The sun., 1909-02-28
BEGINNINGS or AMATEUR JOUR.
NALTSM.
with Notes Concerning sidney smart" !"
Americas Pioneer Newspaper woman.

Amateur Journalism ~ 50 mucn u paTt oi
the school life OF to-day that its primitive
besinnin ss back In the Colonial era OF Ameri-
can history are little known. Tenderly
preserved in the manuscript files OF the
Pennsylvania Historical Society are some
twenty copies OF amateur newspapers Ia
sued by the pupils In the Friends Public
School. an institution founded In 1850 by
the Quakers in Philadelphia. These maga-
zines give vivid idea OF the life OF children
during the years iT74-7s The papers were,
OF course. not printed. but hand copied
with Infinite care and labor The con-
tsnts Include poetry, humor. philcsc?h"
and ture, more than half the space being
devoted to the street fights which filled the
place OF athletics in the school lie OF the
great great -grandfathers OF contemporary
boyhood The insistence on this Homeric
subject proves that boys Will be boys, even
though trained by peace loving Quakers.
The earliest dated manuscript In the
possession OF the Pennsylvania Historical
Society is a small volume wherein Samuel
L. Wharton OF Almond Street No. ?" dis
played a talent for editorial mann agement
unsurpassed by any OF the boys imme-
diately following his journalistic example.
A aualntly inscribed name on the tble page
shows this bound collection or six months
issues Of the Universal Hd0dSips aud Lit
crdry Museum to have been the cherished
property OF George Forster IN MA. The
yellowed paper OF the magazine presents
uneven outlines. showing that large sheets
of paper we're painstakinkly cut into the
size desired and sewed together with twine
or a kind OF coarse silken thread. Young
Wharton had keen eve for form and make
up, although the mat erials with which he
achieved his results were OF the simplest
The title page with It's flourish OF capitals,
the Latin motto. the careful paragraph
ing, elaborate indexnR and arrangement OF
the contents. all indicate a mind OF orderly
character and executive talent. In pref
ace the author publisher says:
IL was the saying OF King Solomon that there
was no hing lew under the sun. but II his Majesty
had lived IN these days he would have pro.
nounced our production at least new. II u had no
other merit to recommend II. We would not be
tina oinsd 70 Inslnuate that there never was maga
zine published before. or that the novelty OF ours
consisted in It's being superior 10 all OF them
But an attempt to establish a magazine In so con-
FIN ed a limit as a school-the design entered INTO
so suddeny--half the month expired -unassured
OF assistance from any Gentleman In the literary
way. quite unacquainted with the business
to make an attempt attended with all these dim
cultee was certainly bold and equally ne'r as Few
In our situation would have done IT,
FOllOWlnG tnIS
Of journalist ic trumpets. the editorial note
assumes a sound OF mingled warning and
announcement to the subscribers
Tho our magazine crculstes in such narrow
sphere that We cannot expect great variety OF
original pieces yet our readers may be assured
that all possible pains shall be taken to make lt
as entertaining as Is in our power. We SHAH be
Obliged TO any Gentleman who VIII favor us With
piece on any subject.
To this catholic minded invitation Editor
Wharton appends the promise; Greatest
secrecy may be depended on
After signing this with a splursing swag-
ger Of the initials "S. l.. w. all frothing IN
a sea Of whirls and curlycues. there follows
close a notice penned in mood both SEMI
defiant and wassish:
Some OF the orires suppose will be offended
al my making use Of the plural umber In speaking
OF myself. but 1t Ia a privilege that belongs TO
kings and magazine makers don't choose to
let u 60 out OF the family.
The table Of contents next follows and
shows the first number OF the UHirersdi
Mdoasire and Literary Museum. issued In
August. I77+, to be made UP Of serial
Natural History OF the Spider" continued
throughout, together with brief articles in
the same vein. Descriptions OF the Ant"
and Observations on the Wing OF q Gnat."
The popular depart ment Of fiction is repre-
sented by a brief "Anecdote OF Baron P"
and The Story OF a Coward. the latter a
FIRE eating narrative Of q coffee house bully.
Wharton meets even so early with the
familiar pest of the subscriber afflicted with
a desire for information useful but not
easily ascert ainable. over the appropriate
superscription OF John Curious the fol-
lowing attempt TO stump the editorial
omniscienCe IL set forth:
I observed lately plant (Which the country
people distinguish By the name OF the man In mid
summer, growing without any root or moisture
from hard piece OF wood from whence pray did
L receive nourlshment'
To this is returned the canny reply:
II our correspondent would give a more par
ticular description OF this plant and inform us
whether Il really was without any root we would
endeavor to satisfy his curiosity.
The September number shows a continu-
alton OF this duel. with Editor Wharton
triumphantly emerging beneath load OF
lore concerning the man In
John Curious" returns to
the charge with an article regarding the
common file" and related topics. until the
editor dsmisses him hotly with the charge
of being a nature faker,
A serial Description OF the State House.
by some anonymous contributor for the
passing Amusement OF the subscribers for
more probably to MI space. since the build
ing must have been equally familiar to all
readersl was found to be Of contemporary
value when the restoration OF old Inde-
pendence Hall was undertaken by the
Philadelphia City Councils few years ago.
The sharp and literal eve OF the child
ish writer had noted much that more pre-
tentious chroniclers OF the era had over
looked, and the committee in charge of the
rest ora on 'of this historic building found
valuable data in the yellowed pages OF the
maya zine. From this account s quoted
the comment regarding that famous relic,
priced to-day throughout the United States.
the Liberty Bell. In l77i. however. the
youthful writer had no premonition OF any
such title, and 40 speaks merely OF the bell.
as though this iron voice OF American
we're but a bell as other bells:
From the ith Story OF the Steeple Is a door & a
handsome Night OF stairs which lead UP to the
platform. Opposite these steps Is a leaden can.
opy, under this the bel ''' The other part OF
the Steeple being entirely OF wood Is in such
rulnous condition that they are afraid to ring
the BELL lest by 50 doing the Steeple should fall
down But this Inconvenience the honorable
house OF Assembly took into con sideration the
last session and appointed a Committee to treat
with some Ingenious person 10 build a new one.
This legislative precaution was presuma-
bly, a safeg uard o the ives and limbs Of the
exultant patriots OF July T. I77e.
A history OF the beginnings OF amateur
journalism is also worth quoting here for
the benefit OF contemporary schoolboys.
The Wharton magazine had by this time
nj he fattarv of imitatiOn'