To the Optimist staff,

I want to commend the staff of the Optimist on the quality publication you’re giving the readers on our ACC campus. It seems to me that the ’61 Optimist has a policy of broad coverage, clear concise reporting, and yet offers opportunity for the reflection of opinion through the editorial page.

Too frequently the ideal of freedom of the press has been distorted to mean the printing of anything and everything anyone wants to say at any time. As a result, extreme emotionalism introduced through “yellow journalism” has so colored opinions that many events have been exaggerated out of all proportion to their importance. If this type of publication brings on a censorship policy, the journalist might do well to investigate his reporting techniques.

Of the several mass media of communication, the printed page has been the most effective over the longest period of time. The pen has indeed proved “mightier than the sword.” Some journalists, too few unfortunately, have recognized that freedom in reporting involves the responsibility of accuracy and fair play and the marvelous opportunity to mold opinion in such a way as to motivate the reading public to think, react, and decide for themselves after a careful consideration of facts fairly presented.

I believe your staff is pursing such a course and I would like to express my appreciation and hope for a continuation of this laudable policy.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Henry Speck
ACC History Faculty

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Editor’s Note: This letter was re-published in the October 24, 2003 edition of the Optimist.