#scpittclasses

[pittrarebooks]

Last semester Jessica FitzPatrick’s class, Introduction to Critical Reading, visited Special Collections. The class took a closer look at serialized novels, fine press and private press books, and variances in editions published over time. Students had the opportunity to submit blog posts about their findings to Special Collections for extra credit:

The Matchlock Gun was first released over seventy years ago, in 1941, but is set in 1756, and has long been considered a classic of children’s literature. The illustrations remind me of old comic books with a sort of dotty colors and how one can see the basic ink colors overlapping to form more complex colors. The paper of the pages in The Matchlock Gun is pulpy, rather rough, and yellowed and reminds me of the Goosebumps books that I remember from my middle school library.

The Matchlock Gun is a book in the simplest sense of the word. When someone says book, I am sure many people imagine a cover with a title and the author, pages with the content of the book, maybe some illustrations inside, and all of this bound together by the spine of the book. The Matchlock Gun exemplifies this definition.

-Daniel Mihalko, University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

The Evolution of Cinderella

Last semester Jessica FitzPatrick’s class, Introduction to Critical Reading, visited Special Collections. The class took a closer look at serialized novels, fine press and private press books, and variances in editions published over time. Students had the opportunity to submit blog posts about their findings to Special Collections for extra credit:

These two versions of Cinderella provide hints as to the time in which the story was written or published.  The first edition, by George Cruikshank, is a very small edition that is falling apart, as seen in Fig. 1.  The second version is written by Charles Evans and that book is larger and in better condition, depicted in Fig 2.  There are three factors in each edition that are telling of the time the books were written: the way the book was published, the language, and the nickname given to Cinderella.

Figure 1. George Cruickshank’s book, example illustration, pencil used to show relative size

Figure 2. Charles Evans’ book, example illustration, pencil used for relative size

Cruikshank’s book did not have a binding, the paper was only folded in the middle.  In 1814, the printing press was used, but the machinery did not bind paper together, it simply printed words on the paper. The method used to put pictures on the paper was called “woodcutting.”  It was a technique where a piece of wood acts as a stamp for paper in woodcutting.  Knowing that the illustrations were not printed directly onto the page tells that it is an old copy, but the text coming from a printing press tells that it cannot be too old.

The illustrations in Evans’ book were done by Arthur Rackham, a renowned artist in the early 20th century.  The technique for publishing in this case involved Rackham drawing a picture with pencil or ink, taking a photograph of the image, and having the photograph mechanically reproduced. This method portrayed how Evans’ book is a newer copy because of the improvements to photography.  One can tell that this process was used because of the way the images are attached to the paper.  The photos being reproduced required thick paper; they could not be printed on the same paper that the text was printed on.  Instead, the images were printed on a thick paper and then pasted onto the pages with the text.  In addition, the binding is strong and the book is still in good condition.  The paper, illustrations, and condition of Evans’ book are indications of the book being published in more recent times.

Next I will discuss how the language in the books is a sign of the era it was written in.  Cruikshank’s book uses words such as “thee” “thou” and “nay.” Reading these words, it is obvious that the book was not written in recent times because they are not used in modern language.  These types of words were used in the Shakespearean era. The book was not published until 1814, but it could have been written years earlier when those words were still used. However, this type of language adds to the legacy of “Cinderella.”  By reading the story in old fashioned words, I gained a deeper understanding of how much of a classic the story truly is.  I knew that the story had been retold for hundreds of years, but reading this form emphasized just how long the story has been told.  Of course, language has evolved and these words have disappeared from modern language. Evans’ book shows that evolution because the language in his book is more contemporary.  It is the same language used today, so readers would know that it must have been written relatively recently.  The language used in both editions hints at a time period in which it was written. 

