3621 py 1 Herald PAPER THE SCHOOL PAPER BY CHARLES B. GLEASON Vice Principal San Jose High School AND GEORGE I. LYNN Santa Clara University- San Jose, California Press of Eaton & Company 1912 JO (Copyright, 1912, by Charles B. Gleason.) PREFACE Like most teachers who are concerned with the School Paper, the writer did not take up the work because of his interest in it — that came later, — but partly because students came to him for help of one sort or another, partly because he was one of those to whom happened to be as- signed a task somebody had to do, and nobody wanted. The pages that follow are the result of a dozen years' observation of the workings of the writer's own school, and of other as he has become acquainted with them through professional literature, discussions at educational gatherings, and private inquiry. Perhaps what more than anything else led him to write it out was the inquiry of the editor of an Ohio school paper, whose letter ended, in capitals, HOW DO YOU DO IT? No attempt is made at academic discussion. The Educator will look in vain for profundity of thought or brilliancy of expression. The prac- tical teacher may say in criticism that he knew it all before. Very likely he did. The title might have been "What a Young Editor Ought to Know ;" and if he finds here indeed what he needs to know and no one has told him ; if he finds anything to help him in his difficult and per- plexing endeavors ; the purpose of the writer will be fulfilled. The senior author is solely responsible for Part I. To Part II he has contributed only editorially, this portion being the work of Mr. Lynn, whose experience as editor of student publications of various types enables him to speak of the matters under discussion from the point of view of the student. CHARLES B. GLEASON. San Jose, Cal., September 1, 1912. ^m PART I— ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION, I. TO BE OR NOT TO BE. To many Principals the school paper stands as one of the vex- ations of his position — a "problem" along with fraternities, the cigarette habit, social excesses, and social vices, to be wrestled with, to be tolerated under protest, but as hopeless and as inevi- table as poverty and sin. I recall the triumphant satisfaction with which one prominent Principal announced that he had eliminated the paper from his school, and substituted an arrangement for space in a local weekly ; and more than one other who, while not openly opposing, saw to it that no possible obstacle failed to be •placed in the paper's path. One must freely admit that the his- tory of school journalism is not pleasant reading; that the course is strewn with unsightly wrecks ; that too often the school paper has added nothing to the reputation of the school, its manage- ment, or the cause of public education. Owing its inception to its claims to recognition as a stimulus to literary interest, it has fallen far short of these high endeavors : — utterly failed as a literary essay, fostered the frivolous and vulgar, and not the serious and elevated things of school life, weakened rather than strengthened true school spirit, and, especially in its financial management, been a scandal and a disgrace in the community. Too often dragging out a miserable existence, fitful spurts of energy followed by heart-failure, it has caused the long-sufifering teacher to echo the Autocrat, "I wish it would get well, or some- thing !" Yet all this is not really an indictment of the school paper in itself, but of the paper as often conducted. The school that has no school journal may, like the country that has no history, be a happy one, but it is with the happiness of stagnation. Journal- ism seems as natural expression of intellectual vigor in young people as athletics of physical vigor ; and the one and the other are almost essential to healthful development, and deserve en- couragement as much as do activities distinctively scholastic. The school paper has become a necessary part of every progressive school, and the interest of the school journalist and of the school alike demand that it be the best possible, and conducted in the best manner. II. STARTING OF THE PAPER. Possibly many of the failures and weaknesses of school papers are due to the fact that these have "done growed," and not been ushered into existence by any wise direction, or as the result of any forethought or careful design. 6 The School Paper There are several questions to be carefully considered and definitely answered before the paper should be launched. First of all the kind or character. In the small school, the sole publication will very likely be the annual. This is, I suppose, something handed down from tlie college ; at any rate is is closely modeled after the maturer pro- duction, and offers the same temptation to extravagance of outlay and of expression. It is of a form and content almost stereo- typed, and needs little description here. Most schools of any size support a monthly, as a rule a maga- zine, in which literary matter — fiction, sketch, or essay — predom- inates. The final issue of the year, perhaps the midyear or holi- day number, is a "Souvenir" number, hardly dififering at all from the annual in a majority of cases. Humorous or artistic period- icals are not unknown, but so exceptional are they in the school that for practical purposes they may be disregarded. In a few schools the magazine is a weekly, apt to be a feeble imitation of the monthly, and differing chiefly in its cheaper and less attractive get-up. Of late a new type has appeared, in my opinion destined to prove a popular and valuable addition to school journalism. This has the form and general character of a newspaper, similar to the best type of college daily. III. THE ORGANIZATION. The kind of the paper settled, the next cjuestion is' naturally the organization — a matter of prime importance. We shall find papers handled by a class, by the school as a whole, with editors chosen in various ways by the students alone, by the teachers, or by the students subject to faculty confirmation — by a club or society in the school, or by one or more students or outsiders, as a private enterprise. All these plans have good and bad features. Students tend to support most loyally the paper that, they think represents them best ; and are lukewarm in their support of an enterprise tliat will profit only some individual : and a paper run as a school paper in the fullest sense is likely to be the best in quality, as well as in its reflection of the interests of the school. Again and again the editors must choose between a surplus in the treasury (with a possible deficit to face later on) and some special feature in the issue ; and it is hard for a manager to decide against his own pocket-book. I remember a manager who found that it was for his financial advantage to restrict the amount of typographical composition in his magazine ; so that his issues abounded in half- pages of blank paper, w^hile the articles and stories carefully arranged by his indignant and helpless editor found their way to The: School Paper 7 the waste-basket. Then, too, there is a pretty general agreement among thinking students that service on the school paper, like work on an athletic team, should have loyalty for its motive, not personal profit. On the other hand, it is quite true that a boy who is working for himself can afford to devote time and effort to the work that one who has only honor to gain cannot ; and true, too, that the business end of the paper abounds in hard, time- consuming, and often disagreeable work, of undoubted commer- cial value, which receives from the school very little in the way of sympathy or glory. There is no question that the ultimate success of any periodical will depend upon the general support it receives from the school. And in deciding upon the organization, local conditions and to some extent traditions must be reckoned with. In the smaller school, with the closer acquaintanceship and relationship that generally characterize it, the school as a whole may be depended on to conduct its paper; the writer's experience- is, that when the number of students gets much above a hundred, pure democracy begins to fail of efifectiveness, and any management nominally of the whole school tends to become the management of a clique, a faction, or at least of a few aggressive spirits. It is not so much that so large number is unwieldy, as the necessary condition that the members of the lower classes, though numerically strong, are at a great disadvantage because of their lesser maturity. Nowhere in the whole school period does a seniority of two or three years mean so great a disparity in this respect. The case is the same, of course, with all student activities, but in none, I believe, does this produce such disastrous results as in connec- tion with the student publications. For this works lack of interest, and lack of interest which may be counteracted by extrane- ous aids in case of athletics or debating, is fatal to the publication. Much better is management by a class, as this class is apt to be the Senior class, older and maturer students, who will as a matter of class pride and spirit use every effort to make the publication a success, by their influence and backing make it stand for the school, and actually or virtually assuming the financial responsibility, ensure a sound management, or at least relieve school and teachers of any burden of unpaid bills. Club management is open to the objections of private manage- ment, and has others of its own. It is less amenable to control, its membership is apt to consist of students who will be prom- inent in other activities ; and in the legitimate rivalries and con- tests of school politics, these tend to consolidate into a clique, with unhappy results for the enterprise for which they were originally organized. The best results require some sort of co-operation between students and teachers, and I believe the best results will be had when the control of student publications is vested jointly in teachers and students. 