Chapter II: Part 2

“Mr. Clark retired from business at the close of 1888, and Mr. Maynard, with Mr. Everett Yeaw of Lawrence, Mass., continued the business under the firm name of Effingham Maynard & Company. In 1893, the firm consolidated with that of Charles E. Merrill & Company, consisting of Charles E. Merrill and Edwin C. Merrill, the resulting organization being incorporated under the name of Maynard, Merrill & Company. Its officers were Effingham Maynard, Charles E. Merrill, Everett Yeaw, and Edwin C. Merrill. Mr. Maynard died in 1899. Mr. Charles E. Merrill bought the Maynard interest from the two sons of Mr. Maynard, and the name of the corporation was changed to Charles E. Merrill Company. In 1910 Mr. Yeaw, now the head of Newson & Company, retired from the organization, which was joined a few years later by Mr. Edwin W. Fielder. The present officers are Charles E. Merrill, President, Charles E. Merrill, Jr., Vice President, Halsey M. Collins, Secretary, and Edwin W. Fielder, Treasurer. These officers, with Harold S. Brown, are the directors.”

IVISON, BLAKEMAN, TAYLOR & COMPANY.--Mr. Henry Ivison, a bookseller at Auburn, N. Y., came to New York City in 1846 and was admitted to the firm of Mark H. Newman & Company. In 1852, a new partnership for three years was founded under the firm name of Newman & Ivison, but the senior partner died before the end of the first year, leaving the business entirely in Mr. Ivison’s hands. Mr. Ivison later bought out the entire interest of the concern and took in as a partner H. F. Phinney of Cooperstown, N. Y., an experienced bookseller and son-in-law of J. Fenimore Cooper. In 1866, Mr. Phinney’s health failed and Messrs. Birdseye Blakeman, Augustus C. Taylor, and Mr. Ivison’s eldest son, David B., were admitted to the firm, which was continued under the name of Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman & Co. Subsequently, on the withdrawal of Mr. Phinney, the firm name was changed to Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co. Mr. Ivison retired from the firm in 1881. In 1890, the business of this concern was purchased by the American Book Company.

In Ivison & Company’s Almanac for the year 1847 are found advertisements of Porter’s _Rhetorical Reader_, Newman’s _Rhetoric_ and _Elements of Political Economy_, Day and Thomson’s Series of _Practical Arithmetic_, Sanders’ School Readers, Wilson’s Histories of the United States, Bradbury & Sanders’ _Young Choir_ or _School Singing Book_, Gray’s _Elements of Chemistry_, and Hitchcock’s _Elementary Geology_.

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS.--The business was founded in 1846 by Isaac D. Baker and Charles Scribner, under the firm name of Baker & Scribner. Later the organization became a partnership under the different names of Charles Scribner & Company, and Scribner & Armstrong. Mr. Charles Scribner died in 1871, and was succeeded by his eldest son, John Blair Scribner. Mr. Armstrong retired in 1878 and the business was then reorganized as a partnership under the firm name of Charles Scribner’s Sons, with John Blair Scribner as the head, the other partners being Charles Scribner and Arthur H. Scribner, sons of the founder. When John Blair Scribner died in 1879, Charles Scribner became the head of the business. In 1904, the corporation of Charles Scribner’s Sons was formed with Charles Scribner, President, and Arthur H. Scribner, Vice President, and that organization remains the same in 1921.

Among the earliest educational publications of the house are a treatise in physical geography entitled _The Earth and Man_, by A. Guyot, translated by C. C. Felton and published in 1849; Felter’s Arithmetics, 1864; Guyot’s Wall Maps, 1865; Perry’s _Elements of Political Economy_, 1865; Guyot’s Geographies, 1866; Porter’s _Human Intellect_, 1868; Cooley’s _Chemistry_, 1869; Cooley’s _Natural Philosophy_, 1871; Cooley’s _Physics Experiments_, 1871; Hopkins’ _Outline Study of Man_, 1873.

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.--This firm originally was Lippincott, Grambo & Company, founded in 1850, and later became J. B. Lippincott Company. The present Lippincott who is the head of the concern is the son of the original founder, J. B. Lippincott.

Some of the old-time schoolbooks published by J. B. Lippincott Company were Comly’s _Speller_, Sanford’s _Arithmetic_, Cutter’s _Anatomy_, Wilson’s _Readers_, and Webster’s _Speller_. In 1876, the firm purchased from Brewer & Tileston of Boston the entire rights in Worcester’s Dictionary. The House has published in this country Gibbon’s _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_, Hume’s and Macaulay’s Histories of England. It also projected _Lippincott’s Magazine_ in 1867, issuing the first number in January, 1868. Its first editor was Lloyd Smith, the librarian of the Philadelphia library.

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD COMPANY.--In 1850, Daniel Lothrop and his brothers, John and Henry, formed a partnership known as D. Lothrop & Company for the publishing of books in Dover, N. H. Their early publications were mostly juvenile, and largely for use in Sunday School libraries. A little more than ten years later, the business was removed to Boston, and later incorporated as D. Lothrop Company. After the death of Daniel Lothrop, the business was reorganized in 1891 as the Lothrop Publishing Company, and so continued until 1904, when all its assets were purchased by Lee & Shepard.

The Lothrop house published a great many books of educational value, like Gilman’s _Historical Readers_, in three volumes, and Miss Cyr’s _Interstate Primer and First Reader_. Their most important educational book was _Finger Plays_, by Emilie Poulsson, of which 110,000 copies have been sold.