The last aspect of the story that relates to history is the nickname given to Cinderella.  Her stepsisters always gave her a nickname that was supposed to be offensive.  In Cruickshank’s edition, her stepsisters called Cinderella “Cinderbreech.”  The oxford dictionary online gives an “archaic” definition that means “buttocks.”  The name has lost its offensiveness because nobody today refers to a butt as a “breech.”  The definition being defined as “archaic” provides even more evidence to how the nickname implies that it is an old version of the story.  In Evans’ version, Cinderella was called “Cinder-slut.” At first, I was taken aback by the word choice considering it is a children’s book. However, then I hypothesized that Evans used slut to warn young girls of what not to do.  Being promiscuous in the early 1900s was frowned upon and not socially acceptable for women.  Then, women were more conservative than they are now and there were more expectations of a woman to be lady-like.  Evans adding phrase “Cinder-slut” represents the societal norms in the early twentieth century, and how being conservative and “pure” was valued.

-Abby Markey, Freshman, University of Pittsburgh

Works Cited

Cruikshank, George. The Interesting Story of Cinderella and Her Glass Slipper. N.p.: Banbury, 1814. Print.

David Miles Books, The Interesting Story of Cinderella and Her Glass Slipper 2017. Web. 24 March 2017.

Evans, Charles. Cinderella. Norwood, London: Complete, 1919. Print.

Oxford Living Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. 

"Style, Subjects, Technique, and Technology." Central Michigan University. Clarke Historical Library, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

"1814 - 2014: 200 Years Steam-driven Cylinder Printing Press." What They Think. N.p., 1 Dec. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

[pittrarebooks]

Thomas’ Malory’s King Arthur

Special Collections welcomed Will Rhodes’ ENGLIT1125 Masterpieces of Renaissance Literature on Wednesday, March 15th. Students had the opportunity to examine facsimiles of Renaissance literature and poetry; fine press and private press editions of literature and poetry; and historical texts dating back to the Renaissance. Students worked closely with these materials and completed an in-class assignment to create a short essay.  Professor Rhodes selected a handful of these essays for us to feature on the Special Collections Tumblr.  We hope that you enjoy!

This edition of Sir Thomas’ Malory’s King Arthur is a combination of work from both the 15th and 19th centuries. The book immediately caught my eye as part of the Fine Press/ Private Press Editions station; it had an evident luxurious quality, bound in ¾ Morocco leather with bright gold floral detailing. The binding of the book itself conveys a fairy-tale like quality, which fits its classic and well-loved contents.

The content of the book itself combines Malory’s original content with illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898), a major pioneer of the Art Nouveau movement. It is said that Beardsley was only twenty years old when he was commissioned by J.M Dent to collaborate on the text in 1892. Beardsley’s work was heavily influenced by Japanese woodcuts – apparent in his use of line, tone and intricate detail – and the result is a beautiful array of illustrations combining ornate block lettering and detailed depictions of flowers, foliage, damsels and knights. His style, which appears to combine gothic, medieval and modern influences, makes Beardsley the ideal illustrator for this text, which is a modern edition of the classic story of the adventures of King Arthur and his knights.

The fact that the text is written “in modern style” suggests it is actually supposed to be read and not simply owned as a decorative or collectable piece. However, the book certainly has a rare and collectable quality to it. Some illustrations take up whole pages (which are made of Dutch handmade paper) while others are dispersed through the body of text itself, and their richness adds to the decadent feel of the volume. The printing advancements of the 19th century certainly allow for this element of decadence that the printing technology of the 15th century would not have allowed. This means that this reworked edition enhances Malory’s original text in a way that he wouldn’t have been able to carry out himself. However, the stylised nature of Beardsley’s figures and the thick, jagged lines he uses may also be seen to add a sinister quality to the work that Malory may not have intended in his writing. However, I think the beauty and intricacy of this book certainly makes it a valuable reworking of his original tale.

-Amy Buckle, University of Pittsburgh undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

The Function of a Book: Readers and Collectors

Special Collections welcomed Will Rhodes’ ENGLIT1125 Masterpieces of Renaissance Literature on Wednesday, March 15th. Students had the opportunity to examine facsimiles of Renaissance literature and poetry; fine press and private press editions of literature and poetry; and historical texts dating back to the Renaissance. Students worked closely with these materials and completed an in-class assignment to create a short essay.  Professor Rhodes selected a handful of these essays for us to feature on the Special Collections Tumblr.  We hope that you enjoy!

