Rounding out this week's focus on award-winning writers is a look at their benefactor: Joseph Pulitzer, born in Hungary in 1847. In a way, Pulitzer's early life is a testament both interfaith and international. His father - a wealthy grain merchant - was Jewish. His mother was Catholic. Joseph grew up in Budapest with a private school education, a gangly youth who topped 6 feet but suffered ill health and poor eyesight who wanted to be a soldier, anywhere. He was rejected by the British service in India, Australian army, and Napoleonic foreign legion alike.

That's how he became an American. A U.S. army recruiter in Germany took him in place of a draftee for the Civil War, so Pulitzer fought in the Lincoln Cavalry along with many other Germans (he was fluent in French and German, as well as Hungarian). After the war he made his way to St. Louis, working as a muleteer, baggage handler, and waiter. These were poor years; he was known on the slum streets of St. Louis as "Joey the Jew." Ambitious nevertheless, he spent free time at the library, where he learned better English and the law. He also befriended a group of chess players.

Chess was his segue to journalism. Those library pals whose moves he critiqued were editors of the leading German language daily, Westliche Post. A job offer didn't take long and four years later, in 1872, young Pulitzer had become an enterprising journalist with a controlling interest in the nearly bankrupt Post. At 25 he was publisher, and in 1878 after making more business deals, he emerged as owner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

By now his wealth, professional and social reputations, and dignity were growing, and he had married Washington socialite Kate Davis. He became a workaholic, at the newspaper from early morning until midnight, involved in every detail of the Dispatch. He splashed the pages with investigative articles and scathing editorials critical of government and corruption. This was wildly popular with readers and circulation skyrocketed. He bought the failing New York World (later famous for raising funds so the gift of the Statue of Liberty could be shipped from France), and turned it into the largest circulating newspaper in the country.

Pulitzer transformed journalism, both in content and quality. He was the first to insist that reporters should be specially trained, preferably with college degrees in journalism. That wasn't just talk; he was responsible for what continues to be one of the most prestigious journalism schools.

"I am deeply interested in the progress and elevation of journalism, having spent my life in that profession, regarding it as a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its influence upon the minds and morals of the people. I desire to assist in attracting to this profession young men of character and ability, also to help those already engaged in the profession to acquire the highest moral and intellectual training."

Over the years as his success grew, Pulitzer's rivals, including Hearst, waged war with him. The stress did nothing good for his failing health. He became blind, weak, hypersensitive to noise, and depressed. He died in 1911, but never ceased to manage his newspapers nor shy away from courageous, controversial reporting.

Aboard his yacht a year after his death his $2 million legacy took shape with the founding of the Columbia School of Journalism (75 percent), and the Pulitzer Prizes (25 percent, first awarded in 1917). Pulitzer had envisioned an advisory board entirely made of publishers, but it soon included Columbia scholars and other "persons of distinction." Today most on the 19-member Pulitzer Prize board have journalism backgrounds; generally the rest are academics.

As an "incentive to excellence," Pulitzer's will provided for four prizes in journalism, four in letters and drama (for a novel, a play, a history, and a biography), one for education, and four traveling scholarships, although he allowed the board flexibility. There are now 20 potential awards of $10,000 each, and one gold medal award for public service by a news organization, announced each April by the president of Columbia University.

Today's categories also include poetry, music, and photography. The focus on journalism naturally remains strong. There are no specific criteria, other than category descriptions, and to win, a writer must enter.

As a private foundation the board's deliberations are secret, and decisions final. That doesn't stop critics or controversy regarding their choices. Nevertheless the Pulitzer Prize remains an incentive to - and indicator of - excellence as Joseph envisioned, still going strong more than a century later.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.