The firm of Lee & Shepard was founded in Boston in 1861 by William Lee, who had previously been a partner of Phillips Sampson & Company, a Boston publishing house which went out of existence in the 50’s, and Charles A. B. Shepard. Mr. Shepard died in 1889, and Mr. Lee continued as sole partner until June, 1898, when he transferred his entire business to E. Fleming & Company, book binders, who continued the business by placing it in charge of Warren F. Gregory.

Lee & Shepard were general publishers and, like D. Lothrop & Company, had strong lines of juveniles which were much used in school libraries. Of their distinctively educational books, the most successful were King’s _Picturesque Geographical Readers_, in six volumes.

In 1904, the owners of Lee & Shepard purchased the entire assets of the Lothrop Publishing Company, and incorporated the combined houses under the style Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company. Mr. Gregory, the Manager of Lee & Shepard, was elected General Manager and has held that position since. Among its most important works used educationally, in addition to those mentioned above, are the _True Story Series_, the _U. S. Service Series_, the translation of Froebel’s _Mother Play, with Music_, and books for younger readers.

SHELDON & COMPANY.--Mr. Smith Sheldon of Albany, N. Y., organized a firm which began business in New York City in 1853 at 115 Nassau Street. He was soon joined by Mr. Birdseye Blakeman, who afterward became a member of the firm of Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Company. In 1857 Isaac E. Sheldon, eldest son of Smith Sheldon, became a partner, and subsequently Isaac Shailor entered the firm. Mr. Shailor was killed a few years later in his barn by a stroke of lightning. This must have been in the early 70’s, and about that time Mr. Sheldon’s younger sons, Alexander E. Sheldon and William D. Sheldon, were made members of the firm.

Some time in the 60’s Mason and Hamlin, the organ people, sold to the Sheldons their schoolbooks, such as the Stoddard Mathematics, Haven’s and Wayland’s Philosophies, and other standard books. Sheldon & Company had branched out into almost all classes of publication, including novels, autobiographies, religious books, hymn books, schoolbooks, etc., and in addition published what was known as the _Galaxy Magazine_. In 1877, the house decided to make a specialty of schoolbooks, and gave up its other lines of publication. Among the school and college textbooks which they brought out were Olney’s Mathematics, Avery’s Science Series, Hill’s Rhetorics, Logic and Psychology, Shaw’s Literature, Sheldon’s Word Studies, Sheldon’s Modern School Readers, and Patterson’s Grammars.

In 1891, the firm was incorporated under the name of Sheldon & Company, with Isaac E. Sheldon as President and Joseph K. Butler as Secretary and Treasurer. The following year they purchased the business of Taintor Brothers. Later the house of E. H. Butler & Company was merged with Sheldon & Company, there being included in E. H. Butler & Company the firm of Cowperthwait & Company of Philadelphia, and a Pittsburgh firm, the name of which I think was H. I. Gurley & Company. Isaac E. Sheldon died about the first of July, 1898, and E. H. Butler was made President, the firm becoming Butler, Sheldon & Company. On January 1, 1903, the business of Butler, Sheldon & Company was purchased by the American Book Company and its books added to the list of that concern.

RAND McNALLY & COMPANY.--In 1859 Mr. William H. Rand was operating a job printing business at 148 Lake Street, Chicago. About that time his plant was consolidated with the job department of the Chicago _Tribune_. In 1862, Mr. Andrew McNally, who had been in partnership with Mr. John Collins in the printing and stationery business on North Clark Street, sold his interest and purchased a partnership in the _Tribune_ job office. He became superintendent of the business. In 1864, Rand and McNally bought out the _Tribune_ interest in the job printing, and founded the copartnership of Rand McNally & Company. The Company was incorporated in 1873. The present President of the concern is Mr. H. B. Clow.

Rand McNally & Company has been known as map makers, book publishers, atlas makers, bank publishers, ticket manufacturers, creators of map systems, and other specialties. It has published the Dodge Geographies, the Mace Histories, and a number of other large selling educational books.

HENRY HOLT & COMPANY.--In 1866, the copartnership of Frederick Leypoldt and Henry Holt was formed under the style of Leypoldt & Holt. From the start they were merely publisher and not retailers or printers. In 1871, H. O. Williams was admitted to the firm; Mr. Leypoldt soon withdrew, and the firm name was changed to Holt & Williams. Two years later Mr. Williams retired and the business was continued as Henry Holt & Company. Charles Holt, a brother of Henry Holt, was an active partner from 1878 to 1903, when the house became a stock company with Henry Holt as President, Roland Holt, Vice President, Edward N. Bristol, Secretary, Joseph F. Vogelius, Treasurer. In 1919, Mr. Vogelius resigned after more than fifty years’ connection with the house.

The firm’s first educational venture occurred in 1867, when the foreign language publications of S. R. Urbino and DeVries, Ibarra & Company of Boston were taken over. These two lists included the Otto French and German Grammars and some sixty French and German texts. Most of these same texts still appear in Henry Holt & Company’s list, though not in the form first issued. In 1869, the firm began what was practically its first original enterprise in the educational field when it issued Whitney’s German textbooks, starting with his _German Reader_, and following shortly with his _Compendious German Grammar_. In 1879, the _American Science Series_ was begun with Packard’s _Zoology_. The announcements included James’ _Psychology_, Walker’s _Political Economy_, and Martin’s _The Human Body_. In the same year the first of Johnston’s books, _American Politics_, appeared. These books represent the earlier development of Henry Holt & Company’s educational business.