What is the purpose of a book? Well, to be read of course! But is that always true? While the contents of a book may never change, even down to the style of font it is published in in various editions, the purpose of the book may change. Special Collections houses many facsimiles, or exact copies, and modern editions of older books. I will compare one facsimile and one Renaissance book in order to show how a book is transformed from an object with a practical function to an object meant to be collected.

Purchas His Pilgrimage, or Relations of the World, Samuel Purchas, 1614

This book is an encyclopedic work, which describes various religions, their practices, and briefly about the nation from which they originate. Samuel Purchas was a well-educated Anglican priest, who, despite the extent of his works, never left England. In fact, he collected this knowledge from the stories of sailors and the manuscripts of past travelers. One might wonder why 17th century Christians would be interested in the traditions of other cultures. This is clearly answered on the title page.

Under the author’s name is the phrase “Unus Deus, Una Veritas,” meaning “One God, One Truth.” Therefore, these descriptions of other cultures represent what is false in the world. In an era where Europe is exploring and missioning to these places it would make sense to try and understand the culture of the native people. Purchas calls this his “pilgrimage.” This book therefore has a religious function. It is not a literal journey but a metaphoric journey around the world. The knowledge gained on this journey could allow others to better conduct their mission work in these countries.

But the book also functions to justify the growing authority of Christianity in these places. In one description of religious practice in China, the author writes that when people “obtain not their requests [to the Gods], they will whip and beat these Gods.” It is clear that these people do not understand the reverence and proper worship that Europeans do. This likely pleased, the Archbishop of Canterbury George Abbot, to whom the dedicatory epistle is written.

Another indication of its intended use by the clergy is the numerous printed notes in the margin. These often give evidence for what has been written or more avenues for research. The notes may be in Latin, Greek, or English, which implies the reader must have had the education to understand these annotations. The clergy would have learned Greek to read some of the oldest versions of the Bible and Latin for most church documents up until the reformation.

Essayes- Religious Meditations- Places of Perswasion and Disswasion, Francis Bacon, Originally Published 1597, Haslewood Edition: 1924

This collection of writings from philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon covers a wide variety of topics from a “regiment of health” to “atheism.” I am most interested in the middle text of the three works included in this book. It is called the “Meditationes Sacrae” or “Sacred Meditations.” This work is completely in Latin despite the other texts of this book being in English. Bacon must have had a sense that for anyone to take you seriously when writing about religious matters you had to write in Latin. In these short meditations he discusses common religious concerns such as the nature of Christ’s miracles and controversies between Church and scripture. This was likely regarded as a useful and edifying book in its time.

While one could make some interesting points about how Bacon’s logical scientific method influenced his religious beliefs, the fact that a facsimile was published more than three hundred years after it was originally published raises equally interesting ideas. While the book says it is an exact copy, “page for page and line for line,” of the first edition octavo this is not quite true. The note in the front of the book reveals that the outdated “f” has been replaced with the modern “s.” The frontispiece, shown above, is also redrawn from a different work of Bacon’s. It is also interesting that the editor’s note points out that this version is not the most well known, because Bacon continued to add to and edit these essays for many years.

This book is neither the text that made it famous nor a totally accurate copy of the original so perhaps the purpose is not for it to be read but to be collected. Part of the challenge and fun of collecting is the rarity of the object. For instance, you could go to a comic book store and buy any new comic and there’s no challenge there. But if you want issue #134 of Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen to complete your collection of Jack Kirby comics it’s a lot harder. So the publisher has created this sort of challenge by limiting the number of copies printed. This book had a run of only 975 books. 

Artist and architect Frederick Etchells founded Haslewood Press, the publisher of this book. This explains why this book is an object of aesthetic value. It was printed on all cotton paper with a deckled edge that gives the appearance of the paper being handmade. The top edge is gilt. It is these small details that make the book more beautiful almost to the point that it does not matter which classic work of literature it is. The back of this book is an advertisement for other books from this publisher. To promote the collecting of this series it announces that their copies of the first book have been “exhausted” and that only “some copies remain” of the second. Also interesting, is a review of one book, which describes the contents as “charming” but the printing to be “excellent” on “good rag paper.” A list of the upcoming books with their unique features is also included. These details further convey that in the case of these reprints, it seems more important to have a beautiful library of famous books than to be particularly invested in the contents of the book.

