Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-02-17
500 Years Of Printing

Printing is one of those arts ana
convenisnces now so commonplace
and vet so important factor III the
progress of the human race that II
is taken rs d matter Of course, with
little thought ever given to It's
origin or its influence on clVlllza-
ton. Mankind would have come
but short distance from the dark
ages but for this invention, and be-
cause of the benefits that have
accrued from it. the five hundredth
anniversary of printing is being OBJ
served this year.
! A series of exhibits IS being
shown at the present time at Duke
| University, depicting the early
stages and subsequent development
of printing and the crude start to-
ward the marvellous stage OF the
, art in our time. The Duke exhibit
is among the most complete and
elaborate available anywhere in
this part OF the country. and Is in
itself an education on the subject.
It is we'll worth inspection by those
who are interested in so vital
force in the forward march of the
race.
There are books in the collection
row on display which were pub
liShed before the year 1900. Next
month the exhibit will comprise a
survey OF early American printing
hanging from HispanicA american
publications to Confederate i'm
prints. During April the third and
last display. entitled A Gallery OF
Great Printers" will be exhibited.
This will illustrate. as far as the
resources of the library allow, the
accomplishments of the most famous
artists in typography. past and pres
int.
The present exhibit contains sew
eral medieval manuscripts the sole
models available to the first print
erS. in cases below these manu-
scripts, to illustrate how closely the
printers did follow their models, is
shown a volume of the "Specullm
Historiale" of Vincent of Beauvais,
printed by Adolph Rusch of Strass-
burg, PROBABLY during the years
1472-l473. Rusch is said to have
>een the first printer to design d
Roman type-face, distinct i'm
lrovenent over the heavy Gothic
.ctter employed by Gutenberg and
lis associates.
Johannes Gutenberg, who was
born at Mainz, German, about the
year 400, is generally credited with
having invented the printing press.
although his name does not appear
IN any production of his press, nor
did his friends and patrons mention
him in connection with the inven-
ion Of the printing press. However,
the records show that he was living
in StraSsburg in 1884 and two years
later he entered into contract with
Andreas Dryzchn and Others bind
ing himself to teach them all his
,ecrets and wonderful arts, and to
employ them for their common adj
vantage. The death Of Dryzehn in
1884 broke up this partnership, but
short time later Gutenberg re-
turned to Mainz and formed d CO.
partnership with Johann Fust, d
rich goldsmith, who supplied the
money to establish press with
which the Latin Bible was first
printed.
Thus the invention of printing
was only few years prior to the
discovery of America, and yet ii
is difficult to conceive how the
world got along throughout the long
span Of centuries preceding the
Gutenberg invention. Without the
art Of printing modern civilization
could not have progressed with such
incredible speed.
Where would the world be today
without the printed Bible? What
would be the status of our know
ledge of things and education III
general without printed books? Our
modern civilization would be an
impossiblity without our news
papers. magazines and other periodi-
Gals. Only d very few people would
know anything of history or Of the
times IN which they live but for
printing. There would be few Of