Hurray for interns

Among well wishers in my e-mail today were two of the more than 30 interns who have worked for us since I became bureau chief 20 years ago. I'd say that since my diagnosis in June I've now heard about two-thirds of the college students who have worked part-time for us over the years. It's been great to reconnect and hear how they're doing.

I am the son, brother and father of teachers, and seriously considered teaching myself as a career when I got out of school. Except for my column, there was no part of the job I enjoyed more than mentoring interns, most of whom have done a good job for us.

For the most part, they have been energetic, responsible and eager to learn, and what more could a teacher ask? There was one who when he said he had to go move his car would be gone for hours, but even he turned into a competent adult and good man. And several now have big-time journalism jobs and most of the others are doing well in other fields.

Even though I had to do much of the editing of their stories on deadline, I always made sure they were right behind my shoulder so they could see what I was doing. On the occasions when I more or less had to scrap their versions and pound out something in a hurry, I regularly set aisde some time the next day to talk about it. The only times I remember getting angry was when the same mistakes were repeated.

Gannett actually pays interns, which was the norm 20 years ago in journalism but is now unusual now. The pay has helped us I think attract the very best SUNY Albany journalism students as well as occasional summer interns from other schools (including two from Colby, where Emily and I went to college and where we were married. Both did a great job. )

I realize the big advantage I had in the work situations over teachers was that I had only one at a time to deal with. Generally that means they got far more attention than they ever would in a classroom. The other reporters in the bureau for the most part also jumped in to help the interns. In a way we had no choice. The volume of work before us dictated that we needed a competent intern to help us cover the news. Writing stories for us was not an academic exercise. It was always fun to see their faces light up when they would see their by-lines in the paper.

The only problem recently has been trying to not get to discouraging when we discuss job prospects as the internships wind down. Obviously newspapers are not the wave of the future. But the skills one needs as a reporter - inquisitiveness, determination, sociability, aggressiveness and writing ability among them - are widely transferable, I tell them.

In other news, as they used to say on TV, we're trying to get a little more organized for the Sunday walk to help fight pancreatic cancer. I am sponsoring a "team'' and hope to raise $500. Here's the address is you want to help: http://www.lustgarten.org/Page.aspx?pid=744&frsid=14114