Monthly publication of the HORATIO ALCTER SOCIETY, a magazine devoted to the study of Horatio Alger, Jr., his life, works, and influence on the culture of America. New$b 1832 - 1899 Jack BaIes, Editor 14OTA l{inchester St. ALGE,R SESQU I C EN T EN NI AL Fredericksburg, yA 22401 Founded 1961 by Forres, Campbell & Kenneth B. Butler Yolume )C( June-Ju 1982 Numbers 11 & 12 NorsrNG To WBen: \- $u Gptsolr of 6itU Sifr. (Fnou nAiPfim FEEKLT.) fllugtratr[ [p fl.loppin. NDW YORI(: RUDD & CARLiTTON, 310 BRoADWAY. }tDCCiIL'1'IL Original title page of the book which inspired MLLIAM ALLEN BUTLER Horatio Alger, Jr. to write NOTHING TO DO. From a Carte de visife, 1857. NE'I,{SBOY HORAT]O ALGER SOCIETY NE\I MEMBERS REPORTED To further the philosophy of Horatio PF-646 Martha Cutler Atger, Jr., and to encourage the spirit % McFarland and Co. \/ of Strive and Succeed that for half a Jefferson, N.C. 28640 century guided Alger's unclauntecl heroes--lads whose struggles epito- Martha learnetl of HAS through my re- mized. the Great American Dream and view of Jack Dizer's book that appeared flamed hero ldeals in countless mil- in a recent Newsboy. HAS member Jack lions of young Americans. Dizer is the author of Tom Swift & Companlr. OFFICERS PT-647 Herbert Sohn BRADF0RD S. CHASE PRESIDENT 4640 N. Marine Drive BRADLEY B. ALFXAItrDER VICE-PRESIDENT Chicago, Illinois 60640 CARL T. HARTMANN SECRETARY ALEX T. SHANER TREASIIRER Herbert, a physician, learned of the LEO (B0B) BENNETT DIRECTOR Society through the Skokie, lllinois RALPH D. GARDNER DIRECTOR Public Library. He is also interesteil DALE E. TH0MAS DIRECTOR in photography. JERRY B. FRIEDLAN} DIRECTOR MAX GOLDBERG DIRECTOR PF-648 Robert S. Vore 7O5 Mackenzie Drive Newsboy_, the official organ of the Lima, 0hio 45805 Horatio Alger Society, is published bimonthly (six issues per year) and is Robert ovns 85 Algers, and is a collec- distrltruted to HAS members. Membership tor of St. Nicholas Megsztne, Yolland fee for any twelve month period is books, arr-g"rrffiffi,;od Godu/S Ladies $i0.00. Cost for single issues of Books. He is particularly interested in Newsboy is $1.00 apiece. statistical data relating to A1ger's v . books--how many of each title were sold., Plese make all remittances payable to the number of books still available, the Horatio Alger Society. Membership etc. He heard of ILAS through an article appllcations, renewals, changes of ad- in the Ylarch 20, 1982 Tri-Stqtlq Trg4er, dress, claims for missing issues, and ancl is a retireil school teacher and. orders for single copies of curreni or newspaper editor. back numbers of Newsboy should be sent to the Society's Secretary, Carl T. PF-649 Joe Sche1l Hartmann , 4907 Allison Driv<j, Lansing, t997 Baker tjr'. Michigan 48910. Allentom, Penn. 18103 A subject inclex to the first ten PF-65O Patricia N. Goss years of Newsboy (;ufy 1962 - June 9928 Browns Mi11 Rd. \972) is available for $1.50 from Carl Vienna, Virglnia 22180 Hartmann at the above ad.clress. George Owens of HAS told Patricia Manuscripts relating to Horatio about the Society. Alger's life and works are solicited, but the editor reserves the right to PF-651 Roger i{illiams'Dudley reject submitted material. 6647 Kerns Road Falls Church, Virginia 22442 Newsboy recognlzes Bob Bennettrs Horatio Alge.r. Jr.: A Comprehensive PF-652 Marie Fetrow Bibllography, as the leading authority L777 W. Market St. on the works of A1ger. York, Pennsylvania L74O4 June-Ju1y NEI{SBOY Marie wrote to HAS member Dal-e Thomas of these finds, about Ralph a few weeks ago I found Gartlnerfs book and Date totd a first of Wait_ her about and" Win. Now as many \- HAS. She says that 'rmy 1ife of you ,ry EG, r'rEt a big ,rfirstfr almost read"s like an Alger story.t' Now collector but rather concentrate on retired, she formerly owned a large collecting bookstore in Algers of the Burt series. Center City for 45 years. Getting that Wait and Win She is interested in first edition vas really Algers, a biggie for me. f negotiated r,rith the plus stampsr cup plates and seIler for several children's books. Algers at the same *** time and we agreed on a lump sum tota1. The average cost vas $1.j1 each. Would CHANGES OF ADDRESS you believe that?? So here frve found four firsts (by Bennett) for just over PF-554 Robert A. Reynolds three do1lars. 1124 Country Club Drive Prescott Lri:zona g6301 , I hate to crow about these kind.s of things but it does PF-584 Hank Gravbe]]e show that bargains in Alger books are still to be had for 503 Avenue G., Apt. D the persistent. I suspect, Redondo Beach, however, that Calif. 