8 The School Paper In the San Jose High School the student publication was for years a monthly magazine which issued at first an annual, after- ward, a semi-annual Souvenir number. Almost every variety of management and organization was tried, and the paper passed through all sorts of vicissitudes. Later a number of students interested in newspaper work organized, under the direction of an experienced newspaper man on the faculty, a club for the issuing of a weekly sheet. They found their task at first an easy one. Advertisements came in, more than they had space for. Thev were able to distribute the paper gratis to 900 students, and then have a comfortable surplus. Finding that the manage- ment of the monthly assumed a decidedly hostile attitude — which, by the way, was accentuated by the candidacy of the editor of the new paper for student President — and that they had indeed practically drawn away from the monthly all its advertisers except those who considered their advertisements a donation, the club brought forward, at the opening of the school year, a plan by which the monthly became a purely liter- ary magazine, without advertisements ; and the club paid over for its maintenance a sum which, added to the subscriptions, was sufficient to run the regular issues, and pay part of the cost of the Souvenir numbers. Lack of hearty support from the stu- dents, who perhaps valued less what cost them nothing, con- tentions between the editorial boards of the two publications thus unequally yoked together, and errors of judgment of a business manager, contributed to the failure of this arrange- ment ; by consent the afifairs of both papers were placed in charge of a committee of teachers, who endeavored, in conference with the representatives of the two periodicals, to liquidate the in- debtedness, and rehabilitate the papers if possible. They formu- lated the following plan, which was adopted by the student organization, and has proved workable and, thus far, satisfactory. All student publications are supervised by a committee con- sisting of three teachers, appointed by the Principal, three stu- dents, chosen by the executive board of the Associated Students, and the editors of the two publications, one of whom is elected by the Senior Class, one by the committee itself. The editors choose their own staffs, subject to approval of the committee, which also appoints from its student-members an auditor, who receives all money collected by the business managers, and pays all bills allowed by the committee. The advantages of such an organization are that it brings the faculty into close touch with the school papers, thus avoiding many misunderstandings, and gives to the editors the advice and support of representative students not directly interested in the publications, and of those who from their greater maturity and wider experience can be of great service to them, especially in their relations with out- side parties. It helps, too, in maintaining all departments of the The School Paper 9 publications on a business footing. Experience has shown that much of the friction between faculty and editors is obviated by this arrangement. The students are in the majority on the com- mittee, and can outvote the faculty members, often without any fear of later unpleasant consequences. Yet in spite of the fact that the older and younger heads hold widely divergent views on many matters, and these views are often held with consider-' able intensity, the majority has uniformly deferred to the judg- ment of the minority, and few steps have been taken by the managements without voluntary consultation with the faculty members. To be sure, this state of things presupposes several things : the encouragement of frank and free discussion of all matters ; willingness on the part of the faculty members to show reasons for their stand where it would be easier, and perhaps justifiable, to exert their authority; in short, that the teachers make it apparent that they are doing their best to promote the enterprise, not merely to hold it in check or place impediments in the way of its free progress. IV. FINANCES — AUDITING OF ACCOUNTS: SUBSCRIPTIONS. An important function of any editorial board is the auditing of accounts. This should be done at frequent and stated inter- vals — not less often than once a month, except where the annual is the sole publication. Collections should be in the hands of the auditor or treasurer by the day set for the auditing, and both business managers and other fiscal officers should present writ- ten reports showing the state of their accounts and bills payable and receivable. Bills payable should be considered by the edi- torial board, and if approved, allowed and paid by check. Pay- ment should never be made in any other manner. The bank account of a school paper will be small, and in itself of no profit to the banker. Yet any banker will gladly carry it because of its educational value. It cannot be too strongly insisted upon that every penny received be receipted for, and that the treasurer give his receipt, on a blank that may be identified by stub or carbon duplicate, for everything he receives ; and pay out by check only, taking vouchers wherever possible. For very small expenditures, such as for mailing exchanges, too trivial for check, cash should be advanced, and when the sum total reaches an appreciable amount a carefully itemized bill be put in, as in case of any other creditor. Or, a sufficient sum to cover such regular expendi- tures may be appropriated, to be accounted at stated intervals by the holder. Banks in their own business draw drafts for a few cents; but a check should not ordinarily be drawn for less lo The School Paper than a dollar. Careful attention to such matters effects two things : it aids in the formation of businesslike habits, and acts as a safeguard against the little leaks that tend to wreck an enterprise. In this connection it may be well to consider subscriptions. A good way to provide for a paper of general circulation like the school weekly is to make the subscription price an addition to the class or school dues, and collected through the same medium. This method is practically that employed by many organizations, for example, the California Teachers' Association, 60 per cent, of the membership fee of which is considered a subscription to the Association organ, or the Classical Association of the Atlantic States, the dues of which include subscription to the Classical Weekly. When the subscriptions are taken by personal solicitation, it will save much time and many mistakes if a few simple precau- tions are taken. The solicitors should be provided by the man- agement with receipt-books, the blanks in which should be num- bered consecutively before giving out. As an additional precau- tion, the blanks should be counted, and the count recorded. It must be impressed on the mind of the solicitor that he must account for every blank. If he makes a mistake, or spoils one, it is not the proper thing for him to tear out and destroy the blank, but he should mark it "spoiled" or "cancelled," and turn it in at settlement. If the book is lost, he is responsible for any receipts that may be presented and honored by the management. And settlements on account should be required at frequent inter- vals; the temptation to careless handling of funds belonging to someone else is severe, even in mature men, and solicitors will very likely be, many of them, the younger boys, to whom the responsibility is new and correspondingly great. Where a Souvenir or annual is sold on advance subscriptions, the receipt of the solicitor to be exchanged for the magazine when issued, it is well to have the receipt-books for different years or semesters of different size, so that an old receipt cannot be substituted fraudulently. If stock receipts are not used, but blanks specially printed by the management, it serves the same purpose if paper differing in color is used. Considerable con- fusion and possible errors are avoided, too, if a receipt represents but a single copy. It is a very good plan for every one who handles any con- siderable amount of money to give a bond to secure the school against loss through his default. This may seem absurd ; but the fact that a boy has obtained the suretyship of father, mother, or friend gives him a sense of responsibility that makes him more careful and particular, and helps to steer him clear of temp- tations. The bond may be of the simolest form, and need not The; School Paper ii be for a very Targe amount. The student and his surety should both sign, and their signatures be witnessed. In some States a seal is necessary. It is most convenient to have the bond run to "the Principal or his successor in office," but it may run to any agreed school authority. The following form is the bond required of the editor-in-chief of an annual who is responsible for the finances of his paper. It will readily be seen that for most officers a much briefer form will fulfill all the requirements : ••KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS :— That we of in the County of and State of , as principal, and of said , as surety, are bound and obliged unto , Principal of the High School, in the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, to be paid to the said Principal or his successors ; for the payment of which we JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY BIND ourselves and our respective heirs, execut- ors and administrators, by these presents. "Given under our hands and seals this ._ day of , in the Year of Our Lord one thousand, nine hun- dred and "THE CONDITION OF THIS OBLIGATION is such that if the said shall well and faithfully perform the duties of his office of Editor-in-Chief of the of (June) 19...., as the same shall be set forth in the instructions given him by the Publication Committee and shall pay over or cause to be paid over to the General Manager of the Publications of the High School all moneys that shall come into his hands on account of said issue of the '•THEN THIS OBLIGATION SHALL BE VOID as to all liabili- ties incurred by reason of said editorship, included in the final account rendered to the Publication Committee of the High School by the said ; and to none other : — •'OTHERWISE this obligation to remain in full force and effect. ■'Witness : L. S. L. S. V. THE BUSINESS MANAGER: ADVERTISING. The Business Manager .of the paper is, from a financial pohit of view, the most important member of the stalT. He has to secure subscriptions, solicit advertisements, collect bills, and in general see that the funds are forthcoming to put out the paper on which the editor has decided. The requirements of his office are address, energy, tact, accuracy in keeping his accounts, enough executive ability to handle his assistants, good judgment, and a keen insight into human nature. vSome advertisers, some patrons, he may safely leave to his assistants, some he must always deal with himself, and he must know which. The ideal 12 The School Paper business manager is the ideal business man in embryo. Of course, it is in his deaUngs with prospective and actual advertisers tiiat he is tested out. The school paper is in a large measure [aid for by its advertising. Probably no paper is sold for what it costs; usually the subscription price ranges from one-fifth to one-half of the actual cost. The advertiser is apt to look upon his patronage as a gift. In many cases it is so. It is hard to make the advertisements of the monthly or the annual much more than mere business cards, and these are of doubtful value, even in professional newspaperdom. As a matter of fact, nearl}' all the matter in the country weekly, all "programme" advertising, and a good share of the permanent "classified" matter of larger sheets, amounts to a contribution toward the publication, and brings practically no return to the advertiser. Just in this place the school paper may be of the highest educative value. It is an open secret among advertising men that half of the money spent on advertising is thrown away. The invariable card, whicii amounts to a directory item, has its place, but is of extremely limited application. The display ad. of unvarying form, too. has its uses, but it must be such that its stereotyped design and the regularity of its appearance make such an impression on the reader that he misses it if it does not appear, or recognizes the name or form as something familiar and friendly when he meets it in another periodical, or on a sign, or in the course of trade. Some ads. should always contain specific announcements, or mention prices, or use some other device to catch the attention. The observant student-journalist will note these things, and learn a great deal about effective advertising that will not only be of immediate use, but be of value to him in future business life. The value of the advertising is to some extent increased if the paper appears on dates definitely announced beforehand ; and the merchant asked and encouraged to make changes from month to month, so he may make his advertisements fresh and seasonable