GINN & COMPANY.--This house was founded in 1867 by Edwin Ginn. He began business at No. 3 Beacon Street, Boston, and soon admitted as a partner Mr. Aaron Lovell, afterward the head of the house known as A. Lovell & Company of New York. Mr. Ginn’s next partner was Mr. R. F. Leighton, the author of Leighton’s _Latin Lessons_, then Mr. Frederick Ginn, Edwin Ginn’s brother. Later Mr. Daniel C. Heath and Mr. George A. Plimpton were admitted to the firm, Mr. Heath in 1876 and Mr. Plimpton in 1880. The firm was then known as Ginn & Heath. In 1885 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Heath retiring. The business was continued by Edwin Ginn, George A. Plimpton, and Frederick Ginn under the firm name of Ginn & Company. Since then there have been admitted at different times as members of the firm, Thomas Ballard, Justin H. Smith, Lewis Parkhurst, O. P. Conant, Ralph L. Hayes, Selim S. White, Thomas W. Gilson, Fred. M. Ambrose, Austin H. Kenerson, Henry R. Hilton, Richard S. Thomas, C. H. Thurber, T. B. Lawler, Dana W. Hall, Selden C. Smith, O. J. Laylander, F. C. Hodgdon, E. A. DeWitt, L. B. Robeson, Mark R. Jouett, Jr., J. W. Swartz, LeRoy J. Weed, Edward H. Kenerson, Norman C. Miller, and H. B. Conway. Of this number there are now eighteen surviving partners.

Mr. Edwin Ginn died in 1914. Of the other partners who have been admitted, Mr. Conant, Mr. Gilson, Mr. White, and Mr. Kenerson, Sr., have crossed the Great Divide. Mr. Justin H. Smith retired from the firm to enter the faculty of Dartmouth College. Mr. Ballard, Mr. Hayes and Mr. Ambrose also retired.

The first educational book that Mr. Ginn published was Craik’s _The English of Shakespeare_. This was followed by Goodwin’s _Greek Grammar_, the Allen & Greenough Latin Series, White’s _Greek Lessons_, and a course of _Grade School Music Readers_ by Luther Whiting Mason. This series was early introduced into the Boston schools and for some time was the standard series of school music in America.

The Boston offices of Ginn & Company have been at Tremont Place, Beacon Street, in the old John Hancock house, and are now at 15 Ashburton Place.

The prototype of the Athenæum Press was started by Ginn & Company in the early 80’s. The building which now houses this establishment is located in Cambridge, and was erected in 1896.

ALLYN & BACON.--Mr. John Allyn began business in 1868. He imported and published a line of books, chiefly Greek, but in 1886 he issued Pennell’s Histories of Greece and Rome, Comstock’s _First Latin Book_, and Kelsey’s _Caesar_. In 1888 Dr. George A. Bacon joined Mr. Allyn in equal partnership. Dr. Bacon had been, before he entered business, the principal of the Syracuse High School. Shortly after the partnership was formed, the house purchased Walker’s _Physiology_ from A. Lovell & Company, but the book had already been in existence for some time. Both Mr. Allyn and Dr. Bacon are still living and carrying on their business.

THE CENTURY COMPANY.--This company was organized July 21, 1870, by Roswell Smith and Josiah G. Holland. It is a corporation. Mr. Smith was the first president; he was succeeded by Frank Scott, he by W. W. Ellsworth, and he by Dr. W. Morgan Shuster, who is at the present time in office.

Strictly educational publications were first brought out in 1904, Fetter’s _Principles of Economics_ being the first volume to appear. Failor’s _Plane and Solid Geometry_, Forman’s _Advanced Civics_, Smith’s _Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry_, and Thorndike’s _Elements of Composition and Rhetoric_ were published shortly afterward.

FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY.--The founder of Funk & Wagnalls Company was Dr. Isaac Kauffman Funk, who established the business in 1876 with _The Metropolitan Pulpit_, now _The Homiletic Review_. Some months later he was joined by Adam W. Wagnalls, and the two entered into partnership, forming the business of I. K. Funk & Company. These two men were joined in 1879 by Mr. Robert J. Cuddihy.

In 1891, Funk & Wagnalls Company was organized with Dr. Funk as President, Adam W. Wagnalls, Vice President, Robert J. Cuddihy, Treasurer and General Manager. William Neisel joined the staff of the publishing house in 1883, and was appointed head of the Manufacturing Department. In 1884, Dr. Funk founded _The Voice_ and in 1890, _The Literary Digest_. Edward J. Wheeler joined the staff as editor of _The Voice_ in 1884, and in 1895 became editor of _The Literary Digest_, which position he held until 1905, when William Seaver Woods became editor.

The idea and plans of the Dictionary originated with Dr. Funk, whose first managing editor was Dr. Daniel Seeley Gregory. The _Standard Dictionary_ was projected in 1890 and completed in 1893. Dr. Funk was editor-in-chief of all the publications of Funk & Wagnalls Company, and in his work on the _Standard Dictionary_ was assisted by Dr. Rossiter Johnson, John Denison Champlin, Dr. Francis A. March, Sr., and Dr. Arthur E. Bostwick. The _New Standard Dictionary_ was projected in 1909, and was issued under the editor-in-chiefship of Dr. Funk, with Calvin Thomas as consulting editor, and Frank H. Vizetelly as managing editor, 1903-1913, editor of the same since 1914. The abridgments of the _Standard Dictionary_ were produced under the general editorship of Dr. Funk, by Dr. James Champlin Fernald, Frank H. Vizetelly, and others.

The office of Secretary has been held, sometimes in addition to other offices, by the following persons: Robert J. Cuddihy, 1891-1898; Henry L. Raymond, 1898-1904; Robert Scott, 1904-1913; Wilfred J. Funk, 1913-1915; and William Neisel, 1915 to the present time.

