| Notes |
- Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, 7 Mar 2001, Section 2, pa
Ex-NU dean Edward P. Bassett, 72
By James Janega Tribune Staff Writer
Edward P. Bassett, 72, former dean of the Medill School of Journalism
at Northwestern University and one of the nation's most well-known and
respected journalism educators, died of liver disease Thursday, March 1, in
his Portland, Ore., home.
During his tenure at Northwestern from 1984 to 1989, the Medill school
renovated its headquarters in Fish Hall, collaborated with the Kellogg School
of Business to form the university's Newspaper Management Center, started an
alumni association and regained academic accreditation from the Accrediting
Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The ACEJMC
accreditation had been lost for five years because of a dispute with the
university over academic standards.
Mr. Bassett enjoyed similar successes as the head of four other
university journalism departments and one West Coast newspaper during a
journalism career that began in the mid-1950's and encompassed enormous
changes in the industry.
"He was one of those rare deans who not only had a doctorate but
started out in a newsroom," said Garald Sass, a former executive vice
president of the Freedom Forum.
In both classroom and editorial meetings, Mr. Bassett stressed a
strong work ethic for reporters and a stiff spine for editors and publishers;
news writing, he contended, should be marked by clean, tight and creati
prose.
It was a maxim he carried to the hilt, once successfully getting a
former student a professorship by writing a letter of recommendation that read
simply "This person is good stuff." That the letter had its desired effect
showed both Mr. Bassett's gift for getting to the point and the weight his
opinions carried in academic circles.
"He didn't say much, but when he spoke, you damn sure were going to
listen, because it was going to be important," said Neale Copple, dean
emeritus of the journalism college at the University of Nebraska, a frequent
fellow panelist on journalism committees.
An intensely curious man, Mr. Bassett almost missed his calling. Born
in Boston and raised in Decatur, Ill., he pursued both medicine and the law
while studying at Washington and Lee University, only to graduate with a
bachelor's degree in history in 1951. He followed it with a 1955 master
degree in journalism and Middle Eastern studies from the University of
Michigan. After that, he worked at a succession of newspapers, including the
Louisville Courier-Journal, before returning to the academic world at t
University of Iowa, where he earned a PhD in 1967.
He served as chairman of the U.of M. journalism department from 1969
to 1970, then was named dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism
at the University of Kansas. He left Kansas in 1975 to direct the School of
Journalism at the University of Southern California. Returning to professional
journalism's ranks in 1980, he served for four years as executive editor of
the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore. After his tenure at Northwester
closed his career as director of the School of Communications at the
University of Washington, retiring in 1997.
While under Mr. Bassett's direction, the Statesman Journal won the
Best of Gannett award from the Gannett Co., the paper's owner. During his time
at the University of Washington, the Freedom Forum named Mr. Bassett the
nation's top journalism school administrator.
He also served terms as president of the American Association of
Schools and Departments of Journalism and of the Association for Education in
Journalism and Mass Communication, as well as stints on the national
journalism accrediting council and on advisory committees for public radio
stations and the Freedom Forum.
He spent his retirement on the sorts of outdoors vacations he enjoyed
all his life, tending to his flower garden and the piles of newspapers and
clippings in his office, items that had struck him as fascinating at one point
or another.
The reason for his untidy office was the same as the motive behind his
profession-straddling career, said his daughter Laura:
"He was curious," she said. "He had an interest in all sorts of
things."
Mr. Bassett also is survived by his wife, Karen; another daughter;
Sarah Williams; a sister, Caroline Wilkinson; and four grandchildren. A third
daughter, Lisa died in a car accident in 1994.
No memorial service was planned.
Edward P. Bassett, journalism educator, died
The Oregonian, 2 Mar 2001
The former editor and administrator employed a zeal for motivating students and
working in the field.
Edward P. Bassett, 72, a leading American journalism educator who nurtured two
generations of reporters, editors and photographers, died Thursday in h
Portland home. He had been receiving treatment for liver disease.
In a four-decade career, Bassett led journalism programs at five major U.S.
universities, including the University of Washington, and spent four years as
executive editor of the Statesman Journal in Salem.
He won the nation's top award for journalism school administrators, presented
by the Freedom Forum, an organization that promotes free speech, often through
journalism education, in 1993. Gerald Sass, retired executive vice president
of the Freedom Forum, recalled: "When he accepted the award, Bassett told the
deans in the audience to be ambitious, and then he paused and said, 'for
others'. I thought that was classic Ed Bassett. He put others, faculty and
students, ahead of himself."