announcements. Here the weekly, not in magazine but in newspaper form, has a distinct advantage. Advertisers who look askance at the monthly are very ready to patronize the weekly. The advertisement is in plain sight of every reader, for one thing; it may be a set card, on a display ad., varying in size, form, and position to suit the notion of the advertiser. Just the similarity of the sheet to the journals in which he custom- arily advertises predisposes the business man to regard this as a fit and valuable medium for any announcement like to interest students. And there is little doubt that the value of such a pai^er as an advertising medium is at least on a par with that of the local weekly. What this value is will depend largely on the loyalty of the students. They must be made to feel that their support of the paper is only secondarily the small sum they contribute The: School Pape;r 13 as subscription. Of far more importance is it that they notice the advertiser, and so far as they can, patronize him. One easy way is to see that the paper readies home. Parents are far more interested than the boy or girl suspects in the details of school life. The story is well-attested of the agent of a publishing house who met with unexpected opposition from a certain school trus- tee, a blacksmith, and a man of no education. Investigating, he was surprised to find that the man submitted sample books to his son, a boy of fourteen, and voted for the books the boy liked the looks of. This is probably an exceptional case, but it illustrates a common occurrence. A school paper taken home is sure to be perused with considerable care by one or more of the adult members of the family. They will certainly scan the advertisements to see how they compare with those in the news- paper, or who advertises, and the result is pretty sure to be patronage of the man who patronizes the young people's journal. A college daily makes use of the following device, which is worth considering. Every advertiser is given a large placard, perhaps 12x14 inches, bearing in display type this legend: This House advertises in the DAILY PURPLE STUDENTS! PATRONIZE IT. and students are urged to trade where they see this card dis- played. It is true, most high school students do not make their ovi^n purchases to any extent ; yet they are not without influence in determining where the family trade, at least the part that con- cerns themselves, goes. A careful business man often "keys" his ads., i. e., in some way ascertains what returns a given advertisement brings in. This is not easy to do in case of a school paper, still, attempts to do it are not useless. The careful business manager, however, will accept keyed ads. only at the advertiser's risk. Advertising space must be sufficient to pay a due share of the expenses, and yet not too large in proportion to the reading mat- ter. It must be so displayed as to ensure as far as possible its being read, and yet not so as to seem the chief part of the paper. In the magazine form, the front cover, at least, and the body of the magazine should be sacred from advertising. For the news- paper form, the make-up of any first-class daily may afiford a model. VI. CONTRACTS: (a) WITH ADVERTISERS. Contracts with advertisers should be definite as to space. 14 The School Paper time-, rate, and changes. It would be well if the solicitor made a note of these on a form arranged for carbon duplicate — the sales-check obtainable in packets at any stationer's serves the purpose — handing the copy to the advertiser on the spot. Few men will bother with a formal contract, unless they have a form of their own, or wish to insist on some special stipulation. Many will pay for the ad. in whole or in part in merchandise or services. In accepting ads. on these terms, the solicitor must be careful to take only those of tradesmen with whom the students themselves commonly trade ; and to see that the amount of the required purchase is not too large. -"^'0 517 THE SCHOOL HERALD ^"^"^ ^^ j^---- i No 517 San Jose, Cal., 190.. „ ' ' ' " : will deliver to -Uollars ; ^^e sum of dollars on ; in merchandise and charge to the $ '< account of i THE SCHOOL HERALD. Business Manager. I $ Business Mgr. Form of Order for Merchandise. Thus, a shoedealer's card, paid for in orders of the denomina- tion of one or two dollars, applicable on a purchase for one-half of the bill, is worth taking, because any student can easily effect a purchase of such goods to that amount. In five-dollar amounts on the same terms it would be of far less value, since it is un- likely that many students will buy goods to the amount of ten dollars. It must be taken into consideration, too. that students are gregarious, and like to patronize certain shoedealers, certain tailors, certain confectioners, to the exclusion of others equally good, and do not easily yield even to parental behest to do differently from their fellows. I remember a letter written by a tailor, who had run an advertisement in a school paper, up- braiding the management in most indignant language because the students did not patronize him. He was undoubtedly correct in stating that his work was as good as Mr. Blank's ; but Mr. Blank continued to get the lion's share of the student custom, and this in spite of the fact that he was not rated very high among men, as a man or as a tailor. So, an order on a dealer with whom no student is likely to have any dealing on his own account — for example, a carriage-maker — is of doubtful value, whatever the amount or the terms. As a general rule, advertis- ing paid for in orders is to be avoided ; still, some is both safe and desirable. The popularity of a merchant is an element to be considered. Merchants who customarily pay for part of their advertising The: School Paper 15 in this way, sometimes issue signed orders or scrip which they undertake to honor. In other cases the following plan has been found best. Instead of an order on the merchant drawn by the business manager of the paper, the manager issues scrip or credit-checks, and when he presents his bill receives in lieu of cash this scrip to the amount of the bill, signed by the adver- tiser. There may be one piece for the entire amount, or several for convenient sums. The manager determines the denomination, and when they understand the system, advertisers usually find it convenient and satisfactory from their point of view. Some will prefer the scrip to be of larger denomination, and are willing to "charge" small purchases by endorsement, until the whole credit is exhausted. This will as a rule bring a customer in for several purchases, as against one by a person who buys a piece of small denomination. Experience has shown the superiority of scrip like that described over orders, even if these are accepted ; the advertiser signs up when he receives his bill, so is not put to the annoyance of having to stop and find out whether he is in debt to the paper; the purchaser is certain that the scrip will be honored, and without annoying delays ; and to people unfamil- iar with business forms it is much more intelligible. Perhaps it may be well to add, the sale of scrip or orders is one of the hardest tasks the business manager has. He must think and talk scrip ; happy if it does not haunt his dreams. It is absolutely essential that no artificial obstacles be put in his path. One of the fundamental rules of the mail-order man is — ^' No San Jose, 19.. ^ This Certificate will be accepted as G cash by the undersigned, when pre- g sented in payment for merchandise of services, to the amount of H DOLLARS, g on account of advertising in School No.... Date $ Drawn on Sold to anage . "To the Editor of the : Dear Sir : We will print your June issue according to the following speci- fications : 650 copies, 176 pages, extension cover, two colors and embossed; stock to be same as used in June, 1910, issue — 32x46, 120 lb. If 140 lb., to be $15 extra. Approximately, 15 pages 8 point type 80 pages 10 point type 50 copper half-tones 500 inches of line cuts ; One two-color insert page, pin embossed, heavy pink paper, for $497. Insert pages of white parchemin, not printed, to be $1.00 eacli. Imprinting in second color, one page $3.00 ; where two pag-es can be run together, $1.75 per page. Very truly yours, THE ART PRINTING CO., By A. B., Manager." Where there are several issues, as of a monthly or weekly, rates should be included for the normal number of copies of the size specified, and also for additional copies or additional pages in any issue. In most cases, the price of additional copies should be materially less, as the cost to the printer is little more than stock and pressman's time. P'or the school newspaper, some further details are needed. It should be stipulated that the quoted price includes ads. in dis- play or job type; if desired, a limit may be set to the space to be occupied by such matter, but in practice that will settle itself. At any rate, it ought to be specified how much display type is to be used in column headings. If composition is linotype, this may be hand-work, and more expensive to the printer. There are sure to be times when the matter wished to be printed will be in excess of the regular amount. Then it will be desirable or necessary to enlarge the paper. This may be done in several ways : by adding extra pages, sometimes the best and the only Avay, but often expensive because of the extra labor of assemb- ling and folding; by adding an extra column, sometimes an awkward thing for the printer, and making neat binding im- possible ; or — generally the most feasible way — changing the size of type. It is well to provide in the contract for all these possibilities, and to fix prices allowing change of dress in whole or in part. The success of a school paper, financially, depends to a great 1 8 TiiK School Paper extent on the promptness and regularity with which it appears. The printer should therefore covenant to deliver at a specified place on a specified day and hour, and if so, a corresponding time should be set at which all copy shall be in his hands. Very reasonably he may stipulate regarding time and manner of pay- ment. If he understands that prompt payment will follow his exact performance of his contract, he will do his best to perform it to the letter. The following forms of contract for school papers of dififerent types may be instructive : I. "THIS AGREEMENT is hereby entered into between A. & Co., Printers, B. C, Manager, and "The Bell," C. D., Editor. A. & Co., agree to print, bind, and deliver 650 copies of "The Bell" of the X High School, upon the following specifications : 176 pages, divided about as follows — 48 half-tones, 15 line cuts, 15 No. 8 type, 76 No. 10 type, 16 ads., 6 small display. Stock 140 lb. Peerless Enamelled, cover High Grade. Inside printed black ink, 2 inserts in two colors, cover printed in colors or em- bossed relief. PRICE, Five hundred ($500) dollars. Additional pages @ $2.50; extra color on insert page @ $1.50. Additional copies $6.25 per 25. Copy and cuts to be furnished printer : commencing May 2nd., sec- ond quarter by May 16th., 3rd. quarter by May 20th., last by June Ist. Issue to be delivered on or before June 20th. The "Bell" management agrees to the above, and further that paj''- ments be made as follows: One-fourth May 1st., one-half within ten days following- delivery, and balance within thirty days. (Signed) A. & Co., C. D., by B. C, Manager. for "The Bell." April 19th., 1911. II. