Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois N'iuspapir Dirictory and HistoryThe resolution establishing the system was adopted following a report madeto the convention by the association's committee on education, of which Prof.Lawrence W. Murphy, director of the course in journalism at the University ofIllinois, is chairman. Other members of the committee"' are W. F. Hardy, of theDecatur Herald; H. B. Potter, Marshall Herald; E. H. Childress. Fairfield Press;Orville B. Littick, Murphysboro Independent; and John P. Beckman, CarthageJournal.The aim of the committee, as explained by its secretary, is to provide thatqualified reporters and editorial workers be issued certificates of proficiency intheir profession on the same basis that certificates are issued to physicians, attorneys,and members of other professions, without having a government agency involved.The certificates will be issued only after the applicants have passed an examinationalong the lines approved by the association. The standard for possession ofa certificate is set at four year's university work plus one year's active newspaperexperience, or an alternative of five year's newspaper experience and certain generalrequirements. An examination will be given in addition to the requirements oflength of experience.At the request of the president of the Southern Editorial Association the committeechairman addressed that body at Granite City April 23 of that year at its regularannual meeting. He explained the plan to the members, who discussed it and thenvoted to give it their support. Two votes were recorded against the plan and both ofthese were withdrawn after the meeting and the endorsement was made unanimous.The committee then went to work on establishing regulations and machinery tocarry on the work. It was the feeling of the members that the press of the state wassolidly behind the plan. The idea had been endorsed at Chicago, Springfield, Urbana,and Granite City and all sections of the state were represented in the decision.It took up the following items: (1) Outline of procedure, (2) Names of examiners,(3) Wording of certificate, (4) Policy on awards, (5) Forms and announcements.Agreement was reached by the members after a thorough consideration and thecertificates, seals, announcement forms, etc., were ordered and the work begun of issuingcertificates to men past thirty years of age who were considered eligible without examinationif their newspaper experience was considered satisfactory. Two hundrd and eightycertificates were issued without written examination. The first twenty numbers wentto the following:Albert H. Gravenhorst, Effingham County Review; Warren F. Hardy, DecaturHerald; Harry B. Potter, Marshall Herald; John Harrison, Danville Commercial-News;H. I.. Williamson, United States Publisher; William J. Smith, Waukegan Daily Sun;S. P. Preston, Gillespie News; H. U. Bailey, Bureau County Republican (Princeton);C. S. Conger, White County Democrat (Carmi) ; Owen Scott, Bloomington Bulletin;W. B. Davis, Mt. Sterling Democrat-Message; Eugene L'Hote, of Milford; W. T. Bedford,LaSalle Tribune; S. K. Strother, of Taylorville; J. C. Adams, Peotone Vedette;Charles Bradshaw, Carrollton Patriot; Charles Boeschenstein, Edwardsville Intelligencer;C. M. Tinney, Virginia Gazette; M. F. Walsh, Harvard Herald & Independent, andO. L. Davis, Champaign News-Gazette.The committee then sent out letters to fifty certificate holders inviting them tosubmit questions for the first written examination. There were many replies and thequestions were compiled and arranged for use. On May 17 and 18, 1929, the firstwritten examination was offered at Urbana. It was taken by the following young menand women: