were made out of such material as happened to be available in the exigencies of forced marches, and were often shot into tatters by the enemy.'” 63 A society that has lost interest in the fundamental questions of life , or that has never had such an interest, demands amuse
ment and entertainment and this is provided in the gossip of the modern society journal.64 A society that loves a sparkling jest,
a piquantphrase, a refined witticism , and a clever parody, on “ a foundation of very sound information ” finds expression in period icals like The Owl that for some years amused and informed English society with its entertaining comments on normal life in the upper circles.65
Education as it is provided through normal, conventional channels has often been inadequate for satisfying the demands of alert boys and girls and, especially before the recent develop
ment of interest in sports, athletics, and all forms of physical recreations, they have found an outlet for their mental energies in establishing everywhere amateur journals that record both their present interests and their future ambitions.66 63 J . McCabe, Life and Letters of George Joseph Holyoake, I, 160. 64 Edmund Yates in his Recollections and Experiences gives a full account
of the establishment of The World , sometimes spoken of as “ the pioneer of modern Society journalism .” — II , 305 -336 . A Journalist, in Bohemian Days in Fleet Street, chap . V , gives a sketch of “ Society Journalism .”
65 The Owl owed its existence to Algernon Borthwick and a group of clever young Englishmen who from sheer joy of living carried it on for more
than five years (April 27, 1864 -July 28, 1869).
Its founder says of its
close, “ So ended an adventure , entered upon in jest, pursued not with
serious intent, and successful enough to leave behind it lasting memories ; unlike all other journalistic enterprises in that it was unconcerned with financial aims, yet the pioneer of a great commercial enterprise and of a
new element in our social life .” — R . Lucas, Lord Glenesk and the “ Morning
Post," 195 - 218 ; H . Drummond-Wolff, Rambling Recollections, II, 38 – 42;
A . I. Dasent, John Thadeus Delane, II, 116– 118. 66 The extent of amateur journalism both in time and in place is indi cated by the remarkable collection of such journals deposited in the School of Journalism , Columbia University ; T . J. Spencer , A Cyclopaedia of the
Literature of Amateur Journalism ; H . H . Billany and C . A . Rudolph, The Amateurs' Guide for 1875 (with bibliography and list of amateur editors) ; G . M . Huss, A History of Amateur Journalism ; T . G . Harrison , The Career
and Reminiscences of an Amateur Journalist; J . C . Nixon , History of the National Amateur Press Association. R . Chambers , writing in 1838 of " Playing at Newspapers,” gives an
account of the publication of two numbers of the Inveresk Gazette by board ing school boys. - Select Writings, II, 91- 106 .