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT. Entered into between E. & Co., printers, and "The School Herald," per manager, for a period of one school year, namely the school year 1910-1911, as follows: E. & Co., agree to print The School Herald, weekly, 1000 copies, 4 pages 121-2.xl7, 5 columns. Standard book, 10-point type, including ads., for $19 per issue. Also, to print similar paper in six pages for $31.50 per issue, and 8 pages for $40.C0 per issue. These increased sizes to be issued not oftener than monthly unless by special agreement. If set in 12-point type, a reduction of 25c per column will be made, if set in 8-point type an increase of 25c. The size of the paper may be increased from five to six columns for any issue at the option of the management, and for such increase the charge shall be $5.75 extra for four pages. Additional copies will be furnished for 50c per 50 copies. The management of The School Herald agrees to pay E. & Co. for printing the said Herald at the rates above stipulated ; and to furnish copy one and one-half days previous to issue. Witness the signatures of the manager of The School Herald and the management of the firm of E. & Co. this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1910. Manager. Manager. For E. & Co. For School Herald. The; School pArER 19 Of course, in a contract of this kind, where one party is a minor, while the printer is legally bound by his agreement, the student is not. This is no real objection to the written contract, for, in the first place, it is equally true of the verbal agreement; znd in the second place, the minor, while not liable on the con- tract, may be liable for fraud. Few printers will object to it. In a case that came under the writer's observation, an editor, finding that the limit set by the school authorities to his ex- penditure upon a Souvenir number would not permit him to in- clude some features he desired, ordered the additions made, without consulting anybody, and when the printer demurred, said, "Go ahead, the School will stand back of me; there's plenty of money." The result was a deficit of over a hundred dollars, which the school very properly declined to make up. The stu- dent sought to avoid responsibility on the plea that he was a minor. But it was so evident that his act was one of misrep- resentation and fraud that he was held liable and compelled to make good the debt. Some printers require a bond, for greater security, but as a rule they rely on the honor and good intentions of the student. The manager of a house that makes a specialty of school and college publications told me that he had never lost a cent in his dealings with students, though he often had to wait for his money. VIII. THE EDITOR — CENSORSHIP. The editing of the paper requires besides judgment and ex- ecutive ability, a degree of literary ability, a sense of proportion and of fitness. The editor must decide what literary matter is suited at once to the type of periodical he is running, and to the taste of his patrons. He ought to have a keen scent for the plagiarized contributions that our school papers too often have to apologize for. The amount of matter of a given kind that shall go into an issue is his to determine ; and he must be able to reject the unfit or the superfluous with a sole regard to the effect on his issue. This is not an easy thing, even for the ma- ture editor: witness almost any issue of almost any periodical. But a harder thing — and one the professional does not have to think of* — is to deal with his contributors so as to develop tal- ent, and encourage contributions without accepting inferior stuff or seeming to be arbitrary or hypercritical. *Richard W. Gilder is a possible exception. The student editor will find very suggestive what is said of his editorial methods in the Cen- tury Magazine for February, 1910, and March, 1911. 20 The School Paper The editorial staff may be worth a passing remark. Too fre- quently the sole aim of the editor is to distribute the departments among his personal friends, with little regard to their qualifica- tions. This is possibly in return lor their services in electing him to a position for which he is equally unfit. Some schools establish fixed rules of qualification ; in others the same end is attained by requiring the editor to submit the list of his nomi- nees and discussing it with him. It happens now and then that the editor is only too glad to be saved from his friends by some higher power. Newspaper work has a strong fascination for many of our boys, and a large school, in the West at any rate, is rarely with- out students who are actually doing work on the staffs of the local journals; many go from school directly to the newspaper office. It would be idle to claim that the ordinary school gives any direct training for practical journalism. Yet there is an opportunity here that. should not be neglected. The school news- paper at least can organize its staff somewhat on the lines of a city daily : with a business department every member of which has his definite duty to perform — advertising, collections, circulation, subscriptions, etc. ; and an editorial department, with editorial writers, a news editor with his reportorial staff, paragrapher, and literary editor. Training can be had that will be well worth the time given to the work ; and talent will be developed the existence of which was unsuspected by the class-instructor or- the student himself. Right here comes in the vital question of censorship by the teachers. Student editors should be thrown as much as pos- sible on their own responsibility. But even under the best con- ditions many teachers think that there is yet need for a strict supervision of the matter that goes into the paper. For the paper stands to the outside public for the school, and the teachers are vitally interested to see that it represents the best sentiment among the students, and that it is one of the highest. And the best of editors is apt to lack perspective, and to fail in judgment or in vigilance. During a period of heated political strife, in which the High School had unfortunately become a storm-centre, a clergyman who had taken a prominent part in affairs took occasion in a public speech to make some ill-considered state- ments regarding the school. The students were rightly indig- nant, and the editor of the school paper, in a very caustic article^ charged the gentleman with lying. That the charge was true was undoubted. But the interest of the school demanded that the utterances be passed over as something due to the excite- ment of the moment, and the editor's act, the motive of which was loyalty, only fomented the bitterness of the controversy. There are two departments that certainly ought to be strictly The School Paper ^r censored. One is the editorials. Some of the best issues I have- ever seen were marred by editorials written without due deliber- ation, or colored by feeling entirely personal or by misapprehen- sions easily removed when they became known. The editorials are too important a part of the paper to be carelessly handled. The Principal can be of great service here. An editor-in-chief properly chosen ought to be in the Principal's confidence. It is a common saying that the newspaper man is the safest man to trust with your secret. What he picks up in the course of his labors, or ferrets out, he considers his property, to be used for a "story" when it suits his purpose. But he can generally be de- pended on not to divulge prematurely what is told him in con- fidence, or to make an improper use of it. So the student editor can, I beHeve, generally be trusted with inside information on matters of school policy, and the result will be the elimination of editorial utterances ' attacking the school administration, owing to inaccurate information, or misapprehension of what is the. actual intent of the Principal's action. The other department is the "josh column," dear to the heart of most pupils. Every school furnishes plenty of humorous in- cident, and localisms, though not very intelligible to the outside vs'orld, are best appreciated by the student body. It is a question. for the most careful discrimination how far personalities should extend. A general rule may be laid down that grinds or hits must not be ill-natured, must not humiliate or wound. It goes without saying that the coarse or vulgar must be rigidly exclud- ed. Many teachers and pupils lend themselves to ridicule, and good-humored fun-making, if not carried too far, may not be objectionable. I have known a take-off to cure a teacher of careless habits of dress and manner where the serious admon- itions of the Principal had failed of effect; and the severest in- dictment brought against an editor whose administration was m question was that only his "set" won mention in the joke-column. But the line between the permissible and the reprehensible is a difficult one to draw, and the point of view of the teacher-cen- sor is worth obtaining. If my reading of school journals is not at fault, there is room for the teacher's taste and direction, too, in the use of paste and scissors. .To be sure, when even the fam- ous "Drawer" admits jokes that might have charmed King Pepin's infancy, one must not be too hard on the student editor who fails to reverence old age in witticisms. Still, some jokes have certainly earned repose. And next to having your own jest retailed with the whole point left out, I do not know anything more exasperating than to find yourself credited with a jest you would never have been guilty of perpetrating — a scissoring in which the editor has obtained local color by inserting home names in place of those he found printed. 22 The School Paper IX. POSTAL ENTRY. When the paper is well established, the question will arise of entry as second-class matter at the Post-Office. Now if there is any place in the public service where circumlocution-office meth- ods prevail, more than anywhere else, it is the Post-Office De- partment; and this is especially true just in this thing. The editors of school papers have given up in despair because of the obstacles presented by departmental red tape. Yet it is worth wdiile to secure second-class entry, aside from the privileges of registration, because of the dignity it gives a publication. The requirements of the law itself are simple, and should be exactly followed. A publication must be issued at regular in- tervals, must state time and place of publication, be numbered consecutively, and give the subscription price and name of editor and publisher. Note of the entry when made (and care must be taken not to state that the paper has been entered before the official permit is received) must be in a set form of words which the post-office will prescribe. In his application, the editor must state under oath his circulation, what disposition is made of every copy of the issue of nearest date, and certify that at least half the issue goes to actual paying subscribers, a list of whom he had best submit. If the subscriptions are taken by solicitors, and receipts given, the stubs will afiford an easy and perfect proof of the subscription-lists. If, as was suggested in Chapter IV, subscriptions are collected with student dues or taxes, the management must be prepared to show that the subscription is not in itself a tax, but that individual students are given an op- tion, and subscribe voluntarily. A good piece of advice is, take the Postmaster into your confidence, and do everything he deems necessary or advisable. In conclusion, the school paper is an important and increas- ingly popular factor in school life. But its value depends en- tirely on the way it is conducted. It requires