Even when in top administrative roles, Bassett maintained a connection to new
journalists by insisting on advising students and teaching. Towering over his
students, he patiently shared his wit and wisdom on subjects ranging from mass
communication law and history to environmental issues in communication
Bassett also did what many academics don't - remain grounded in the fie
through periodic stints in the working press. When Bassett was editor of the
Statesman Journal, the newspaper's owner, the Gannett Co., named it "Best of
Gannett" for its news coverage. Gannett also recruited him as an adviser when
it established USA Today and later named him to the company's board of
directors.
"Ed Bassett brought to the Statesman Journal a full grounding in the crafts of
reporting and editorial writing, as well as a strong vision of how a daily
newspaper should related to its community," said John McMillan, who was
publisher when Bassett served as editor from 1980 to 1984.
"I think that he was a wonderful motivator," said McMillan, noting Bassett's
ability to nurture the talents of under performing reporters. McMillan also
praised Bassett as a leader in bringing greater racial and ethnic diversity to
journalism.
Bassett was born Feb. 27, 1929, in Boston and raised in Decatur, Ill. He
graduated in 1951 from Washington and Lee University and in 1955 received a
master's degree at the University of Michigan. He then worked for four
newspapers, including the Louisville Courier-Journal, before moving in 1960 to
the University of Iowa, where he received a doctoral degree in 1967.
Bassett's first administrative job was chairman of the journalism department
at the University of Michigan in 1969-1970. He became dean of the Willi
Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas and later moved
on to the University of Southern California to direct its school of
journalism.
He joined the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University as dean
in 1984 and worked with Northwestern Kellogg School to establish the
university's Newspaper Management Center. He became director of the University
of Washington School of Communications in 1989. Before retiring in 1997, he
served two years as the interim dean of UW's Graduate School of Library and
Information Science.
Bassett also served as president of the American Association of Schools and
Departments of Journalism and the Association of Education in Journalism and
Mass Communication.
But his interests and expertise went far beyond journalism, reaching to
politics, the arts and international affairs. The former college basketball
player loved sports, and three summers fighting fires for the U.S. Fore
Service fueled an interest and passion for the environment.
The Great Depression forced both his parents to work, requiring his
grandparents to help raise him and forging in him the importance of family. He
is survived by his wife of 47 years, the former Karen Jack; daughters, Sarah
Williams of Monomonee Falls, Wis., and Laura Bassett of Oakton, Va.; a sister,
Caroline Wilkinson of Oxford, Ohio; and four grandchildren. His third
daughter, Lisa, died in a car accident.
Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa, 18 Mar 2001
Edward Bassett, 72
Edward P. Bassett, 72, of Portland, Ore., formerly of Iowa City, died
Thursday, March 1, 2001, at his home of liver disease. Mr. Bassett was born
Feb. 27, 1929, in Boston to Fraser Wightman Bassett and Fanny Powers Bassett.
He graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1951. After he earned his
master's degree in 1955 at the University of Michigan, he worked for fo
newspapers, including the Louisville Courier-Journal. In 1860, he moved to the
University of Iowa, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1967. His first administrative
job was as chairman of the journalism department at the University of Michigan
from 1960 to 1980. He then became the dean of the William Allen White School
of Journalism at the University of Kansas in 1970. He served from 1974 to 1975
as associate vice chancellor at the University of Kansas and then moved to USC
as director of its School of Journalism. He became the dean of the Medi
School of Journalism at Northwestern in 1984. He became director of the
University of Washington School of Communications in 1989. Before retiring in
1997, he served two years as the interim dean of the University of
Washington's Graduate School of Library and Information Science. He also
worked directing news and editorial activities of the Statesman Journal.
During his tenure, the Statesman Journal won the "Best of Gannett" award for
news coverage. He served as an adviser during USA Today's inception, and he
also was named to the Gannett Co. Board of Directors. He won the nation's top
award for journalism school administrators, presented by the Freedom Forum. He
served as president of the American Association of Schools and Departments of
Journalism and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass
Communication. He was selected by the American Political Science Association
in 1960 for excellence in state government reporting and given an honorary
Doctor of Law degree in 1984 from Washington and Lee University. He served on
the national journalism accrediting council, and on advisory committees for
two public radio stations and two Freedom Forum programs in journalism
studies. He served on a Knight Ridder journalism excellence jury and the
William Allen White Foundation. Survivors include his wife, Karen two
daughters, Sarah Williams of Menomonee Falls, Wis., and Laura Bassett of
Oakton, Va. one sister, Caroline Wilkinson of Oxford, Ohio, and four
grandchildren. One daughter, Lisa, died earlier.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1929 - 2001 (72 years)