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BIn January 1938, Jane Stafford became America’s premier medical journalist, regularly reporting on advances in cancer research and treatment. She asked about the press dinner she was invited to a few months ago, thanking those at the American Society for Cancer Control (ASCC) for their positive response to her recent newspaper series. The event had already taken place, she confirmed, at the Harvard Club, which was off-limits to women. Had it been held elsewhere, “it would have cost a lot more money” and, according to writers and doctors, “the presence of women would have changed the character of the dinner considerably.”
Such situations were commonplace for female journalists in the mid-20th century, especially those covering science and medicine. Whether it’s press conferences or academic seminars, gender-based bias and restrictions have always posed challenges in the workplace. Cultural biases, social conventions, and unfair discrimination disrupted the playing field. To their credit, and for the benefit of their millions of readers, a group of talented women from a small Washington, D.C.-based science news organization called Science Service have overcome such barriers, building confidence and With his intelligence and skill, he became a pioneer in his field. field of science journalism.
The founders’ vision for the news service included social science considerations from the beginning, and although this decision was openly opposed by some trustees and prominent supporters, the editorial The last major addition to the department ultimately helped realize that promise. Smart and outspoken, Marjorie Vande Water found Science’s services a welcoming, welcoming environment. Hired in the spring of 1929, Vende’s Water became an accomplished feature writer and trusted editor, remaining with his organization until his death in 1962.
To succeed in science reporting, Van de Water and her colleagues quickly and accurately identify what is and isn’t “news” in a particular field or area of ​​research, and then I had to be able to draft a report that was appropriate for the mission. Whatever the format, newspaper editors wanted stories that were relevant to the lives of their readers, and as the world crisis deepened after the 1929 stock market crash, they increasingly welcomed the insights of sociology and economics. .
Although some influential scientists, such as physicist Robert A. Millikan, persistently denounced these disciplines as a quagmire of “controversy and politics,” the Bureau of Science inherited control of the publishing empire and his Progress was made with the support of Robert P. Scripps, who shared his views. His father was interested in applied social sciences. At a dinner and conference in April 1932, Robert Scripps appears to have been the only speaker who dared to raise the social importance of public support for science, arguing that “people outside the laboratory are “Whether we know it or not,” he categorically rejects the argument that research will flourish, and scientists should never consider how their work will affect humanity. The world faced a new crisis. Dr. Scripps said that scientists, including social scientists, believe that “all our facts and all our scientific theories must be proven before millions of people lose patience with war, poverty, insecurity, unemployment, etc.” “We have to make it feel relevant to the important issues of the world.” , disease-[and] Even political misrepresentation. ”
She explored how science can help explain (or cure) the dark side of humanity.
With encouragement from Scripps and several sympathetic board members, Van de Water and his colleagues got to work. Throughout the 1930s, they interpreted the latest social science research and applied its insights to contemporary political and social issues. Van de Water’s previous work in intelligence testing and connections with local social scientists proved invaluable, and he gained a new reputation among U.S. news reporters in coverage of psychology and psychiatry. It became a pioneer of journalism.
Van de Water remained an “erudite” writer, but she learned how to assess her audience’s interests and how to choose topics and approaches that had broader appeal, such as crime and the criminal mind. Have learned. From the beginning, she explored how science can help explain (or cure) the dark side of humanity.Her first two signed articles science newsletter“The Story of American Crime” (July 27, 1929) and “Why Children Are Murderers” (August 10, 1929) were published by researchers and clinical practitioners studying antisocial behavior. It combined medical interviews with economic and statistical data. Within a year, she was publishing Sunday magazine features such as “Trick Questions to Test Your Personality” and “How Twins’ Brains Are Different.” She has devised clever ways to engage readers by playing with traditional stereotypes and countering them with explanations based on her research. The title of one article screamed, “Women are more fearful than men,” but the text summarized recent research on anger and emotion, and despite its sensational presentation, it linked gender to vulnerability. offered a sarcastic comment on attempts to do so.
To gather news and establish connections with sources, Van de Water attended nearly every American Psychological Association (APA) meeting from 1931 until his death. It was an exciting time for him to interact with experts in the field. Translating the conference’s “scientific language attack” into a “compact and easy-to-read” article and completing the work by the deadline required cooperation from stakeholders. Upon accepting the APA Award for Science Writing, Van de Water spoke about the mixed reactions he encountered during his career. She admitted that there were two types of “difficult” people. One is “a scientist who is suspicious of reporters and doesn’t want her research reported” due to her past bad experiences and criticism from her colleagues, and the other is “a publicity seeker.” [who] He appears in the press room, trying to talk to anyone who will listen. ”
Like many of the staff, Van de Water was an avid photographer, winning awards in local newspaper photo contests and serving as the organization’s photo editor for several years. As a photographer and journalist, concerned with accuracy and responsible reporting, and with a keen eye for detail, Van de Water dedicated his career to documenting the rise of social science.
This article has been republished from Writing for Life: America’s Pioneering Female Journalistsby Marcel Chotkowski LaFollette, published by MIT Press in August 2023.
Lead image: Brothers Art / Shutterstock.