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.heights, as well as such special correspondent or specialist roles as arts,film, drama, labour, industrial relations and politics.It is more difficult to discover the social and educational background ofthe majority of students who undertook the course although formerstudents usually refer to it as middle-class from the upper ranges (videreferences in the files to those unable to return to the course because ofinjuries incurred on skiing holidays) with few from working classbackgrounds. But there are indications that there were more than asprinkling of secondary, and high school pupils, especially among thewinners of Exhibitions. Of the five awarded Exhibitions in 1924 and 1925four already worked on newspapers (two from grammar schools and twofrom high schools), two others were grammar school products and threewere from high schools or county secondary schools, and one from a publicschool whose father was an editor.Because the English version of university schools of journalism did nothave a forum, like the American Journalism Quarterly, it is difficult touncover definite evidence of the progress of the course. The NewspaperSociety Monthly Circular does, however, provide some clues and printscomments from members of the interviewing panel for awardingExhibitions, such as: ’There was not a dullard among them. If candidates oftheir calibre are common, the efficient staffing of newspapers is assured. ’17There were also reports that the students were ’readily findingemployment. ’18 While one of the comments often made about the course isthat it had too many women students it is interesting to note that Mr.Valentine Knapp drew attention to one editor of a daily newspaper ’whohad expected the student (a lady) to be a ’nuisance’ in the office; anopinion he recanted handsomely before the end of the pupil’s six weekspresence there. ’~9Throughout the existence of the course quite a few students werepersuaded by newspaper editors to leave and join their newspapers, oftenthose on which they had spent vacation work attachments, after only oneyear’s attendance at the university. This would indicate that, howevercritical they might be of journalism courses, editors were only too eager tosecure ’efficient staffing of newspapers’, even if, in the university’s eyes,half-trained.One striking fact about former students I have had the pleasure ofmeeting and corresponding with, is the way they treasured memories oftheir former lecturers, especially Clarke and Harrison, and, indeed, couldrecite large chunks of critical texts they were called upon to study.D The London University Staff Involved(i) Journalism Staff (see Appendix XXVII)The benign neglect inflicted upon journalism students by the universitymeant that members of the ’journalistic profession (had to give)gratuitiously.., to practical teaching in the methods of reporting publicfunctions ’2° and direct reference is made to ’Mr. Fred Miller, M.A., AssistantEditor of the Daily Telegraph.’ It would appear that Miller then persuadedMr. Edward G. Hawke, one of his leader writers (also on the staff of The]89MOD100051360