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There has never been a proper textbook on the history of illustration. It’s important, not just for training students but for representing the field and its legacy to the world.

In order to help get a textbook going, I have written a SURVEY to help determine the content, scope, format, and tone of a potential textbook. Whitney Sherman, an instructor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, co-authored the SURVEY, and it was checked over by a range of qualified people. We don’t have plans to write one ourselves - we just see the need for information for whoever does. The  New York Society of Illustrators is sponsoring this SURVEY.

Now it’s YOUR turn - have your say, as a teacher, student, collector, or scholar:

SURVEY

Oh, and it’s Arthur William Brown, circa 1945, New York, unidentified model, and it’s important because Brown was one of the biggest promoters of illustration in his day and a big influence on the evolution of sexualized beauty standards, for better and worse. Original on file at Society of Illustrators.

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Julio Torres, Intern

A History of US is the James Michener Prize-winning collection of  books written by Joy Hakim, a former teacher and editor. The series tells the story of the nation through its ten volumes.  For the next six weeks, starting Sunday, the History Channel will air their ambitious chronological series, America: The Story of Us.

Since A History of US and America: The Story of Us, follow the same timeline we thought it would be fun to share some of American history’s  lesser-know facts found along the margins of the books.  Make your way through the nation’s history as we enlighten you with facts and challenge you with trivia questions inspired Hakim’s volumes.

First up, trivia questions from books 2 and 3, Making Thirteen Colonies and From Colonies to Country, corresponding to the History Channel’s first week of the series (premiering April 25^th) dedicated to the colonies and the Revolutionary war.  Don’t be discouraged if most of these feel obscure, chances are they were bonus questions back in Middle School. The answers are at the bottom of the post. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for more fun content related to our nation’s great history.  Read an original post by Hakim here.

What state was its own nation from 1777 to 1791 and became the first state to outlaw slavery?

Which Shakespeare play was inspired by the wreck of the colonist ship, the Sea Venture?

What state name means “at the big hill” in Algonquian?

Which treaty officially ended the French and Indian War?

What famous, brave soldier switched sides from the Patriots to the British in 1780? (He captured Fort Ticonderoga)

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Answers: Vermont, The Tempest, Massachusetts, The Treaty of Paris, Benedict Arnold

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I've had the idea for this post for a while. In fact, my notes are dated February 22 of this year, although the links seem to indicate that my thoughts stretched into March on this. It all comes from the good people over at Entertainment Weekly's Pop Watch (an essential pop culture site). They found some old videos on YouTube of Sesame Street clips. These are all clips that I remember from my youth, much like the Pop Watcher who posted them. They are:

Making crayons
Girl Takes Llama to the Dentist
That Cantalope who sang Bizet's Carmen

(Ed note: that cantalope always scared me to death as a kid; it still gives me the shivers)

This got me thinking about a quote I say all the time. (quick aside: I constantly pepper my conversation with snippets of dialogue from television, movies, music, etc.; I suspect it's annoying to people who don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm helpless to stop) The line is: "You feed, I'll water."

NO ONE knows where this comes from. It reminds of when I started college and was talking to people about Schoolhouse Rock, and I got back blank stares. Then I went and bought the video tapes (yes, I went to college before there were DVDs, kids) and played them for people, which seemed to help jog their memory.

The line I remember is from a PSA about sharing. Two kids are fighting over feeding a rabbit...well, let's do some research and get the tale better told than I can:

But when kids do watch TV, after school and week-end mornings, they'll soon see some new 30-second spots illustrating nonviolent and positive solutions to conflict situations. Developed by the United Methodist Church, the Disciples of Christ and the Church of the Brethren, the "Children's Growing Spots" are available locally and on the network. "The Rabbit" goes like this:

Two children:
"I'm gonna take care of the rabbit."
"I wanna do it."
"We can't both do it. go!"

Narrator:
"What would you do?"

Child:
"I know. You feed, I'll water."

Narrator:
"When two people want to do the same thing, one idea is to divide the job and each do part of it."

Children:
"Tomorrow you feed and I'll water." "Deal."

Narrator:
"And that's a good way to share."

This article originally appeared in Media & Values Issue #10 / Winter 1980

Interesting that I found this article that was published nearly 30 years ago. I remember this ad clear as day. (I'll hang myself out to dry here: I always reimagined this ad with my BFF and I in it since it seemed like something we would do) But I've yet to meet someone else who knows this ad. Do any of you remember it?

Do any of you have any books from your childhood that no one else seems to remember? How about a reading club of 'forgotten' books? Or a programming item where people talk about their favorite books that no one else knows? Or perhaps even a display of things from your childhood tied to books in the collection? The ideas are endless.

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