9O2TT it vilI be a long, long tlme untit I find four firsts again PF-592 Troy Wagner for a tota] of $ 3. 1 1 ! Norr I 1426 West shouldn't give anyone Rosemont the impression that Atgers are dirt Chicago, fllinois 6O660 cheap here in the East or in Connec_ tlcut PF-596 Deidre because they certainly are not. Johnson f do concede that they are generally 2329 S. 9th st. 8401 lower here than one has to pay on the Minneapolis, Minn. 55406 x** West coast, for example, according to my brother and" fe11ow coflector, Ro1fe. ODDS ANI ENDS fn talking about this recently, he by Brad Chase and f agreecl that in the past couple of years the price of Alger books The days of getting an Alger has first for generally gone up.....but then so has a dollar are not over. Itve just proven the price that of everything e1se, too. When even in this day and age of Alger orp thinks about book collecting sophlstication, it, paying four or bargains five doflars for a book in reasonably are stil1 to be had for the doggedly per_ good shape that is a reprint and over sistent. In fa,ct, my prize was multiple: seventy years f found three Alger otd and a key part of firsts for a two one's collection, rea1ly is a do1lar totaM That was two for fifty bargain. cents I have trouble paying that much for each and one for a fuII George Algers and fortunately l{ashingtonJ!llJ f found these can sti11 find in a pile books I need at prices f feel comfor_ of books that appeared to have been table with. dumped on the floor in a little book_ store I stumbled upon in the middle of f do feel, novhere here in Connecticut. however, that as Alger I also becomes collected by more people found three Burts for my collection and his and books become more scarce, the general a Coates and tlro Winston Library edi_ price tions which for reprints (never mind firsts) f'1I hold until the booksale will slowly and at the next convention. consistently rise. But be on the lookout as you roam from shelf to shelf for as f've just proven, bar_ Yes, nice coples of Bernard Brooks' in Ag.veltu_res, pebt gains Algers are stil1 to be had. _A ol Eiili-, .@g [Editorrs note: Bradrs B.ackwoods Boy now research has _[hq sit 1,roraly on my turned out to be a vofume bookshelf. They are no great numbering shakes to hundreds of pages, for vhich he most of you as firsts f suppose, but they hopes will eventually become a book. We made my collecting year so far. On top hope so too, Brad]l 1 982 NEWSBOY v The vnzard of reading lifted the lid, re- The cmical will accept the crit- after a few tugs, ics' coiventional wisdom about vealing a massbf gold coins. Nincv Drew. the Bobbsey TYins " '\ryre found it! We found it!'I'ied and lhe Hardy BoYs. TheY. look cried out." down their noses at these books be There may be little dePth to that cause they are not real literature. kind of nros-e" but it holds a charm But the critics push asi4e one inA i riaeic. nonetheiess. Anyone overarchinE fact: Millions of young who has fratched a nine-yearold got hooked on the joYs of stay awake long past bedtirng, u- Americans put of NancY readins bv following the adventures abl-e to down a volume of Nailcy, her girlfriends George Drew dr the Hardy Boys, under- and bovfriend Ned as stands the special magic Harriet and Bess hei books, mystery of the^ Adams workdd. Througfi'her they unraveled the idea hatinted showboat or ihe s-ecret of she introduced children to the that reading is fun. And once en- the old clock. ticed into the world of the written v Harriet Stratemever Adams, who word, these children go on to more soent 52 vears at lhe head of the substantial works. b'ook factory founded by her father Mrs. Adams died Saturday eve- and who id known to children as nins of a heart attack while watch- Carolvn Keene. Laura l".ee HoPe TV- rerun-of- Wizard of be ing"a ilTh3. and o'ther Den names, will never Oz-." As the head of the Stratemeyer ranked with Mark TVain. Her books Svndicate that cranked out chil- nresent a romantieized, antiseptic, according to a remark- are dien's books bld-fashioned view of life-.They ably successful formula,- sh-q left a filied with passages iike this: leelcv that transcends the literary "Beneath the board was another mErit of her books. For American board, old and rotted, and below children, she made reading habit- this, a metal chest.