and deserves the careful study, the persistent effort, the intelligent interest of both teacher and student. Its successful conduct calls for the employment of the best business methods ; and as it may if loosely and thoughtlessly conducted be pernicious in its influ- ence on its managers and on the school, so under best conditions it may be made a most helpful and practical school both for actual journalism and for business life, and a centre from which radiates school spirit in the fullest and best sense of the words. The School Paper 23 PART II— THE MECHANICS OF THE PAPER. .... ^ PURPOSES AND POLICY. Under the title Mechanics will be discussed everything that concerns the make-up, the operation, and the printing of the pa- per, and the various processes involved in the preparation of the printed sheet. At the outset, it is of first importance that the editor set clear- ly before himself the purpose of the publication, and the office it really performs. This is the key to the whole situation ; for these things decide the type of paper that is to be put out, and shape its policy. The school paper is primarily a picture of school life. That is, whatever secondary purpose the publication may serve, it must first of all be a record of school events, a register of school names and faces. To make a paper what this implies, the col- umns should be opened as freely as possible to articles and stories representing every school interest. Names of students participating in the various activities should be recorded impar- tially and consistently, and as much use made of portraits as is possible. This is of no mean importance viewed merely as an in- ducement to the students to subscribe for the paper. It need not be said that the paper must be pleasing in appear- ance and interesting. Indeed, attractiveness is an indispensable quality. A large expenditure of money is an aid, not a require- ment, in making the appearance attractive. Every idea, whether expressed in the. organization of the contents, or in the original- ity and the treatment of the material, should be directed toward the attainment of this end. How important this is can be under- stood when it is remembered that the sale of the great newspa- pers and magazines depends much on the general appearance of the publication, and some of the highest salaried men are em- ployed in making the appearance attractive. System in arrangement is perhaps the principal factor in de- termining the general effect of the publication. The contents should be arranged under headings in some logical system. Thus, in a magazine a systematic scheme of headings for depart- ments may be : — introduction, literary, classes, school notes, athletics, facetiae, advertisements. Pictures should also be ar- ranged logically ; and those filling the same office should bear a harmonious relationship in size, shape, finish, and position. "Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy ; But not express'd in fancy — rich, not gaudy." A small book with clever illustrations is more to be desired than a big book with uninviting, monotonous pages. 24 The School Paper Originality finds ample field for exercise in the use and ar- rangement of stories, engravings, inserts, in the style of type, and in the cover. One often finds a high degree of originality and artistic talent displayed in the cartoons, mat-decorating, and designing of school papers. On the other hand, it is here that poor judgment is otten shown ; a disproportionate percentage of the funds are expended upon the cover, or some other one feature. No feature ought to be conspicuously superior or inferior to the rest of the paper. The publication should harmonize throughout, with emphasis on groups of important features. II. REVENUES OF THE PAPER. The size and style of publication must be decided upon at the outset, but nothing can be done until the resources have been in- vestigated. The revenue will be found to come from three sources ; subscriptions, advertisements, and donations. The subscription money will be found to depend directly upon the number of copies sold and the price charged per copy. Es- timates should in a large part be based upon the sale of the pub- lication in previous years and at times when the conditions are similar. Fluctuating forces influence the sale of any publication. A large sale may safely be counted on for a souvenir issue, when sold at the end of the school year, and this sale will be in a direct ratio to the size of the graduating class. If no other statistics are available, one will not be far astray in calculating a sale of copies to 60 per cent of the students. The advance sale of the publication is a reliable means of determining to what extent the sale will run. Advertisements are an important source of revenue. The edi- tor should begin by determining the amount of space that can be utilized for advertisements and the sum of money that must be obtained for this service. The price per column inch and the price per page should be fixed at this time. Donations are little more than advertisements of the students. They pay for the printing, engraving, and space, as do the mer- chants. The income from this source may be estimated with a large degree of accuracy in advance. The school organizations may be required to pay for the space devoted to them. The ex- pense incurred on account of each organization should be deter- mined, and charges levied accordingly. For exaniple, an organ- ization having one page of composition and one page of engrav- ing is assessed $10.00. The items are: photograph, $1.50; print- ing, two pages at $2.25; engraving, /|x8 inches at i2K>c, $3.50; margin, profit or incidentals, $.50. The School Paper 25 A class which is responsible for a publication, or a graduating class which is especially concerned with a souvenir issue, may in like manner be required to contribute in proportion to the space assigned to them, or they may make such donation as is possible. The various societies and organizations as well as individuals should bear the expense of their own photographs. Athletic teams, student officers, and the like, are not ordinarily assessed. Although some attention should be paid to distributing the funds among the various heads of expense, no definite amounts can be settled upon until the printer's contract has been drawn up. Then it is advisable to apportion the money in various sums, as, for printing, engraving, and incidentals. The amounts so apportioned should be definitely fixed, and all plans made to con- form to these appropriations. Regarding the estimates made above, it is advisable to examine the figures with great care before contracts are drawn up. Fur- thermore, a margin of at least 15 per cent should be left on all items that can not be accurately determined. This usually would mean a discount on the estimates on subscriptions, and advertise- ments. This precaution may keep the paper out of debt, if the funds fall short of the calculations, and in case the full amount is realized the money may be utilized to good advantage, as in engravings, in a better grade of paper, etc. III. MAKING THE CONTRACTS. The printer's contract should be made first. When approach- ing the printer the editor will do well to submit a book which in size, binding, paper, type, and space in engravings resembles the book to be issued. It is necessary at the same time for the stu- dent publisher to be familiar with specifications to be made in the contracts, as suggested in Pt. I, Chap. VII. Whether or not the specifications shall be submitted for com- petitive bids will be a matter for careful consideration. In some cities organizations or combinations of printers exist, the effect of which is to compel the acceptance of the highest bid. In such a case it is wisest to select a reputable printer, and obtain from him the best figures possible. Engravings or cuts may be verbally contracted for. The price per square inch of copper half tones, zinc half tones, line cuts, embossings, steel dies, and additional color plates should be in- cluded in the agreement. Engravers commonly charge a "mini- mum price" ; that is, a fixed price for all cuts smaller than a specified size, with which the scale of prices per square inch be- gins. For example, a minimum price of one dollar may be charged for all engravings having an area of ten square inches 26 The School Paper or vinder ; while larger cuts are charged at the rate of lo cts. per sq. in. It should be made clear by the engraver if such minimum rate is to charged. Photographs also may be contracted for verbally. Reasonable prices should be secured on the various sizes of individual, ob- ject, and group pictures, and a guarantee of satisfaction should be had with every piece of work. The photographer should state the finish of the pictures (sepia, dark, light, etc.), the number of sittings, and the time within which he will complete his work. The half cabinet picture will be found a convenient size for the bust picture, while the full cabinet may be desirable for the full picture. To avoid shadows on the mats, the portrait should be composed of, or be printed on thin paper. A medium dark fin- ish may be depended upon to give satisfactory results, but pleas- ing unique effects may be had by employing other devices. As far as possible, all pictures should be taken in the studio, where the most favorable conditions for photographing are sure to be found. IV. THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER. In general, what has been said in the preceding chapters will be found to apply to the school newspaper almost as much as to the magazine. Theoretically, the duties of the management may seem to be the same ; but in actual practice the work on the news- paper will be found to be more specialized, particularly that part which has to do with the handling of news. It has a peculiar character because of the quickness with which the work must be handled. The same problems that have to be met by the daily papers, and even by the school magazine, must be met to a certain de- gree by the school newspaper. Great care must be exercised in maintaining an honest and candid policy. The school paper will not probably be called upon to defend libel suits ; still the same care should be taken to avoid liability — or, what is just as im- portant, to avoid doing some one harm, or stirring up bitter feel- ings or contentions in the school — that is required in profession- al newspaperdom. Under no circumstances should statements be made, or charges brought, alTecting any one s character. The surest way to make the paper a strong influence in the school is to be fair and honest in all that concerns the conduct of the paper. Strong, thoughtful editorials, original and serious ar- ticles, and a policy that encourages the free expression of student opinion, go far toward strengthening this influence. To bring the paper to its highest standard the ideas of the leading daily newspapers should be imitated to a considerable ex- tent. For the dailies are the result of long and careful experi- The School Paper 27 ment and study, and the methods they employ are what experi- ence has shown to be psychologically and practically the best that can be devised. The practice of most American dailies is to tell the whole story in the opening paragraph of the ordinary news-story. The ideas to be embodied in this are the principal, the place, the time, the action, and the manner or circumstances in which the action was performed. The story of course lies in the event which is of most interest, or in other words, has the