-Mark Connor, University of Pittsburgh undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

Das Gantz New Testament

Special Collections welcomed Will Rhodes’ ENGLIT1125 Masterpieces of Renaissance Literature on Wednesday, March 15th. Students had the opportunity to examine facsimiles of Renaissance literature and poetry; fine press and private press editions of literature and poetry; and historical texts dating back to the Renaissance, They worked closely with these materials and completed an in-class assignment to create a short essay.  Professor Rhodes selected a handful of these essays for us to feature on the Special Collections Tumblr.  We hope that you enjoy!

During our visit to Special Collections, my attention was drawn to a text in the section of “Bibles, Science, Exploration, and Discovery.” Das Gantz New Testament is Martin Luther’s edition of the New Testament. The text is illustrated with woodcuts created by Autonius Von Worms (see Fig. 1). A woodcut is a printing plate created by engraving a block of wood. Woodcuts offer a way to easily reproduce and disseminate art; they served as a suitable complement to movable type. Illustrating scenes from the New Testament, the artworks serve as both a decorative addition and a didactic tool.

Fig. 1: Woodcut

The text of Das Gantz New Testament is highly stylized. In particular, the first letter of select sections were enlarged and emphasized (see Fig. 2). These select letters become miniature ‘artworks’ within the body of the text. In the margins of the texts, there are small illustrations of hands with pointed fingers. These hands are called manicules (see Fig. 3). Manicules draw attention to specific passages or words in the text. Within the margins of the text, Martin Luther added his annotations to the text (see Fig. 4). At least two pages in the book are handwritten (see Fig. 5). The handwriting strongly resembles the style of the typeface. Due to the language barrier, I was unable to determine why these pages were inserted within the text.

Fig. 2: Emphasis on starting letter

Fig. 3: Manicule

Fig. 4: Martin Luther’s annotations

Fig. 5: Handwritten page

This specific edition of Das Gantz New Testament shows signs of wear. The soft pages are heavily discolored. In particular, the gutter of the text is stained yellow. The binding is very delicate. It is difficult to discern if this damage is primarily due to use or age. Due to the size of the book, it is interesting to consider how one would have read it.

-Katherine Lipinski, University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

Professor Sreemoyee Dasgupta recently brought her Adolescent Literature class to Special Collections.  Students worked with 19th and 20th Century periodicals catering toward children and young adults; early 20th Century dime novels; comic books featuring teenage characters; texts on etiquette from the late 19th and early 20th Century; school stories; and versions of novels to demonstrate changes over time of cover art and presentation.  Some of the students submitted Tumblr posts as extra credit which we will feature throughout the week:

Peggy, by Laura E Richards, appears on the surface to be a novel similar to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The cover itself portrays a thoughtful girl appearing to ponder life in a garden. Most interesting to me is the drama of the chapter titles; "The Terror by Night," "By Moonlight," and "What was the Matter with Lobelia Perkins", which all seem as though they could be the titles of murder mysteries.

-Bradley Petyak, University of Pittsburgh undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

Collective History

Special Collections welcomed Will Rhodes’ ENGLIT1125 Masterpieces of Renaissance Literature on Wednesday, March 15th. Students had the opportunity to examine facsimiles of Renaissance literature and poetry; fine press and private press editions of literature and poetry; and historical texts dating back to the Renaissance. Students worked closely with these materials and completed an in-class assignment to create a short essay.  Professor Rhodes selected a handful of these essays for us to feature on the Special Collections Tumblr.  We hope that you enjoy!

One of the eight volumes of The Plays of William Shakespeare, 1765.

