College Journalism.

The honor of establishing the first college paper does not belong, as we think it ought, to the oldest university, but to one of her younger sisters, Dartmouth. There appeared in 1800 at that institution a paper called, "The Gazette," which is chiefly famous for the reason that among its contributors was Dartmouth's most distinguished son, Daniel Webster. A few years later Yale followed with "The Literary Cabinet," which however did not live to celebrate its birthday. It was not until 1810 that Harvard made her first venture in journalism, and then Edward Everett, with seven associates, issued the "Harvard Lyceum." But its lease of life was not long, and it, too, died before it had completed its first year. The ball, however, had now been set a rolling, and from this time on, college journalism grew with amazing rapidity. If today every paper, which has ever been published by students in our American colleges, were in existence, the number would astonish the most credulous. But the law of Malthus operates just as effectively in the domain of literary effort, as it does in the material world about us; there has always been a tendency for college papers to increase faster than the means of subsistence-financial difficulties have brought their careers to a close, often with considerable loss to the editors.

Among the college journals most worthy of note is "The Yale Literary Magazine," better known as the "Lit." It was first published in 1836, and has ever since exercised an important influence on life at Yale. Ex-Secretary Evarts was one of the founders; President Gilman of Johns Hopkins University and President White of Cornell were at different times connected with it. Probably the greatest undertaking in college journalism was the "University Quarterly, which was started in 1860 by Joseph Cook and other Yale men. Its purpose, as stated by one of the founders, was "to unite the sympathies of academical, collegiate and professional students throughout the world." It had, at one time, correspondents in thirty-three colleges, among which were several German and English universities. It was, however. Too stupendous an undertaking for men who had so many other duties to attend to, and after eight numbers had appeared, it shared the fate of so many others.

The second journal which was published here was the "Harvard Register," on whose editorial board were Ex-President Felton of Harvard and Hon. Robt. C. Wintrop. After a brief career it was succeeded by the "Collegian," which was made famous by contributions from the brilliant pen of Oliver Wendell Holmes. Then came the "Harvardiana," whose life even the efforts of a man who was destined to be one of the greatest literary men of our day, James Russell Lowell, could not prolong beyond four years. The next to enter the arena was the "Harvard Magazine," one of whose first editors was America's greatest preacher, Phillips Brooks. This magazine was published with varying success for a decade, and in 1864 came to an untimely end.

We now turn to those college papers which have evidently "come to stay." Eighteen years ago the first number of the "Harvard Advocate appeared, and, from that time on, it has held a preeminent place among college publications. For seven years it held almost unlimited sway, but in 1873 there appeared a rival, the "Majenta," afterwards called the "Crimson." A friendly rivalry immediately sprang up between these two, and continued until the consolidation of the latter with the college daily in 1883. One of the youngest, and yet probably the best known college publication in existence, the "Harvard Lampoon," was first issued in the spring of 1876. At first the contributions were confined to the pen and pencil of undergraduates, but the next year its scope was enlarged and contributions were received from graduates. It has since gone back to its original plan.

The first attempt at daily journalism was made simultaneously at Harvard and Yale. The "Echo," started in 1879, was the first Harvard daily. Then in 1882, came the "Herald," and in the struggle for the "survival of the fittest," the "Echo died. In 1883 the "Herald" was consolidated with the "Crimson," and was known as the "Herald-Crimson" until the spring of 1884, when it became "THE DAILY CRIMSON."

It was the enterprise and energy of the American student that brought into existence the college paper. German universities, too intent upon searching for etymological fossils and upon defining, with painful exactness, the functions of the Greek parties, never have had time for such diversions, and today, they have not what would be properly called a college paper. In England they have what they choose to call college papers, but they are, as a rule, edited and published by persons in no wise connected with the universities. A very few, however, are issued by the students.