most news-value. The con- secutive order of principal, place, and time is to be observed in practically all news-stories. Editorial comments should never be made in news articles. A news article should be strictly news, and not the writer's opinion. Of course, a signed article may disregard this rule. In applying the ideas of the dailies to the school newspaper, the make-up will be found of especial importance. The frorrt page should contain the most important articles. Each should be introduced by a heavy black heading, and perhaps one or more sub-headings. Advertisements and joshes should not be tolerat- ed on this page. Ordinarily, single column heads are to be pre- ferred. Of the succeeding pages, one that occupies a prominent posi- tion is selected for the editorial page. The names of the staff, if given, should be on this page, and certain general information, such as place and time of publication, notice of postal entry, and subscription prices. The editorials are of course on this page. Aside from these, special articles by members of the student body or faculty on topics of general school interest or education- al matters form a feature that has proved very successful. The remaining pages may be assigned to other articles or news, and any special departments. The letters and spaces in a line of the heading should be count- ed, and all headings made from this standard. The slide head- ing e. °'- " FRENCH MILITARY AlAN KILLED: AIRSHIP FALLS will usually give the best effect, owing to the larger white space, which prevents a crowded appearance. For sub-headings, ma- chine headings, i. e., caps of the same font as the body of the let- ter-press, suffice ; so when no display is required. Deciding upon what will make an effective head-line calls into play no small de- gree of judgment. A rule sometimes given for the news head- ing is, always include a verb ; the head-line is to attract atten- tion, and where there is no action the attention is not apt to be attracted. A box, a border or outline around a portion of the type, is an 2S The School Paper effective means of distinguishing an article that should be given especial prominence. When a box is desired, note should be made on the copy, as the type has to be set narrow to admit the border, lilack-faced type is often employed for boxed matter. It need hardly be said that illustrations, photographic half- tones and line cuts according to the nature of the suject, add greatly to the effect of the newspaper. V. OPERATION: PLANS FOR MATERIAL. The operation includes the planning and assigrmient of the work and the collection and arrangement of the material in a canner and within such limits of time as are suitable to the printer. The stories which are to appear should be planned with regard to the policy and style of the publication, and according to the subject, and the space it is to fill. Of course much depends upon the style of paper to be issued, in selecting a story. In a monthly magazine the news stories, fiction, and essays, play a very dif- ferent role from what they do in the school newspaper, but the selection and relative importance given each is determined in much the same way. The following scheme includes practically all the material found in school magazines, and is given as an aid in making a selection of stories for the souvenir magazine. It may be found helpful also in making a selection of material for the monthly is- sue, and even or the school newspaper : — Introduction — dedication, table of contents, title. Literary — essays, fiction, school organizations, faculty (names, etc.), departments of school study. Class — graduating exercises, including president's address, oration, senior week program, prophecy, etc., poem, history, will, song, officers, teachers. Editorial. School Notes — dramatics, lectures, entertainments, elections, historical observances, special student or school distinctions, gen- eral student activities. Organizations — debating, alunmi, societies — literary, honorary, social, etc. Athletics — school records, football, etc. Joshes. Advertisements. The cuts are suggested to a large extent by the names and con- text of the articles. The kind of cut, whether copper half tone, zinc half tone, line cut, etc., should be determined at the outset. Close estimates should also be made as to what office the cut is to iill and its size, shape, and price. Tut School Paper 29 Although the use of illustrations may be Hmited by the lack of money, it is always important that they be given proper atten- tion. Where the funds are limited it is advisable to economize on the printing or some other part, and to record the most im- portant features of school life, and the most interesting activities. VI. PREPARATION OF COPY. Copy or manuscript should be prepared in the manner which convention and usage have adopted as the most convenient. Some details deserve mention here. All copy should be written on one side of sheets about 7x9 inches. Typewritten copy is preferable, but legible manuscript in pencil or ink will do. Wide spaces should be left between the lines. The pages of an article should be numbered and fastened together. Ample margin should be left at the top of the sheet, so that it may be read without unfastening. The number of words should be noted by the writer on the first page of every article. In manuscript, it is well to indicate paragraphs by the sign m), and to use a small cross (x) 'instead of the period. Pro])er nam.es should be accurately spelled, and in manuscript,, printed or written very legibly. The student editor should know the number of words per col- umn inch of the sizes of type regularly used, and also the average number of words to the page of his regular copy-paper. The articles that are to appear are decided upon at an early date, and assigned to the staff-writers. This may be the task of the assistant editor. He should state the subject of every story, the length, the manner of handling, and the time within which it must be finished. The number of words in an article will be de- termined by the space it is intended to fill, and assignments should be made with this clearly in mind. When the story is completed, it is turned over to the editor or an assistant, who blue pencils errors and makes necessary altera- tions. Among the various things he has to do at this time is tc see that the story is given a proper heading, and that it is of the desired length. He should mark on the copy the size and kind of type to be used, whether ornamental initial letter is to introduce the story, and whether it is to be run in single or double column. The editor should examine the article, if this preliminary work is done by an assistant, to make sure that it conforms with his plans and policy. Next, the work is passed upon by the censor, if there is one, after which it is ready for the printer. 30 The School Paper VII. ILLUSTRATIONS: PHOTOGRAPHS AND THEIR PREPARATION. No part of the production of a large magazine presents so many problems, or offers so many opportunities for costly mis- takes or financial embarrassment. The number, size, and kind of cuts or illustrations should be carefully worked out beforehand. Then it should be seen to that the material is in proper shape for the kind of engraving for which it is designed. And, lastly, di- rections as to the kind of cut and the size it is to be should be plainly marked on the copy. Photographs cannot be secured at too early a date. Numbers of school papers have gone on the rocks for no other reason than that the pictures v/ere received late. More tune and labor is re- quired in preparing the pictures for the engraver than is at fir.st apparent. In order to guard against the inevitable straggler it is advis- able to name a date for delivery of the pictures, much in advance of the dates specified in the contracts. The students should be especially urged to have their pictures taken within good limits of time. Duplicate pictures should usually be obtained of persons whose pictures appear more than once in any issue of the paper. When the pictures can be had from the engraver in sufficient time for remounting, it is possible to use the picture a number of times, provided of course that the size and the shape are in keeping each time. As a considerable sum may be saved in case of an exten- sive use of engravings, the editor should consider the possibility of this remounting in fixing the time at which certain pictures should be turned over to the engraver. Photographs are always converted into half tone engravings. This being understood, the only problem to be solved is whether the half tone should be copper or zinc. The copper half tone as the name implies is composed of cop- per. It gives a very distinct picture, but its use is often curtailed by the fact that it is the most expensive. The zinc half tone may generally be distinguished from the copper by the character of the impression. This cut is in reality not composed of zinc, but of an amalgam of zinc and copper. A picture which is especially clear and distinct can be repro- dued in a zinc half tone almost if not quite as successfully as in copper. A hazy picture, however, makes a poor zinc half tone. Copper should be used in this case, especially if the picture is to occupy a prominent place in the paper. Color plates are often desirable on insert pages, covers, and display work. These are expensive, as additional plates are re- quired for every color. Another expense arising from the use The School Paper 31 of these cuts is the additional printing charges. The original picture should not be colored ; the colors and the parts to be col- ored need only be indicated on the drawing when it is turned over to the engraver. Photographs should usually be mounted on paper, cardboard, or other material that will serve the purpose of a mat before be- ing sent to the engraver. Many engravers do the mounting, but a considerable sum of money can be saved if the editor mounts his own pictures. The purpose in mounting is to facilitate the handling of the work by the engraver, to secure artistic effects, and to have an arrangements based on some principle. The actual mounting is done with library paste or glue. Much work and time is required, however, in trimming and arranging the pictures, and illustrating the mats, and getting a proper size of pictures and mats for reduction presents a difficult problem. The trimming should be done with accuracy and care. Each picture should be cut according to certain artistic principles of balance. If an individual is represented, his head should be wholly in the upper half of the piture. In general in a bust pic- ture the mouth should be just above the center line and equal space or back ground should be left on each side of the head. Object pictures should be treated in much the same manner, al- lowing neither too much foreground nor too much background. The general idea in balancing pictures is to make the center of interest coincide with the central point of the paper on which they are printed. Practically all pictures are trimmed, whether mounted or not. Some are brought to the proper size for reduction by trimming, and others are trimmed in order to obtain a uniformity in size and shape. An oval form of picture gives a pleasing effect, but when the number of photographs to be handled is large, it is advisable, for economy in time and work, to use a rectangular form. A convenient device in trimming the pictures is to use a pen- knife and a metal or celluloid pattern. Rectangular pictures may be cut quickly and easily with a paper cutter, which