Facsimile reprint of the first edition of Bacon’s Essayes, 1924

Stowe’s Annales, or, A generall chronicle of England, 1635

Upon visiting the special collections, I am always struck by the sense of history that is so casually displayed before me. We learn that time is precious and we should enjoy these ephemeral moments. However, when flipping through the pages of books that are older than my grandmother’s grandmother I become a part of an instance that has crystallized into a gem that temporally transports me with its unique ‘bookish’ smell and texture. The preserved jewel-like moment refracts an era’s histories and philosophies. They burgeon into new ideas which can be traced back to these very books that were penned by author’s in similar phases of life and similar stages of unknowing.

History is present in the brittle spines, softened leaves, and faded ink of these books. We celebrate the oldness not necessarily the content of these books because we recognize the achievement that is surviving. By virtue of their age, we prescribe these books with the title of ‘special’. This designation implies a cultural importance and informs us readers as to a literary hierarchy. Religious works like the Bible, Francis Bacon’s philosophical essays and Shakespeare’s poetry and plays were all represented in the collection. Consequently, these works are all taught at the University of Pittsburgh in either long-form courses or part of a historical era class. Recognizing incredible works of prose generates a society that is more likely to preserve the work for years of study and personal enjoyment. Shakespeare seems to have been someone that every generation found interesting and important. His sonnets are consistently replicated and reprinted alongside every improvement of publishing. Are these works great because of their textual matter or because of their endurance? I believe it to be a bit of both; one aspect informs the other.

-Ashley Sims, University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

Special Collections welcomed Will Rhodes’ ENGLIT1125 Masterpieces of Renaissance Literature on Wednesday, March 15th.  Students had the opportunity to examine facsimiles of Renaissance literature and poetry; fine press and private press editions of literature and poetry; and historical texts dating back to the Renaissance. Students worked closely with these materials and completed an in-class assignment to create a short essay.  Professor Rhodes selected a handful of these essays for us to feature on the Special Collections Tumblr.  We hope that you enjoy!

As I carefully flipped through the pages of the Renaissance books at Special Collections, I was reminded of the fact that authorship, and its assembly in a work, is an art in and of itself. As our society progresses into an age where technology dominates and paper crumbles, it is rare for books to be published solely in print. Rather, out of mere convenience and affordability, consumers often resort to online editions of books, as they are “more portable” or “more convenient.” However, the books at Special Collections made me think and appreciate books in their written form because books exist outside of mere words on a page. That is, books are also a physical object, comprised of uniquely textured pages, beautifully drawn artwork, and intricate penmanship that goes relatively unmatched in today’s world.

Take, for example, Volpone by Ben Jonson, first acted in 1605. Only fifteen hundred copies were made for the members of The Limited Editions Club. Several individuals contributed to the compilation of this book outside of the written text. For example, the book cover was designed by Francis Meynell and printed by Charles Bate. William Nash made the paper itself especially for this edition of Volpone. The illustrations by Rene Ben Sussan were drawn with stencils and colored in France. The cover itself was made in a rusty colored bookcloth, and the pages felt similar to an oily canvas when examining it in the Special Collections. In addition to the physical appearance of the book, I gained even more of an appreciation for the works I looked at when understanding the history of publications during the Renaissance Era. According to Norton’s Anthology:

The career of professional writer in the sixteenth-century England was almost impossible: there was no such thing as author’s copyright, no royalties paid to an author according to the sales of the book, and virtually no notion that anyone could make a decent living through the creation of works of literature.”

Thus, it was virtually impossible to become a published author because this profession as we know it today did not exist. Whereas we attribute recognition to an author because of their written work, in the Renaissance Era, “the licensing system located not only primary responsibility for a printed work, but its ownership, with the printer rather than with the author.” That is, the printing of a work became more important than the work itself. This is because of the literary patronage system in which wealthy patrons gave financial or other monetary incentives in return for their own recognition. However, this system was not free of unethical practices. In fact, “a practice grew up of printing off several dedications to be inserted into particular copies of a book, so that an impecunious author could deceive each of several patrons into thinking that he or she was the uniquely fortunate person to be honored by the volume.”  Thus, it was an art in the Renaissance Era to be recognized for the written work itself and not solely the title of patron funding the publication.

