It only serves to show what sort of person a man must be who can't even get testimonials. No, no; if a man brings references, it proves nothing; but if he can't, it proves a great deal.
I desire to assist in attracting to this profession young men of character and ability, also to help those already engaged in the profession to acquire the highest moral and intellectual training
Interpretation
What this quote means
Joseph Pulitzer emphasizes the importance of attracting talented and principled individuals to the profession while also advocating for the ongoing moral and intellectual development of those already in it.
In this quote, Joseph Pulitzer expresses a deep commitment to the field of journalism, particularly in nurturing and selecting young men who not only demonstrate skill and capability but also possess strong character. He underscores the necessity of continuous moral and intellectual growth for professionals in the industry, reflecting a belief that journalism must be upheld by individuals who are both competent and ethically grounded, ultimately aiming to elevate the profession as a whole.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a journalism school graduation, one might quote Pulitzer to motivate the students about their future careers.
More from Joseph Pulitzer
All quotes →What a newspaper needs in its news, in its headlines, and on its editorial page is terseness, humor, descriptive power, satire, originality, good literary style, clever condensation, and accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!
Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.
If you will give the matter a moment's thought, you'll see that memory is the highest faculty of the human mind.
An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which popular government is a sham and a mockery
The American people want something terse, forcible, picturesque, striking - something that will arrest their attention, enlist their sympathy, arouse their indignation, stimulate their imagination, convince their reason, awaken their conscience.
Similar quotes
So, I was in a segregated, all black, public elementary school until fourth grade, until my father died. And that's when my mother transferred me to a private, predominantly white school and I saw both sides of the world at a very young age.
A teacher who can arouse a feeling for one single good action, for one single good poem, accomplishes more than he who fills our memory with rows and rows of natural objects, classified with name and form.
When I went to my local grammar school, Lurgan College, girls were not encouraged to study science. My parents hit the roof and, along with other parents, demanded a curriculum change.
It is healthier, in any case, to write for the adults one's children will become than for the children one's 'mature' critics often are.
One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.
Introducing a spelling test to a student by saying, 'Let's see how many words you know,' is different from saying, 'Let's see how many words you know already.' It is only one word, but the already suggests that any words the child knows are ahead of expectation and, most important, that there is nothing permanent about what is known and not known.