Missouri School of Journalism

The Missouri School of Journalism was founded in 1908. It was the first journalism school in the world.

Starting a journalism school was not easy. Opposition came from the Missouri State Senate in 1895, with the defeat of a bill that requested a chair of journalism be established. At the time, people did not think journalism could not be taught in a classroom. In 1896, however, the Missouri Press Association gave its support.

Walter Williams assisted in establishing the school. Williams was the editor of the Columbia Missouri Herald and the youngest-ever president of the Missouri Press Association. Ten years after the proposal was drafted, the school opened. On Sept. 14, 1908, students published the first issue of the University Missourian Newspaper.

Neff Hall was the first building created for the school. Ward A. Neff, an alumnus of the school, donated the money in honor of his father, Jay H. Neff, a journalist in Kansas City. It was constructed in 1918. The building was given a new entrance in 1936 and an addition in 1959.

In 1936, Walter Williams Hall was added to the school. It was connected to Neff Hall with the Walter Williams Tower. Located under the tower are two lions that were constructed more than 531 years ago in the Ming Dynasty in China. They were gifted to the school in 1931 from the Chinese government.

Today, the Missouri School of Journalism encompasses seven buildings, including Neff Hall, Neff Annex, Walter Williams, Gannett Hall, Lee Hills Hall, the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute and the KOMU-TV station.

The Missouri School of Journalism focuses on the Missouri Method of teaching. This means it provides hands-on training. The school is one of the top-ranked journalism schools in the country.