Following the death of Dr. Isaac K. Funk in 1912, Dr. Adam W. Wagnalls was elected President of the Company; Benjamin Franklin Funk, Vice President. On the death of Benjamin Franklin Funk in 1914, Wilfred J. Funk became Vice President and William Neisel, Secretary.

The editorial policy of Funk & Wagnalls Company is directed by the Executive Committee, under the guidance of the General Manager, Robert J. Cuddihy. The Manager of the Educational Department is Mr. Wilfred J. Funk.

Inclusive of the Dictionary and its abridgments, the first educational books published by the Company were Fernald’s _English Synonyms, Antonyms, and Prepositions_ and his _Connectives of English Speech_.

Of the firm’s publications circulated most widely in the schools, _The Literary Digest_ takes first rank. It maintains an educational service among 15,000 teachers and circulates in more than 10,000 schools.

In 1904, Francis Whiting Halsey became literary adviser of the Company and editor of the book department of _The Literary Digest_. Under his supervision were produced: _Great Epochs in American History_, _Seeing Europe with Famous Authors_, and with the assistance of William Jennings Bryan, _World’s Famous Orations_, and in conjunction with Henry Cabot Lodge, _Best of the World’s Classics_. Mr. Halsey died, November 24, 1919.

The officers and the principal editors of the Company are: President, Dr. Adam W. Wagnalls; Vice President, Wilfred J. Funk; Treasurer and General Manager, Robert J. Cuddihy; Secretary, William Neisel; _Homiletic Review_, Editors: George Gilmore, Robert Scott; _Literary Digest_, Editor: William Seaver Woods; _Standard Dictionary_, Managing Editor, Frank H. Vizetelly.

LYONS & CARNAHAN.--This firm was organized and began publishing schoolbooks about 1878. In 1888, Mr. J. A. Lyons became associated with Mr. O. M. Powers in the publication of commercial texts. The firm name was Powers & Lyons. They continued to publish commercial books until 1909, when J. A. Lyons purchased the interest of O. M. Powers and continued to do business under the firm name of J. A. Lyons & Co. In 1912, J. W. Carnahan purchased an interest in the business, and the firm name was changed to Lyons & Carnahan. Mr. Lyons died in November, 1920, and Mr. Carnahan was elected President of the new corporation which was organized under the same name of Lyons & Carnahan.

Since 1912 the house has been engaged in the publication of both common and high school books.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY.--This firm was established about 1880 by Mr. H. O. Houghton and Mr. George H. Mifflin, with whom were associated Mr. M. M. Hurd and Mr. L. H. Valentine. They took over, either at that time or a little later, the business of various Boston publishers, namely, Ticknor & Fields, Hurd & Houghton, Houghton, Osgood & Company; Fields, Osgood and Company, James R. Osgood & Company, and Ticknor & Company. Some of these firms were first merged together and then with Houghton Mifflin Company, but practically all this took place before 1882. Ticknor & Company, however, became united with the business a little later.

The Educational Department of Houghton Mifflin Company was established in 1882 through the efforts of Horace E. Scudder and Henry N. Wheeler, encouraged by Mr. Henry O. Houghton, Sr. There were then published Colburn’s _Arithmetic_ and certain Latin books, but Mr. Scudder had the idea that the great masterpieces of American literature, such as _Evangeline_, _The Vision of Sir Launfal_, _Snow-Bound_ and other similar great classics which had recently come into the control of the firm, should be made available in cheap editions for school use. He became the general editor of the Riverside Literature Series which was then established, and which was pushed with vigor and energy by Henry N. Wheeler. Early in the 90’s the Department developed with the publication of Fiske’s _History of the United States_, Fiske’s _Civil Government_, and various collections of literature such as _Masterpieces of American Literature_. This necessitated further expansion and an office was opened in Chicago under the management of C. F. Newkirk, who was later succeeded by W. E. Bloomfield.

In 1902 J. D. Phillips, who had previously been connected with the Editorial Department of the house, was transferred to the Educational Department to do both agency and editorial work, and the Webster-Cooley Language Series was soon published.

Mr. Scudder died in 1902 and Mr. Wheeler in 1905, and the Department came under the management of Mr. Phillips and Mr. Davol. Franklin S. Hoyt, formerly Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Indianapolis, was invited in 1906 to join the firm and take charge of the editorial end of the work. The organization then established has remained practically unchanged until now. Henry B. Dewey, former Commissioner of Education of the State of Washington, is now manager of the Boston office of this Company.

B. F. JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY.--This concern is the successor of B. F. Johnson & Company, which was organized some time in the 80’s to develop a subscription book business founded by Benjamin Franklin Johnson in 1876. The business grew to enormous proportions and at one time the books published by this concern were to be found in almost every house in the South.

In 1895, the Company began to experiment in a small way with schoolbooks, beginning with Lee’s _Advanced History_. Two years later it published Johnson’s _Primer_, and this was soon followed by Johnson’s _Readers_. The success of these experiments led to a reorganization of the Company by Mr. Johnson in 1900, when the subscription book business was dropped and the house began to devote itself exclusively to schoolbooks. The first publications of the reorganized company were _Graded Classics Readers_ and Colaw and Ellwood’s Arithmetics in 1900, both of which series were remarkably successful.

In 1902, Mr. Johnson was succeeded in the presidency by James D. Crump, who held the position until 1920, when he was succeeded by A. J. Gray, Jr. The Company has recently been reorganized by Mr. Gray to meet the demands of its extraordinary growth and to provide for further development on an enlarged scale.

SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY.--This business was founded by Mr. Edgar O. Silver, April 21, 1885. On September 21, 1886, the firm of Silver, Rogers & Company was organized, M. Thacher Rogers being admitted to partnership. This partnership was succeeded by the partnership of Silver, Burdett & Company, April 16, 1888, consisting of Edgar O. Silver, Elmer E. Silver, Henry C. Deane, and Frank W. Burdett, and on May 2, 1892, the business of the partnership was assumed by the corporation of the same name. Mr. Edgar O. Silver died in November, 1909. In 1910, Arthur Lord was elected Acting President, and in 1914 Haviland Stevenson was made President of the Company.

The date of the first publications of this house was 1885. Among its earliest books were the _Normal Music Course_ and other music books for schools, Farley and Gunnison’s Writing Books, Todd and Powell’s Readers, Stowell’s Physiologies, and Larkin Dunton’s Geographical Readers. For two or three years after its organization in 1885, the house devoted itself almost entirely to the publication of music books for the common and high schools. In 1890, the policy of the house was changed and the list broadened to cover the other subjects in the school curriculum.

Silver, Burdett & Company purchased the business of Potter & Putnam about 1903, and in 1904 that of the Morse Company, adding the lists of these houses to their own.

D. C. HEATH & COMPANY.--This house was founded in 1886 by Daniel C. Heath, whose first office was in Tremont Place, Boston. The name chosen by Mr. Heath for his firm was D. C. Heath & Company, which name has continued until this day. Mr. Heath’s first partner was Charles H. Ames, who was admitted to the firm in 1888. His second was William E. Pulsifer, who joined the Company in 1889. Dr. Winfield S. Smyth, who had been Ginn & Company’s Chicago manager, was taken into the firm of D. C. Heath & Company in 1893. In 1895, the partnership sold its business to a corporation organized in that month, of which Mr. D. C. Heath was made President, Dr. Winfield S. Smyth, Vice President, William E. Pulsifer, Treasurer, and Charles H. Ames, Secretary. Mr. Heath died in January, 1908, and Dr. Smyth in August, 1908.

After Mr. Heath’s death his trustees, Herbert C. Foss and E. G. Cooley, who for some time had been Superintendent of Schools in Chicago, carried on the business for two years, when Mr. Heath’s stock was purchased by William E. Pulsifer, Winfield S. Smyth, Jr., W. H. Ives, James C. Simpson, Isaac Van Houten, Frank F. Hummel, and others who bought a few shares of the common stock. In 1910 the corporation elected as its officers, William E. Pulsifer, President, W. H. Ives, Vice President, Winfield S. Smyth, Treasurer, and Charles H. Ames, Secretary. Mr. Ives soon retired and in September, 1911, Mr. Ames died. The present officers of the Company are William E. Pulsifer, President, James C. Simpson, Vice President, Winfield S. Smyth, Treasurer, and Frank F. Hummel, Secretary. Mr. S. Willard Clary was the editor-in-chief of the Modern Language Department for twenty-seven years, and Dr. Charles Henry Douglas has been the editor-in-chief of the general list since 1895.

When Mr. Heath retired from the firm of Ginn & Heath, he was paid for his interest partly in cash and partly in books. Among the publications which he received from the Ginn & Heath list were Remsen’s _Organic Chemistry_, Shaler’s _First Book in Geology_, Ybarra’s _Practical Method in Spanish_, Sheldon’s _Short German Grammar_, Hall’s _Methods of Teaching History_, and Mitchell’s _Hebrew Lessons_. There were altogether twenty-four bound books and several manuscripts, including those prepared by Mary Sheldon. Mr. Heath’s first publications were Sheldon’s _Studies in General History_, the Joynes-Meissner _German Grammar_, and several French and German texts purchased from English and Scotch publishers and republished by him.

D. C. Heath & Company has acquired by purchase from Leach & Shewell and added to its list the Wells Series of Mathematics for secondary schools and colleges, a number of Latin texts and textbooks from the University Publishing Company, Thomas’s _History of the United States_ from a Friends’ Society known as The Text-Book Association of Philadelphia, Bancroft’s _School Gymnastics_ from Kellogg & Company of New York, Bowser’s Algebras, Geometries, and Trigonometries from Van Nostrand & Company, and the American rights in what is now known as the Arden Shakespeare from Blackie & Son, Limited, of Scotland.

LONGMANS, GREEN & COMPANY.--The American house of Longmans, Green & Company was founded September 15, 1887, by Mr. C. J. Mills. Its business is incorporated under New York State law. The London house began business in 1724. The only change that has been made in the personnel of the Company on this side of the Atlantic was the admittance to the firm of Mr. Mill’s son, E. S. Mills.

The publication of schoolbooks by the American house was begun in 1890. The first of these books were _Epochs of American History_, a series of three volumes edited by Professor A. B. Hart of Harvard. Woodrow Wilson is the author of one of the volumes. This well-known series was quickly followed by Longmans’ _English Classics_, Longmans’ _English Grammar_, etc.

SCOTT, FORESMAN & COMPANY.--This house was founded in 1889 under the firm name of Albert & Scott. The business was originated and carried on for several years by Mr. E. H. Scott. In 1894, Mr. H. A. Foresman purchased an interest in the concern and shortly afterward the publishing business of George Sherwood & Company, with all its stock and publishing rights, was taken over. At that time the corporation name was changed to Scott, Foresman & Company. In 1896, W. C. Foresman bought an interest in the business and became Treasurer of the Company. The same year the publishing business of S. C. Griggs & Company was purchased, and all rights and stock were transferred to Scott, Foresman & Company. In 1908, R. C. McNamara became a stockholder and Secretary of the Company. In 1912, Charles E. Keck became a stockholder and manager of the Eastern office.