 Furthermore, the illustrations and binding of the books examined also lend to their recognition as a piece of art. This is evident in the second volume of The Ecclesiastical History of Martyrs, published in 1641. As seen in the inside cover page, the artwork displays elaborate scenes and intricate figures relating to the body of the text, while the worn outside cover of the book and torn binding also add to the art form of the book.  The artwork enriches the history and authenticity of works created during the Renaissance Era and lends credibility to the idea that authorship, and its assembly in a work, is an art in and of itself.

When taking the time to study several of the books contained within Special Collections, I have come to appreciate everything that makes a work uniquely its own including the pages, texture, material, artwork, and penmanship. As the world comes to value convenience over quality and functionality over authenticity, I am reminded that there is beauty in the worn covers and discolored binding seams that teach us about history and enrich our lives.

-Juli Buchwald, University of Pittsburgh undergraduate

[pittrarebooks]

Visiting the Neighborhood of Make-Believe

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

If you grew up anywhere between the 1970s and 1990s, odds are you probably have seen Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Filmed in and featuring Pittsburgh often, the show and its host Fred Rogers have a special place in the collective hearts of Pittsburghers. Saved in the University of Pittsburgh’s Special Collections, the interactive book­­­ The Neighborhood of Make-Believe Playtime Puppet Theater (1974) features the kind of imagination that the show encouraged in its child viewers. 

The book features paper puppets of many of the recognizable characters from the TV series, ­­­like King Friday XIII and Henrietta Pussycat, which children are able to punch out and play with. The book also gives much larger paper replicas of the familiar sets from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe so the characters are able to play in their familiar habitat. The inside of the book gives instructions on how cut and press out the characters, and how to prop open the sets for kids to play in their “own ‘Neighborhood of Make-Believe.’” With it’s bright blue castle of King Friday’s, or Daniel Tiger’s clock, the Playtime Puppet Theater book brings the magic of Mister Rogers’ show into the homes of the children who would have bought this, and encouraged them to play and act out imaginative scenarios with these familiar characters. Mister Rogers was able to bring the Neighborhood of Pittsburgh into the homes of children across the nation, and then through this interact book, was able to bring the sort of imagination and play that occurs in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

-Emily Frey, Senior, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

The Little Piano Girl

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

The Little Piano Girl: the Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend by Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald, recounts the childhood of a gender defying musical prodigy.  Duke Ellington said of Mary, “Mary’s music retains a standard of quality that is timeless. She is like soul on soul.”

The story opens with the family moving from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, in hopes of bettering their lives through the war time steel boom.  Young Mary had demonstrated an early genius for the organ, at the age of three she could repeat songs she had heard only once.  In Pittsburgh, however, she had no access to an organ or a piano (until a happy accident sometime later).  She was also socially isolated, certainly for racial reasons—Mary was African American—but Ingalls and Macdonald indicate that there was distrust and or dislike of newcomers.  Children also teased her for her poverty.

Once Mary had access to a piano, first through a kindly neighbor and eventually of her own.  She made money playing, repeating any song she had heard, and eventually translating the sounds of her world and the rhythms of her neighborhood into her own tunes.

Her playing was expressive and emotive, and her passion never diminished. She toured the world for over 60 years, collaborating with other jazz legends and expanding the traditional role of women in jazz music, from only players to vocalists and composers as well.

-Alexa Tignall, Sophomore, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

History Brought Alive at Special Collections

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

While much of documented history is taken from a white, Eurocentric perspective, Special Collections offers a peek into works and stories told and collected to celebrate diversity. One such work was The Little Piano Girl by Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald. This beautifully illustrated children’s book tells the story of Mary Lou Williams, a talented jazz artist and leader in the Harlem Renaissance. While the book could have simply highlighted her successes, the authors actually delved into some of the racial conflict and social class issues that faced African American children in Pittsburgh at the turn of the century.

