The Fascinating Fendall Yerxa

This week, while I was eating my sack lunch on a bench at the University of Washington, I found myself staring at one of the classic classroom buildings. Then, in one of those Deja vu moments, I said a name I hadn't said in decades: Fendall Yerxa. 

Back in 1965, when Mom was a junior at the University of  Washington, she was especially excited about her fascinating journalism professor: Fendall Yerxa. She loved telling stories from her class.

 

As a kid, I just enjoyed saying his name—it was so different.

 

Fendall Yerxa had recently left a lucrative career as a New York Times editor and nightly news anchor in New York City to teach journalism at the University of Washington.

 

Fendall Yerxa in the New York Tribune newsroom 1950's


He didn’t like the direction news was heading—and this was back in the mid 1960’s.

 

So, he taught students how to write news. He didn’t want their opinions, he wanted facts.

 

Then one spring day, when the babysitter must have been unavailable, I found myself running with Mom from UW’s lower parking lot to get to her journalism class on time. She wouldn’t miss it even if it meant figuring out what to do with me during her class.

 

Mom found a place for me to sit outside the classroom, and I pulled out my pencil and paper to draw. I watched students file into the classroom. 

 

And then, a very tall man, smoking a pipe, approached me. It was Fendall Yerxa himself. Mom must have noticed, and she came out and quickly explained her dilemma and my presence outside his classroom.

 

He extended his hand to me, and I shook it. “It’s never too early to learn.” And he invited me in.

 

I sat in the desk next to Mom and like everyone else, I got busy taking copious notes. When class was nearly over, Mr. Yerxa came to my desk and asked to see my notes. I was scared but had no reason to be. 

 

Mr. Yerxa declared that if a seven-year-old could copy the words: Who What Where When and Why from the poster in front, then his students could certainly go out and write news asking those same questions.

 

It was my introduction to college way before I was old enough to appreciate it. 


With more news sources than ever before, it’s up to us to ask the questions Fendall Yerxa knew needed honest answers.



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