Scott, Foresman & Company began publishing educational books in 1889, the first being a beginner’s Latin book, _Bellum Helveticum_, and the second, Lowe and Ewing’s _Caesar_.

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.--On June 14, 1890, an announcement was made by the American Book Company as follows:

“American Book Company, Incorporated, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago. Birdseye Blakeman, President; Alfred C. Barnes, Vice President; Harry T. Ambrose, Treasurer; Gilman H. Tucker, Secretary. Directors: Caleb S. Bragg, Chairman; William H. Appleton, William W. Appleton, Daniel Appleton, Alfred C. Barnes, Charles J. Barnes, Henry B. Barnes, Birdseye Blakeman, George R. Cathcart, A. H. Hinkle, David B. Ivison, Henry H. Vail.

“The American Book Company is a stock company incorporated under state laws for the purpose of carrying on the manufacture and sale of books. The American Book Company has purchased the schoolbook publications hitherto issued by D. Appleton & Company, A. S. Barnes & Company, Harper & Brothers, Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Company of New York, and Van Antwerp, Bragg & Company of Cincinnati. The company is organized in the interest of economy in the production and sale of schoolbooks, etc.”

Mr. Birdseye Blakeman served as President from April, 1890, until May, 1893. He was succeeded by David B. Ivison, who served as President until 1896. Harry T. Ambrose was President of the Company from 1896 until 1914, when L. M. Dillman was elected to that office. Mr. Blakeman died October 9, 1894, and Mr. Ivison, April 6, 1903.

General A. C. Barnes served as Vice President from 1890 until his death in 1904, when he was succeeded by Dr. Henry H. Vail. He in turn was succeeded by the present Vice President, A. Victor Barnes.

Mr. Ambrose served as Treasurer of the Company until he was elected President in 1896, when Charles P. Batt, the present Treasurer, succeeded him. Gilman H. Tucker was Secretary of the Company at its organization in 1890, and remained as such until his death, November 14, 1913. He was succeeded by John Arthur Greene, who died in 1917. The present Secretary is W. L. Billmyer.

Dr. Henry H. Vail was Chief of the Editorial Department at the organization of the Company, and held that position until his resignation in 1909, when he was succeeded by Russell Hinman. Mr. Hinman died in 1912, when Mr. G. W. Benton was made Editor-in-Chief and is still serving in that position.

Since its organization, the American Book Company has taken over by purchase the schoolbook properties of the following houses: Werner School Book Company, Chicago; Standard School Book Company, St. Louis; D. D. Merrill, St. Paul; Cowperthwait & Company, Philadelphia; Taintor Brothers & Company, New York; E. H. Butler & Company, Philadelphia; Western School Book Company, Chicago; Sheldon & Company, New York; Williams & Rogers, Rochester; the elementary list of the University Publishing Company, New York.

SCHWARTZ, KIRWIN & FAUSS.--This house was established in 1890, the founders being Alonzo Schwartz, James J. Kirwin, and Denis C. Fauss. In 1893, Mr. Schwartz retired on account of ill health, and the business continued under the direction of Mr. Kirwin and Mr. Fauss.

In 1898, this firm purchased the business of the Catholic School Book Company, taking over its entire list. That company, in turn, was the successor of the Catholic Publication Society, established originally by the Paulist Fathers in 59th Street, New York, with Mr. Lawrence Kehoe as the manager.

Among the earliest publications of the house were _The Young Catholic’s Illustrated Readers_, Deharbe’s Catechism, Gazeau’s Histories, Edward’s _Hygiene_, Hassard’s Histories, Farrell’s Spellers, and the _Columbus Series of Readers_, by Dr. William T. Vlymen, which series had already been contracted for and the first book published by the Catholic School Book Company, when Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss purchased their list and completed the series.

The offices of this firm are located at 42 Barclay Street, New York, with Mr. Kirwin and Mr. Fauss still in charge of the business.

THE GREGG PUBLISHING COMPANY.--This organization is an outgrowth of _Gregg Shorthand_, first published by John R. Gregg in Boston, October, 1893. In 1896 Mr. Gregg moved to Chicago, where he established a school and continued to publish his system. In 1907, the publishing business was incorporated as the Gregg Publishing Company, and is owned by Mr. Gregg, with the exception of the few shares held by others to comply with the legal requirements. In 1907 Mr. Gregg moved to New York, where he established an Eastern office. The San Francisco office was opened in 1912, the Boston office in 1919, and in 1920 an office was established in London. At the present time the executive officers are: John R. Gregg, President; Mrs. J. R. Gregg, First Vice President; Rupert P. SoRelle, Second Vice President; W. F. Nenneman, Secretary-Treasurer; Hubert A. Hagar, General Manager.

Beginning with shorthand, an extensive line of publications in that subject was developed, to which were added textbooks in other commercial subjects. In addition to its two magazines, the list of publications of the Gregg Publishing Company at the present time comprises more than one hundred titles.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.--In January, 1896, an American branch of the Oxford University Press opened offices at 91-93 Fifth Avenue, New York, under the management of John Armstrong, with whom were associated W. W. McIntosh, W. F. Olver, and C. C. Schepmoes. In 1897, the Branch took over from The Macmillan Company the publications of The Clarendon Press. In 1915, Mr. Armstrong died. He was succeeded by W. W. McIntosh, the present Vice President and General Manager. Mr. W. F. Olver, the first Treasurer of the Company, died in 1919 and was succeeded by Isaac Brown. Mr. C. C. Schepmoes became Secretary at that time.