Not only does the story contain illustrations of an industrial Pittsburgh complete with smoke stacks, but also of a white child bullying Mary Lou on her first day of school. Mary Lou Walker’s family was not welcome when they came to the city, and there were both socioeconomic and racial barriers that impacted Mary Lou’s childhood. In the 1920s, Pittsburgh was not a city made for children. The streets were dirty, the factories were dangerous, and racial discrimination was an incredibly salient issue that still persists in the city today. The imagery in this book illustrates a Pittsburgh that was not altogether welcoming for a child of any race, but particularly unwelcoming for African American children.

However, the story also does an excellent job of sharing Mary Lou Walker’s talent and success in spite of her surroundings. She excelled at playing the piano, and her talent became widely appreciated by people of all races and socioeconomic statuses. The last image in the book shows Mary Lou Walker playing the piano as a grown woman in a pair of brand new shoes as a symbol of her accomplishments. This particular book was published in 2010, but it offers today’s children a chance to experience the history of Pittsburgh and of an African American child’s struggle to overcome immense adversity and become an influential and inspirational musician.

-Morgan Buck, Junior, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

A Look into Pittsburgh’s Storytelling Past

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection. Students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials which we will feature throughout the week.

Most people associate children’s literature with brightly illustrated picture books, and rightfully so, as illustrations make it far easier for children to engage with the text.  However, there is another way that children consume literature outside of reading, storytelling.  The city of Pittsburgh has a rich history of child storytelling, being one of several places that lay claim to being the birthplace of modern child storytelling. It is with an eye to this special history that a rather non-descript, plain black and white booklet, a mere 20 odd pages, stands out amongst its more ornate brethren.  This booklet, Stories from the Norse: Historical Tales, Myths, and Sagas: Outlines for Story-Telling to Children over Nine years of Age was published by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Press itself in 1914, over 100 years ago.  It is a wonderfully preserved piece of Pittsburgh history, a testament to the aforementioned roots in children’s storytelling.  Adding to its importance, a stamp on its cover indicates that it was a part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Training School for Children’s Librarians, the first such school of its type.

Stories from the Norse does not actually contain any whole stories.  Instead it is meant to serve as a guide, providing storytellers with a rather specific outline on how to deliver Norse stories to children over the course of 21 weekly story hours.  The introduction lays out the virtues of these stories, “The underlying ethical principle are strong and direct…No boy or girl old enough to appreciate them, can fail to be held by these vigorous and dramatic stories” (5). The stories are divided into 4 groups over the course of 21 days, with one story for each day, briefly outlined, and then sources are given both for the storyteller to learn the story, and suggested sources to give the children should their interest be piqued.  It is interesting that the stories are not given here, as well as the fact that multiple sources are given for all the stories, suggesting that this was designed to stimulate the creative efforts of the storyteller by forcing them to go find the story themselves.  Of course, this creativity is simultaneously stifled by the booklet, as there are quite a few asides in the story summaries dictating how the stories be told, “Discovery of Wineland the Good (not to be told in detail)” (8).  The struggle between creativity and regimen that this booklet suggests provides tremendous insight into the history/development of storytelling, and more broadly the manner in which adults allow children to interact with literature.

-Sean Talbot, Senior, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

Precursor to the Neighborhood

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh where students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

There are few figures in my own childhood and that of countless others that have as strong an influence as Fred Rogers. He was incomparable. His legacy is undoubtedly going to survive years into the future, so it is only fitting to inspect some of the earliest work of his on The Children’s Corner with the less remembered but equally devoted Josie Carey. 

Together the two wrote Our Small World, a collection of writings from Carey and Rogers themselves, but also brief diary entries from characters in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Between Daniel Striped Tiger’s tale of his seventeen friends getting together to write a book together in the seventeen rooms of his clock, to King Friday XIIIs experiences in “The Kingly School,” this book delightfully adds perspective to beloved characters. The text also includes a play (titled “It’s a Small World”) with imaginative characters that are household objects rather than puppets. This was done so that children could play along without needing to go buy specific toys, but have fun acting out the story with “Lydia lamp” and “Gramma phone.” This is a lovely book from two truly legendary innovators of children’s entertainment.

