Books and bookmaking

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Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: Books and bookmaking
Year: 1940
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Fulltext: THE YOUNG CITIZEN NotJemhtr, 1940 HISTORY SECTION B,9-9XS AND BOOKMAKING Y stylus. How the First Books Were Made THE PRINTED and bound volume which we know today as a "book" is the result ·of centuries of development. The earliest records of man were chiseled on stone, wood, or other durable materials. The Babylonians of ancient times impressed characters on soft clay tablets, or bricks, and then baked them hard. The laws of Solon, the ancient Greek . lawgiver, were carved on wooden tablets and set up in the ancient Greek city of Athens. The twelve tables of the ancient Roman law were similarly engraved on stone. Thin plates of ivory, bronze, or lead were also used for records of public value. The plates were often hinged in a form resembling a modern book. For brief notes both Greeks and Romans used small wooden tablets covered with wax on which they wrote with a pointed When the early Egypti.ans learned how to make, a crude paper from the stem of the papyrus reed, they found a writing material of far greater. convenience than any known before, and its use spread gradually through the Mediterr.anean world. It was cheap, and its smooth, glossy surface made possible beautiful effects in lettering and ornament~tion. The common form of a book, when papyrus was used, was a roll of volumen, from which the English word volume comes. The papyrus was written on one side only, and was wound around a short · sticR much in the manner of the maps we use today. Sometimes the strip of paper was many feet long. Many of these papyrus rolls have been found in the coffins of mummies in the tombs of Egypt. The dry air of that country, together with the cedar oil in "which the papyrus was boiled, preserved them so well that the writing is still clear and distinct. In reading such a roll, the reader held it in his right hand, and unwound ii, as he read, with his left, at the same time rolling up the part which had b~en read. The common practice in ancient bookOne of the First Books THE YOUNG CITIZEN The ~·irst En.y/ish Printer anJ His. Shol making establishments was to dictate the work in preparation to a great number of s!aves-called tile librarii-and each slave made one copy. This· kept the cost of making books low, and many book shops and public libraries existed in Rome in ancient times. 'i'he inconvenience of these long rolls and the fact that papyrus was easily destroyed led to the ·sut>stitutio~ of vellum and parchment for the leaves of books. Both. parchment and vellum were rrade 'rom sheepskin. This was cut i'n ··ec·can!(Ular sheets and bound together at one side with long leather strips or thongs. This brings us, about the 4th century af. ter Christ, to the form of our modern book. For a thousand years long.er there were no books except those laboriously written by hand. All through the 1\1 iddle Ages . books were made. only by the monks in the monasteries, writing in what was called· the "scriptorium." In the illustratio:i on page 42+ a monk is shown writing one of these books. We owe.the possession of nearly all the Greek and Latin classics we have to the patient labors of such monks as you see in the illustration. The lettering of these hand-made . books was often very beaut\ful., a!'d the beginning of each part and sometii\Jes the first words of each page was written· in bright ink of v.ariolis color.s. Sometimes the large initial letters cont~ined pictures in the most brilliant colors. Such manuscripts were said to be "illuminated," and the colors in some. of these old books are as vivid today as they were when they were written . When the volume was finished, it was enclOsed betweeq massive covers of wood, over which leather was soml·[intt::. stretched. The covers of important h<•<>k< were often studded and banded with .!:""' arid silver, and sometimes·with prccioua stones. They were fastened with ii>i:;c clasps. Most of the books of thoi tirne (Pltast tur'n tO papt ~J6.) THE YOUNG CITIZEN November, 1940 NORBERTO TOOK CARE BOOKMAKING SAN CARLOS NEWS (Continued from page 417) (Conti~ued from page 425) (Continued form page 412) that evening, he stood under were copies of Greek and We shall have a program them and looked up at their Latin classics, as well as on Thanksgiving Day. bright colors. They had Bibles and other church We will all be thankful. never looked more beauti- books written in Latin. On We all want to ~e good ful. He took them down, page 424 is shown a picture citizens. and put them carefully into of one of these old "illumin- We are going to do our the box. ated" books. very best each day. When Norberto's father In ·the I Ith century, pa- We are always glad to came home the next day, he per made from linen rags have visitors.· brought two new· flags, an began to find its way into Welcome, .everyone! American flag and a Fili- Europe from the Orient. After the pupils had read pino flag.