The first schoolbook manufactured and published by the Oxford University Press in this country was Schiller’s _Wilhelm Tell_, edited by Sphoenfeld, which was issued in 1902. The concern publishes the Oxford English, French, and German Series. In 1918, the Branch added a Medical Department, which handles all the medical publications of Henry Frowde and Hodder & Stoughton of London.

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.--Mr. George P. Brett, the present President, with the proprietors of Macmillan & Company, Ltd., London, the people who had been interested in the agency of Macmillan & Company previously operating in the United States, undertook the organization of the corporation, The Macmillan Company, in this country in 1896. Mr. Brett has been the President of the American corporation since that date.

There have been several heads of the Educational Department. It was organized first under the direction of Dr. F. L. Sevenoak, who gave a part of his time to this work, the balance being devoted to teaching. He was succeeded by James R. McDonald, who filled the position until the fall of 1902, when he was succeeded by William H. Ives. In 1906 Mr. Ives was succeeded by F. C. Tenney, who filled the position until July, 1912. At that time A. H. Nelson became the head of the Educational Department and held the position until July, 1920, when Charles H. Seaver, who now occupies it, succeeded Mr. Nelson.

School textbooks were published in America by Macmillan & Company before the time when The Macmillan Company was formed as an American corporation, the records showing the publication of Hall and Knight’s _Elementary Algebra_ and _Algebra for Beginners_ in 1895, Tarr’s _Elements of Physical Geography_ in 1895, and Channing’s _Student’s History of the United States_ in April, 1896. Immediately following the establishment of the American corporation, there was published Miller’s _Trigonometry_ in 1896, and in 1897 the following books appeared: Tarr’s _High School Geology_, Nichols’ _High School Physics_, Lewis’s _Writing English_, Tarr’s _First Book in Physical Geography_, McLellan and Ames’ _Arithmetic_, Hall and Knight’s _Algebra for Colleges and Schools_, Davenport’s _Elementary Economics_, Murche’s _Science Readers_. The McLellan and Ames _Arithmetic_ and the Murche _Science Readers_ were the first textbooks published for elementary grades. The Macmillan Company first undertook the work of publishing books for that field in the fall of 1897.

W. H. WHEELER & COMPANY.--This Chicago concern was organized in 1897 by Mr. W. H. Wheeler. In 1898 W. C. Fidler purchased an interest in the Company. Some years later, E. E. Wheeler, son of W. H. Wheeler, was admitted to the firm, as was also John H. Pugh. These four men are still active in the business.

The first books published by this house were Wheeler’s _Graded Studies in English, First Lessons in Grammar and Composition_. These were followed a little later by Wheeler’s _Graded Primer_.

NEWSON & COMPANY.--This concern was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, July, 1900. Mr. Henry D. Newson was its first President. He was succeeded in that office by Mr. Everett Yeaw, the present President, in April, 1912. Mr. Newson severed all relations with the Company on January 1, 1920.

Newson & Company immediately on its organization began the publication of educational books, the first of which was Buehler’s _Modern English Grammar_, the original of the present Revised Edition, published in 1914.

WORLD BOOK COMPANY.--The house was established in 1905 by Casper W. Hodgson. “It was really founded,” Mr. Hodgson writes, “in the Philippine Islands, a little farther west or east than any other American house has started.” The first office was in Manila, but soon another was established at Park Hill, Yonkers, N. Y.

The first books issued were six Philippine publications. The World Book Company now does a considerable business not only in the Philipine Islands, but also in the United States and Latin America. O. S. Reimold and M. A. Purcell have been connected with the business almost from its beginning. M. J. Hazelton, who joined the Company in 1908, has been the Philippine representative of the house. Professor John W. Ritchie has given his full time to the organization since 1915.

The titles of the first educational books published for use in American schools are Ritchie’s _Human Physiology_, and Wohlfarth-Rogers’ _New World Spellers_.

ROW, PETERSON & COMPANY.--This firm was organized in February, 1906. R. K. Row was made President and Isaac Peterson, Secretary-Treasurer. A few years later Charles D. Kennedy and J. R. Sparks purchased stock in the Company and were made directors, Mr. Kennedy becoming Secretary. In 1914, B. E. Richardson purchased stock and became Vice President. In 1919, Mr. Peterson died and Mr. Kennedy was made Secretary-Treasurer.

The first books were published in the spring of 1906. These included Robbins and Row’s _Studies in English_, Salisbury’s _The Theory of Teaching_, Frazier’s _The National Speller_, Hatch and Haselwood’s _Elementary Agriculture_, and Hurty’s _Life with Health_.

McGRAW-HILL BOOK COMPANY.--This organization was started on July 1, 1909, with John A. Hill, President, and James H. McGraw, Vice President. After Mr. Hill’s death in 1916, Mr. McGraw succeeded him as President, which position he still holds.

At the time of the formation of this Company in 1909, when the Book Departments of the McGraw Publishing Company and the Hill Publishing Company were consolidated, the combined lists totaled perhaps 200 books. In ten years this list has grown to approximately 1000 titles. Some of the most notable publications of the Educational Department of the McGraw-Hill Book Company are Dr. Cady’s _Inorganic Chemistry_, Dr. Norris’ _Principles of Organic Chemistry_, Dr. Moore’s _History of Chemistry_, Dr. Mahin’s _Quantitative Analysis_, a series of Electrical Engineering texts prepared under the general supervision of Dr. H. E. Clifford of Harvard University, a series of books on Scientific Management and Efficiency, under the general direction of Dr. R. S. Butler, formerly of the University of Wisconsin, a series of mathematical texts, including Slichter’s _Elementary Mathematical Analysis_, Wolff’s _Calculus_, Allen’s _Projective Geometry_, and a series of successful books for trade schools and apprentice classes, under the general direction of F. E. Mathewson of the Dickinson High School, Jersey City, N. J.