-Jay Zimmerman, Sophomore, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: The New Baby

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

This book, originally published in 1996 as a part of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’s “First Experiences” series, outlines thoughts, feelings, and potential events that may occur as a result of a new baby in a child’s household. It emphasizes the child’s point of view, addressing the new older sibling as an individual, “a person.” This is important for establishing a child’s independent agency, especially with the arrival of a new sibling. The New Baby features photos of African-American families as well as white families. In a popular media world dominated by Eurocentric representation and standards, a book about typical family life that includes and uplifts African-American children is vital.

The book also includes a foreword addressed to parents, explaining the purpose of the book and an overview of some feelings and behaviors that their older children may exhibit after the arrival of a sibling. By including this foreword, Fred Rogers creates a bridge between children and their parents, and establishes this book (and the rest of the books in the series) as a versatile resource for entire families experiencing the life-changing event of a new baby in the house.

-Margaret Baltes, Sophomore, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

Charlotte’s Web

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

Everyone’s heard of Charlotte’s Web—that classic children’s tale about a little girl and her pig named Wilbur and a very clever spider. It has become so entrenched in our culture, adapted into movies and plays, that most of us take it for granted. Maybe that’s why my eye stopped on the Special Collections copy of Charlotte’s Web—it was something familiar, seen in a new way. Instead of a tattered elementary school classroom copy of E.B. White’s novel, I held in my hands a 1952 edition, and I could see the novel through the eyes of a little girl in the Carnegie Library, picking up this new story of love and friendship for the first time. 

Of course, no copy of Charlotte’s Web could be complete without the 47 drawings by Garth Williams, with “all the wonderful detail and warm-hearted appeal that children love.” With a book so rich with beautiful illustrations it’s easy to see why even the youngest of children were drawn to this book. At a time when literature for families and children was becoming a mainstay in Pittsburgh culture, this archived book gleans light on why Charlotte’s Web was such a popular read, and why it continues to be part of the culture today.

-Emily Weiss, Junior, University of Pittsburgh

[pittrarebooks]

Life Long Life Lessons from Pittsburgh’s Potato Man

Special Collections recently welcomed Courtney Weikle-Mills’ ENGLIT 1635: Children in Pittsburgh. Students had an opportunity to learn about collections that focus on contemporary Pittsburgh cultural organizations and Pittsburgh-based authors.  Curators and Librarians highlighted the Fred E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, the Nietz Old Textbook Collection, and the Elizabeth Nesbitt Children’s Literature Collection and students were asked to submit a Tumblr post about the materials.

Often times in children’s books, stories and fables, the characters and the meaning of the book are meant to teach young readers a lesson. It may be a lesson about sharing, being kind to classmates or helping out one’s parents at home. Though many of these stories teach children a lesson, very few are able to transcend this and teach readers of any age the same lesson. One book that accomplishes this is The Potato Man, written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Ted Lewin. 

The Potato Man starts in the present day, with a grandfather telling his grandchildren about a man, dubbed the Potato Man. Grampa’s story takes readers back to Pittsburgh’s East Street after World War I. In the story, Grampa is just a young boy, getting into trouble with his friend Otto. The Potato Man came down East Street with his horse and his cart, selling various vegetables. The Potato Man, whose real name is Mr. Angelo, lost his eye in World War I, and some of the children found his appearance to be frightening. Grampa, as a young boy associated any bad luck he encountered with the appearance of the Potato Man. 

After taunting the Potato Man and taking potatoes that had fallen off of his cart, Grampa’s dog finds a pomegranate that fell off of the Potato Man’s cart. Grampa, trying to make up for his bad behavior tries to return it. Instead of being angry or scolding him, the Potato Man gives it to him, as a Christmas gift. Though the Potato Man had been taunted and teased by these young kids, had his produce stolen and more, he was able to look past this and still be kind to the children. Through the Potato Man, we are all reminded to be kind to others and not judge anyone else by how they look. These lessons are incredibly important and sometimes even adults needed to be reminded of them 

-Marina Vanini, Senior, University of Pittsburgh