can usually be obtained from the photographer for the purpose. The principle of proportional space should be observed in trimming the pictures. The meaning of this will be more fully explained in the paragraph on reduction, below. Mats are usually composed of heavy paper and illustrated with ink or wash drawings. They are always rectangular in shape, but vary in size and dimensions according to the desired effect. Distinctive finishing of paper can be reproduced to a considerable degree in the engraving, but colors cannot be obtained without the use of color plates. The shape of the mat and the tone of the pictures should har- 32 The School Paper monize. The mat should never be more striking than the por- trait in any engraving. This undesirable effect is often obtained when too much of the mat is in evidence, or when there is not enough contrast between the picture and the mat. The arrangement of pictures should be made according to their importance, size and number. For example, in case of the edi- torial staff, the editor-in-chief should occupy the most important position, which is in the centre of the mat. The subordinates should be grouped about him with reference to their office on the staff. A large staff may occupy two or more pages^; then some other important member of the staff should occupy the position on the succeeding pages that the editor did on the first. This of course refers to the arrangement of bust pictures on the mats; but the same principle applies to the arranging of the people when a group picture is to be taken. The individual pictures are arranged on the mats in all sorts of ways. But there are three general methods for the arrangement of pictures of a class which should be noticed. These are whole page cuts, partial page cuts, and individual cuts. The first two may or may not bear art work on the mats, and the pictures are often arranged artistically in columns or rows, on pages part of which is made up of composition. Full page cuts are gaining in favor in many recent issues. One of the advantages of this plan consists in having so many pic- tures together. A large number of schools employ the scheme of having cuts the standard height of the page ancl half its width. The object of this is to have each picture followed by the composition refer- ring to it. A plan somewhat similar to this, but which allows more composition and a fewer number of cuts, is to have the cut in the upper half of the page. Cuts of this kind embody about six pictures when running down the side of the page, and three when in the upper half of the page. On the standard size of page, from nine to sixteen pictures may be placed on a page, without showing too much background, crowding the pictures, or making them too small. A medium of about twelve pictures will be sure to give a pleasing effect. VIII. ILLUSTRATIONS — CONTINUED. Reduction of pictures depends much upon the size of the pic- tures as well as that of the mat. It is not necessary to reduce pictures in making engravings, but it is usually advisable, and especially convenient. That there would be considerable difficul- ty in handling and obtaining pictures the exact size that they ap- pear in print is evident. Thu School Pape;r 33 If several pictures on a mat are of uniform size, it naturally follows that the figures in the engraving will be uniform also. This fact must be understood. One can reduce two pictures of different sizes to the same size in making separate engravings, and with a different reduction. But he cannot expect two pic- tures of different size on the same mat to appear the same size in the cut. There would be the same proportional diff'erence in the figures of the cut as there was in the original pictures. The process of engraving is analogous to copying a photo- graph. The engraving which corresponds to the second photo- graph is proportional in every respect to the original picture. For example, a picture 2x4 inches will when reduced to a height of one inch have a width of two inches ; the dimensions will not be 1x4 inches, as is sometimes thoughtlessly assumed. Any reduction can be made, but good results will usually be obtained in half tones by using a mat a size and a half larger than the desired cut. It often happens, however, that pictures cannot be adapted to this scale of reduction. Below is a table of the principle sizes of cuts according to the two-thirds reduction: Original or mat Reproduction or cut. 6x4 1-2 reduced two-thirds 4x3 6x9 reduced two-thirds 4x6 6 1-4x10 1-2 reduced two-thirds 4 1-2x7 The proportional diagonal is a graphical means of ascertain- ing the proportional sizes of mats. Draw a figure using the di- mensions of the prospective cut. Draw and indefinitely extend the diagonal of this figure. Then any rectangle that can be made to have any portion of this line as its diagonal will reduce to the size of the first figure drawn. If the diagonal of any figure does not coincide with that of the graf, then trim the picture until it does. The idea is further explained by the following equation ; the area of the original or mat is to the area of the cut as the diagonal of the mat is to the diagonal of the cut, or A :a equals D:d. Much time and labor will be saved if standard sizes are adopt- ed for the various styles of engravings, pictures, and mats. Names should be placed on the mats beneath each picture. This should be done in India ink. The names may be placed un- der the whole engraving, in type, but for best results printing on the mats is advised. On a dark mat this may be done with China white. Captions should accompany every cut when turned in to the printer. IX. ILLUSTRATIONS, CONTINUED: DRAWINGS. Drawings may be made in ink, pencil, charcoal, crayon, wash or oil paints. Drawings which have more than two tones of color 34 The School Paper are converted into half tone engravings. Charcoal and pencil drawings are usually chosen for this purpose, but any sort of drawing may be made into a halftone. Ink line drawings, or more generally drawings which have only two tones, are made into line cuts. The line cut is ihc" cheapest form of engraving. It is especially valuable in the cartoon, tail-piece, heading cuts, and general illustrations. An impression of a line cut resembles the original drawing in every respect. It may be distinguished by the fact that it always appears as masses of black and white in contrast. The drawing for a line cut should be in India ink, on white or gray paper. Blue does not take efifect in the engraving process, and yellow or red give uncertain results. The drawing should be sufficiently large to allow a large reduction, four times the ^ize of the desired engraving, or even larger. Slight errors, hard to avoid in amateur work, disappear in a large reduction. A firm outline is advisable in line drawings ; fine cob-web lines should be avoided. !Many good ideas may be gained by observ- ing any well illustrated magazine. Drawings should never be copied, but the ideas may be imitated to a considerable extent. The lettering, the lines, the shadows, the enclosing box, and the technique, are principles w^ell worth the young artist's notice. Most of the common ink drawing should be done on bristol board. Several other things are worthy of mention. Egg shell paper gives a dotted efifect in a line cut when rubbed with a Blaisdail pencil. The outline in this kind of picture may be made with ink. Ross board gives a parallel line effect. The drawing is made and the white portion is scratched off with a safety razor blade. Soft lines may be obtained in a half tone engraving by em- ploying charcoal or pencil. Wash drawings are often used to great advantage. They give an efifect similar to that of a photo- graph. Embossings, frequently employed on covers and inserts, are illustrations or lettering in relief. They are reproduced from black and white wash drawings. It should always be indicated on the drawing what part is to be in relief ; as either the black or the white can be raised. In making a drawing for an embossing the artist should make enough contrast to distinguish the various parts. For instance, in a drawing of a building it is well to fill in the mass of the structure in black, and leave white the cornice, the edge of the roof, the corners, and the doors and windows. The embossing may be merely a stamp, like the impression of a seal, or it may be printed. A printed embossing requires an additional plate. This can usually be made from the drawing. Color plates are required if the printing is not monochrome, just as for other color cuts. The; School Paper 35 X. PROOFS. Proofs, that is printed impressions of the type or cuts, are giv- en by both the printer and the engraver. The printer ordinarily gives two proofs, one for corrections, the other for the dummy. The printer's proofs are long, narrow strips of paper repre- senting what is known as a galley of type. The dummy-proof is usually on colored paper. Proof-reading is the name applied to the process of correcting typographical errors. The mistakes are indicated in the margin, and the printer makes the corrections to correspond. A separa- tion of letters, misspelling of a word, wrong paragraphing, or other simple error can be indicated by a sign in the margin. The correct spelling of a proper name, or any correction which the operator may misinterpret, should be written clearly in the mar- gin. Every one ought to learn and use the technical proofread- er's signs, which can be foimd in any dictionary. Words should not be added or omitted to suit the whim of the reader, since the omission or addition of a word often necessi- tates the resetting of a whole paragraph. Frequent occurrence of such corrections is apt to cause trouble with the printer, who is put to considerable expense or loss of time in resetting the type. A careful editor will have his copy in such shape that the proof-reader will need only correct typographical errors, not original misspellings or mistakes in diction. At the same time, it is the proof-reader's duty to see that no error passes his pencil. A page-proof should be required after the work is further ad- vanced. This is for the purpose of correcting any mistakes in arrangement of matter on the pages, or changing the order of matter in the book; also to make certain that the printer has cor- rected all the typographical errors noted on the first proof. It is not supposed that any errors not so marked will be corrected at this time ; if typographical alterations are made now, they are charged as extras. A dummy is a blank book resembling the prospective maga- zine in size and shape, in which the editor, by pasting in portions of the proof, indicates the arrangement of the matter to be in- cluded. It is essential that every story and cut should be in its proper place, as the printer follows this dummy in every detail in making up the final volume. The editor should begin at the beginning, designate even the fly-leaves and the title-page, and continue through the book until every story, cut, caption, and advertisement is in exactly the place it is intended to occupy in the final impression. Pages are num- bered at this time. Due care must be exercised, for one mistake shifts the order of the entire book. ^6 The School Paper The proofs should be cut into portions somewhat shorter than the space they are to occupy in the magazine, as the type is spread out and made to occupy more space by the use of leads. The inserts are included at this time and the page numbers added to the table of contents. One kind of type should be selected and- used throughout the book. A page