The present officers of the McGraw-Hill Book Company are: James H. McGraw, President; Martin M. Foss, Vice President and General Manager; Arthur J. Baldwin, Vice President; Edward Caldwell, Treasurer; James S. Thompson, Secretary.

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY.--This house was established in 1838 by Samuel Merrill. The business has continued in unbroken succession since that time, under several different firm names, being first Merrill & Company, then Merrill & Field, Merrill Hubbard Company, Merrill Meigs & Company, The Bowen-Merrill Company, and in 1903 the firm name became The Bobbs-Merrill Company.

In 1909 a set of educational readers was added to the general line of publications of this house. As publishers of law books, The Bobbs-Merrill Company ranks among the leading houses of the country.

The present officers of the corporation are: W. C. Bobbs, President; John R. Carr, Vice President; D. L. Chambers, Secretary.

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY.--The founder of this Philadelphia concern was Mr. John C. Winston, who was its directing head until May 6, 1920, when he died.

The Company began work in the preparation of schoolbooks in 1913, but the business end of the Educational Department was not inaugurated until March, 1918. The first books published by this Company were the Winston Series of Readers, the _Young American Readers_, the _Winston Simplified Dictionary_, and two books on civics, _Our Community_ and _Our Neighborhood_.

IROQUOIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.--This Company was incorporated under the laws of the state of New York on July 15, 1915, with E. F. Southworth as President and H. W. Duguid as Secretary. Mr. Southworth was for many years connected with Ginn & Company.

During the first year the Company brought out a list of twelve books. This list increased until on February 1, 1921, it contained more than fifty titles.

UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY.--This firm was incorporated in 1868 under New York State law. Prominent among the promoters and original stockholders of the Company were Horace Greeley, August Belmont, W. H. Aspinwall, G. B. Hallgarten, W. R. Travers, Eugene Kelly, J. B. Alexander, Richard L. Edwards, and many others of New York. In Baltimore, Robert Garrett & Sons, brokers controlling the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, A. S. Able of the Baltimore _Sun_, C. H. Latrobe, at one time Mayor of Baltimore, John Hopkins, W. T. Walters, owner of the once famous Peach Blow Vase, were stockholders. Jefferson Davis and Joseph E. Johnson subscribed for stock, and Dr. Howard Crosby, the famous divine of New York, was an enthusiastic supporter. General John B. Gordon was interested in the Company and was for many years a director and Vice President of the concern.

The educators agreed upon as authors of the new books were all university men, and this fact gave its name to the Company. The list of authors included Dr. Basil L. Gildersleeve of Johns Hopkins University, Matthew F. Maury, author of _The Physical Geography of the Sea_, Dr. George F. Holmes, Charles S. Venable of the University of Virginia, and Professor William Hand Brown. Of the books published, Maury’s Physical Geographies and Gildersleeve’s Latin Grammar at once took their places as standard authorities.

Early in 1873, Ezra D. Barker was elected General Manager by the directors. He supervised the revision of Holmes’ Readers and Spellers, Maury’s Primary and Grammar School Geographies, and Venable’s Arithmetic.

In 1888, Mr. C. L. Patton cast his fortune with the Company and came to New York as the Manager of the Agents’ Introduction Department. In 1892, Mr. Patton reorganized the Company, which took over the plates and publishing rights of the J. B. Lippincott schoolbook list, also a list of books published by F. F. Hansell & Brother of New Orleans.

On the 31st of December, 1906, the directors of the Company decided to go into voluntary liquidation. In this liquidation the grammar school books were sold to the American Book Company, Gildersleeve’s Latin Series to D. C. Heath & Company, Eadies’ Physiologies to Charles Scribner’s Sons, and the Standard Literature Series and all remaining publications to Newson & Company.

ATKINSON, MENTZER & COMPANY.--This firm was organized in 1898 under the name of Hathaway & Atkinson. At the end of the year Mr. Hathaway withdrew and the firm’s name became Atkinson & Mentzer. In 1899, the firm published its first book, namely, the _Ivanhoe Historical Note Book_. In 1904, Mr. Edwin Osgood Grover joined the organization and the firm name was changed to Atkinson, Mentzer & Grover. The first book published under this imprint was the _Art Literature Primer_. In 1911 Mr. Grover severed his connection with the firm, which from that time on has done business under the name of Atkinson, Mentzer & Company.

* * * * *

The writer regrets to state that he has not been able to get authentic data for historical accounts of the old firms of Brewer & Tileston and William Ware & Company of Boston, J. H. Butler & Company, E. H. Butler & Company, and Cowperthwait Company of Philadelphia, or Taintor Brothers of New York. There has not been included in this record several of the younger houses like the Southern Publishing Company of Texas and the University Publishing Company of Nebraska. It is also a fact that there has been no attempt to secure the records of the old printing houses, which were not publishers as we understand the meaning of the term.

Transcriber’s Note:

Variations in spelling and punctuation, and the use of italic (denoted by underscores), have been retained as they appear in the original publication except as follows:

Page 11
from Longfellow, Lowell Emerson, _changed to_
from Longfellow, Lowell, Emerson,

Page 20
Sander’s School Readers _changed to_
Sanders’ School Readers

Page 26
LYONS & CARNAHAN. This _changed to_
LYONS & CARNAHAN.--This

Page 31
SCHWARTZ, KIRWIN & FAUSS. This _changed to_
SCHWARTZ, KIRWIN & FAUSS.--This