education has played a large part, growing from simplehelpfulness.., to direct arrangement of lectures an courses, with or withoutexaminations or diplomas. ’2~However, both articles referred to indicate the existence of a set body ofknowledge labelled ’extra school’ topics and these included those leastlikely to be dealt with thoroughly in secondary or public schools: ’LocalGovernment, Psychology, Constitutional History, Logic, Ethics, EconomicTheory and History, Social and Political History, Modern History, EnglishLiterature, Political Theory, Sociology, Co-operation, etc. ’24In its report to the National Executive of the Union the Sub-committee oncontacting Universities discussed the one positive response to theirproposals: this was the University College, Southampton, which organiseda course of six lectures by Professor Ifor Evans that ’treated the art ofconveying ideas in pictures and words. ’2s Thirteen journalists attended thefirst lecture, given in the offices of the Southern Daily Echo, where themanagement had provided accommodation and, later, guaranteed the fullcost of the course which the university had reduced to a ’practical amount.’The brake on the enthusiasm of the Union’s members was the question oftheir getting time off to attend classes and the management: ’while notprofessing any unusual friendship for the Union made no objection toworking with us. They first gave promise that time off should be given if theclasses could be established at a convenient time.’ The value of this coursefrom a Union of point of view, ’hardly needs illustration. The members ofthe Southampton Branch are united in a new interest. They are engaged ina new and important activity which has been created by the union. And this153MOD100051324