heading adds to the appearance oi a page, and if a cut has not already been provided some plain, but artistic, line heading can be selected now. The printer can oiTer some valu- able suggestions in this matter. The departments of the book may be separated to advantage by the use of pages bearing the department title only. The effect of this device is generally pleasing and worth the space. If the composition does not fill the page and a glaring blank space remains, it is well to use the tail-piece. Cases may occur where the articles are too long for their given space ; then it is a good plan to cut out a few lines or a para- graph, or in rare cases to use smaller type. XL THE PRINTING OF THE PAPER. Type is set either by a linotype machine or by hand. The lino- type machine has a keyboard somewhat similar to the keyboard on a typewriter. An operator taps the keys, then moulds or forms drop from a case, and are pushed in front of a pot of mol- ten metal. When a column line of forms is in front of the metal pot the operator pulls a lever, and the moulten lead is forced into the forms. As each form bears an engraved impression of a let- ter the product of this operation is a line of type. The metal cools very rapidly and is ready for printing almost immediately on being formed. After the line is moulded the forms are me- chanically distributed to their respective places in the case. The compositor of course lifts each letter separately in setting type by hand. Hand composition is more laborious, and more expensive to the printer, and yet as a rule the present method of linotype setting gives no advantage in price to the publisher. After being set, type is placed on a tray called a galley, a term which is extended to the type in the galley. At the top of each galley the operator or compositor places his name together with the number of the galley. Proofs are made from the galleys, by the use of a roll press. After the corrections marked on the proofs have been made in the composition, it is disposed into pages or columns. For the most part, the names or the styles of the type are fan- ciful, yet Roman, Old English, Gothic, Egyptian, Clarendon, etc., are in general use, and it is convenient to be able to recognize them. The; School Papijr 37 Formerly each size of type had a name also; as, Pica, Small Pica, Long Primer, etc., but with the adoption of a common standard by the type founders of the United States these names have become obsolete, and type is known as 6 point, 8 point, 10 point, etc. Eight and ten point type correspond to Brevier and Long Primer, and are the sizes the student printer will have oc- casion to know best. Each style and size of type has a special use. Of course a great deal more matter can be condensed into small than large type, but small type is often a strain on the eye and a detriment to the typo- graphical beauty of the page. Display in newspapers, job work, and often in magazines is effected by the use of black face type. Features that should have special emphasis appear to advantage in black face type. Capi- tals are often used to fill the same ofhce as the black face type, but with less satisfactory results. Italics are used to distinguish words and phrases in the text. Words of foreign languages are often placed in italics. Leads, thin pieces of metal less than the type height and the length of a column line, are placed between the lines. The pur- pose of this is to prevent a crowded effect on the page, and to have the composition fill the allotted space. When the composition in the galleys has been separated into pages, sufficiently leaded, the cuts, initial letters, the page num- bers, and the headings added, the whole is adjusted in a form. The_ form is the name applied to the metal after it has been locked' up or tightly fastened in an iron frame known a* a chase. Several pages may be included in one form, the num- ber varying with the style of press used and the size of the pages. If a cyHnder press is used, as it is by many book publishing houses, the number of pages in one form will include sixteen or twenty of the average sized pages. Only one or two pages are printed at one time on the platen press. The form is placed in the press and securely locked in its place. A system of rollers inks the surface and the paper is brought in contact with it. On the cylinder press the paper is fed on a revolving cylinder. The form is below and moves with a reciprocating motion. When the paper turns up the impres- sion has been made. A make ready is used to bring out the less distinct parts in print. This is usually made by pasting thin pieces of paper on the mat that covers the cylinder. This presses the paper against the type in certain places with a greater force. Great skill is re- quired in preparing a make-ready, as even the smallest portions of a cut often need building up. When the sheets are dry, they are arranged and folded in coti- secutive order, preparative to binding. The insert pages and the' 38 The School Paper fly leaves are placed in their respective positions and each book is heavily pressed, to make it compact for the stitching that fol- lows. The edges of the book are next trimmed and last the cover is glued on. The book is now finished ; and after it has dried it is ready for distribution. XII. THE PROCESSES OF ENGRAVING. At one time, wood engravings were the only means of illustrat- ing. Only in recent years has the metal engraving appeared, and at present engravings are almost exclusively made of metal. The work of the student publisher will wholly deal with metal plates nailed on blocks of wood to give them type height. Engravings of this kind are called lialf tones or line cuts according to their style. The tojie cut is a metal plate composed of either copper or a zinc amalgam, bearing a reproduction of picture represented, by a peculiar arrangement of dots. The process of reproducing a picture on this plate is similar to photographing a picture. A finely grained glass screen is placed over the original picture, for the purpose of breaking up the light rays, which pass from it to the negative which is made. The negative is brought to act on the metal plate which previously has been sensitised with acid. Wherever the light rays strike, the acid is set in action and con- sequently eats the metal. When the acid has acted sufficiently, the plate is rinsed and scoured to free it from any further effects of the acid- !f further biting of the metal is desired it is done with a machine, or graver. The cut is completed bv trimming and nailing it to a ])lock. [f for any reason, it is desired that the impression on the cut be made visible, this can be done by rubbing soft chalk over the sur- face. The dots which form the impression on the halftone engrav- ing are made by the intersection of finely graded lines, and are arranged in such a manner as to produce a picture in high lights, half tones, and full tones. There are never any lines in a half tone. When cuts of this kind are in the press, only the dots come in contact with the ink, and the corresponding printed impression is in reality made up of properly arranged dots. Many times these dots are so minute and so close together that a magnify- ing glass is necessary to distinguish them. Tone cuts are made from photographs, oil and water color paintings, and crayon, wash, pencil and charcoal drawings. From this it can be seen that practically every kind of ])icture can be made into a tone cut. Line cuts are made in much the same wav as are the half tone The; School Pape^r 39 engravings. No screen is employed in this process and the metal is nsually zinc. The rnic line cut is made up of a solid protrusion of metal. The printed impression of a line cut is in black and white mass- es and, with the exception of size, resembles the original picture in every respect. Engravings of this kind are made from distinct and clean cut drav/ings in black and white— either pen etchings, or charcoal, pencil, and crayon drawings. Engravings can be printed in colors from either line or half- tone plates. Every additional color necessitates an extra plate. An extensive use of color cuts is prohibited more by the addi- tional expense in printing than by the cost of the extra plate. The background or portions of the background are often det- rimental to the artistic effect of a half tone engraving. At other times the rectangular form of the cut may not be desired. These defects may be remedied by having the engraver chisel out the undesired portion of the cut. When this is done on a limited scale the cost will not be heavy, since the work is usually charged for by the hour. On insert cuts, where it is often desirable to have a cut of ir- regular outline, chiselling may be done to good advantage. But letters or especially irregular edges should not be chiselled as much time is required in the work and the expense is large. Where letters are desired as part of a tone drawing a combina- tion of half tone and line cut is advised. The picture may appear hi half tone, and the lettering in line and tacked on the same block. When several individual pictures appear on one half tone, any of the number may be chiselled out and reblocked. This plan enables the school newspaper to make an extensive use of old en- gravings. In a magazine where elegance and uniformity are desired, the common newspaper cut should not be used. A coarse screen is used in making cuts of this kind, and the impression has a speck- led appearance. XIII. DISTRIBUTION. When the papers have been received from the printer, they should be carefully counted, to ascertain whether or not the num- ber provided for in the contract have been delivered. Distribution of a weekly or monthly issue of a paper to regu- lar subscribers presents little difficulty if managed systematically. The method employed will depend on the organization of the students, the plan of the building, and to some extent on the dis- 40 The School Paper cipline of the school. Points to be regarded, if circumstances permit, are — distribution from some central point, at a definite and regular time, so far as may be simultaneously throughout the building, and the number assigned to each class room or car- rier definitely counted out. The annual needs more machinery, as it is frequently sold by advance subscription, to be delivered on presentation of receipt, and apt to be put on sale at the same time as it is distributed. The first precaution is to see that the count of the paper agrees with the number contracted for. This done, the number already sold should be set aside and delivered to receipt-holders on de- mand. One assistant at least should be detailed to deliver these, while another or others attend to cash sales. In a large school the editor or business manager should oversee the work and as- sign the details to the assistants. It will be found helpful to have lists of the names of the subscribers and check as the delivery is made. One assistant may with profit be detailed as inspector, to receive and scrutinize receipts which he then passes to a check- ing clerk, or else retain the receipt and call out the name or num- ber to the distributing clerk. Lost receipts seem inevitable. When the circulation of the pa- per is large, it is best to refuse to adjust claims of lost receipts until the sales are complete, so that the receipts can be checked over to see that the one in question has not been presented. Then, if the stub in the receipt book shows the sale, the magazine may be delivered. OCT 28 \^« LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 020 313 949 4