· He gave them to The use of such paper in~ the first "issue" of The San Norberto. er.eased rapidly after the Carlos News, Miss Merca"You may present these invention of printing, for it der said, "I think that is a to your school, my son,'' said was cheap and could be splendid beginning, . boys his father. · used easily on the printing and girls. .We shall have Norberto was very proud presses. . . our 'newspaper' each Tuesof the new flags, and he and Before the invention of day and · Friday mornthe other. boy scouts took printing from movable ing." good care of them.' types, small religious books That is the way Thi San "By taking good care of were sometimes printed Carlos News was started in the school flags and hoisting from solid blocks of wood. the S an C a r Io s Barrio and lowering them proper- These blocks of wood were· School. ly,'' said Norberto to the the size of t~e page, and Every boy and girl in other scouts, "we are ren- consisted mostly of pictures, that room thinks it is a very dering a service to oilr with perhaps a small good "newspaper." country. My father said amount of lettering en- Perhaps· you can have a so." graved at the bottom. "newspaper" in yout room. I think what Norberto's The method of printing if you will ask your teac.her; father said is true. Don't from movable types is----------you? called typo9raph. The first signed beautiful types and book printed from movable printed exquisite books, WHAT WOULD YOU DO type is supposed to have with elaborate coverings of I. If you were to raise the flags at sunrise? 2. If you were to lower the flags at sunset? 3. If you saw the flags had been forgotten on . the flag-poles at night? 4. If you saw the flags up during a rain? been a Bible which ap- vellum, silk, velvet, or other peared about 1453. beautiful materials, such as Early in the 16th century ivory and precious stones. the books became smaller The most famous artists in size, thinner paper was of the day made the illus-· used· for the pages, and the trations, using not only wooden boards of the cover woodcuts, but copper enwere replaced by paste- gravings, The titles of those board. Artist-printers de- (Please turn to page 439.) November~ 1940 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 439 FIRST THANKSGIVING (The Indians and the BOOKMAKING (Continued from page 434) Pilgrims sit on long benches (Continued from page 436) thanks. We will have a at the table. As soon as all books were usually very Thanksgiving feast and ask are seated, Indian Chief long, often covering an enour Indian friends to be rises.) tire page. with us. INDIAN CHIEF: Chief Gradually there came to PILGRIM MOTHER: Yes, White Man, white friends be a wide variety of sizes let all give thanks· to God and brother's, ·we Indians of books. The smallest of for His blessings. very glad to eat with you these were no larger than a GoVERNOR: With all my like friends and brothers in postage stamp, and the heart. Now we will return great thanksgiving feast. fargest were certain church to our cabins and prepar.e a We want friendship always. books in Spain which were great Thanksgiving dinner GOVERNOR: So say we six feet high and four feet to be enj9yed two days all. (The Governor rises). wide. hence. (Pilgrims leave, car- Indian Chief, Indian broth- At about the beginning rying corn and pumpkins.) ers, and members of our of the 19th century, printCURTAIN own colony, we have set ers began to make much SCENE IV this day aside as a day in better books. Better paper which to give thanks to God was used, and the old hand P!Tac.e: TheTPilgrdim villlage. for the bouniiful . harvest printing press gave place ime: wo ays ater · d than Scene Ill. He has given us. We are to the large cyhn er pr~ss. (Under a large tree near now about to partake of a As the art of bookmaking a log cabin a big table is Tha~ksgiving din_ner. Kind has advanced, so has t~e. spread. On it may be seen Providence has given us of demand for boo~s, until roast turkeys and all things I the bounty of Heaven, and no"'.' the produc!1on and needed for a very bountiful to a gracious. Heavenly relhng of, books .'s one. of feast. As the curtain opens, Father we offer thanks. ~e the worlds great mdustnes. the Pilgrim men are stand- are grateful to o~r l~dian To continue Thy guiding about talking with each br?thers for their friend- ance and care. other, a group of Pilgrim ship and help. !"et us now We thank Thee for friendchildren are playing, and bow our h~a~s m a prayer ship and kindness, the Pilgrim women are ar- of !hanksgivmg. (All bow For the beautiful land ranging things on the tabie. their heads.) . . . that we see; · The group of Indians and (A small Pilgrim G_irl God grant we may have· their Chief enter.) steps forw~rd and recites peace and plenty GOVERNOR: Welcome, the following poem as a In the land of the brave friends, welcome to our prayer 0 1 thanks.) and the free. Amen. festive board. This is a PILGRIM GIRL: ALL PILGRIMS: Amen and feast of thanksgiving. Sit Dear Father in Heaven, we amen! at our table, one and all, thank Thee · (As the curtain closes Indian brothers and our For a bountiful harvest SLOWLY, the Pilgrims and own people, and let us par- this year; the Indians begin to partake of the food which God Our Father in Heaven, we take of the Thanksgiving has given us in abundance. ask Thee dinner.) CURTAIN