Last Day of Boot Camp

Jeremy Stone in front of the I.F. Stone medal for journalistic independence

It’s the last day of boot camp, and we’re already looking ahead. After today, we begin a one week break- the perfect time to focus on some of our long term assignments. One that I’ll be working on is the essay for the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence. Today, Stone’s son, Jeremy Stone, came to talk to us about his father. After his talk, I was surprised at my ignorance at not having heard about him before. I was also incredibly impressed with I.F. Stone’s life accomplishments.

What made him so amazing, you ask? Well luckily, Jeremy Stone recited a handy list for us of what exactly made I.F. Stone such a fantastic journalist. I’ve recorded it here:

1. He knew a lot about history and used it. A lot of journalists, Stone said, only refer to history they remember. However, I.F. Stone cited historical moments dating back to antiquity.
2. He had a tremendous sense of independence. He never let people push him around or sway him. He stuck with what he believed.
3. He didn’t wheel and deal. He didn’t suck up to people or use flattery to make friends. He simply called things as he saw them.
4. He had a “tremendous sense of perfection.” He never sent a paper to press if it was any less than flawless. According to his son, Stone once said that “typos are worse than fascism.”
5. He had a great sense of humor. Jeremy said that his father once said, “I’m so happy, I should be arrested.”
6. He overcame personal obstacles. Stone was short of sight and hard of hearing, so he was unable to attend press conferences. He made up for it by reading the transcripts carefully afterward, and working from that.

Wherever I go as a journalist, I will try to remember what I heard today about the merits of I.F. Stone.

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