A Composing-stick is necessary. This should be held in the left hand, as shown in Fig. 152, while the right hand picks up the type one by one and drops them into the stick, where the left thumb shoves them into place. It will be seen by looking at the illustration that the type are set upside down and read from left to right. This may seem awkward at first, but with practice you will soon become accustomed to reading the letters in this position.

A Composing-rule, similar to Fig. 153, should be cut out of a piece of brass rule. In typesetting, the rule is first placed in the stick, and the type then placed against it.

A Galley. Figure 154 shows a galley made of half-inch stuff. Cut the pieces as shown, and fasten them together so the bottom-piece is tilted sufficient to keep the lines from

"Pieing"—or falling out of line—without tying them together. Emptying a stick may prove difficult at first, but if the lines have been properly justified and are gripped at the ends with the thumb and first finger of each hand, there is but little danger of making pie. The beginner will, however, doubtless pie his type a number of times, until by experience he learns the proper handling of it.

Proofs are struck while the type is in the galley, by running an ink-roller over the matter, then placing a damp sheet of paper on the type and running a dry hand-roller over the paper. The print thus obtained is known as the "first proof." It should be fully corrected by means of proof-reader's marks, which can be found in the appendix of any dictionary, after which the corrections should be made in the type and a second proof struck off.

When the matter has been fully corrected, it should be placed upon

The Imposing-stone—a piece of marble or other flat stone set upon the work table. After properly leading the type,

The Chase—an iron frame cast to hold the type for printing—should be placed over it. The space between the type and chase should then be filled out with

Locking-up a Form.—The type is locked-up by means of iron wedges known as "quoins." There are two forms of these, those driven together by means of a "shooting-stick" and mallet, as shown in Fig. 155, and those locked by means of an iron key, such as is shown in Fig. 156. The latter kind is probably the most commonly used to-day. Before locking the form, the type should be levelled with a planer, which is nothing more than a block of hardwood with a smooth, even surface. The planer should be set upon the type and given a few light raps on the top with the hammer, until the face of the type is even. Then lock the form securely, being careful to have as equal pressure as possible on all sides, to prevent the type from springing. The form is then ready for the press.

Distribution consists in replacing the types in their respective boxes after the form has been printed, and is no longer desired. The matter should first be thoroughly washed, then unlocked. The distributer lifts out several lines of the type, holding them in his left hand, with the nicks uppermost and the letters facing him. One or more words are picked from the top line with the right hand, and each letter is dropped into its box, after which several more words are picked up and similarly distributed.

A few pointers in regard to presswork may be helpful to the beginner.

The Tympan, or metal bed upon which the paper to be printed is placed, should be padded well with paper to make a firm impression, the number of sheets required depending upon the character of the form. These sheets are held in place by means of the iron clamps which slip over the ends of the tympan (see Fig. 160).

The first print struck off probably will be imperfect, that is, some portions will be lighter than others, due to uneven impression. This is overcome by what is known as

Overlaying the form. Make several impressions, including one on the top tympan-sheet. Then cut out the light portions of a print and paste them directly over the corresponding printing on the tympan-sheet (see Fig. 160). Thin tissue-paper will be found good for building up portions requiring but little increase in pressure.

Underlaying consists in pasting strips of paper to the back of type or cuts which print unevenly, to make the low portions higher.

When the form prints satisfactorily, you must prepare the marginal lines before running off the job. The margins can easily be marked off upon the tympan-sheet, as you have the impression upon it for a guide (see Fig. 160). When this has been done,

Gauge-pins of some sort should be stuck into the tympan-sheet along the marginal lines as guides for placing the paper in the press for printing. Two forms of these pins, which can be bought for twenty-five or thirty cents a pair, are shown in Fig. 157. These pins must be so placed that there will be no danger of them mashing the type.

There are several forms of home-made gauges which may be used, three of which are shown in Figs. 158, 159, and 161. The first (Fig. 158) consists of an ordinary pin bent into the shape shown. The second (Fig. 159) is made out of a strip of cardboard scored and bent as in the drawing. It must be pasted in place and held in position until dry, to prevent it from slipping (see Fig. 160). The third form of home-made gauge-pin consists of a quad (Fig. 161), or thin piece of furniture, pasted to the tympan-sheet.

In Inking the Press be careful to spread the ink evenly over the disk, and apply just enough to make a clear, clean copy. Too much ink will clog the type and produce a smeared print.

Ink should not be left upon the form after the latter has been removed from the press, but should be washed off immediately with benzine. The disk and rollers should also be washed after use, as the ink will not be good when hard and will become dirty.

The Life of a Roller is greatly increased by using machine-oil rather than benzine for washing it. Benzine is too drying for the composition of a roller (which is glue and molasses) and takes the elasticity out of it, causing it to crack. Keep the rollers in a cool place in the summer and not in too cold a place in the winter, for extremes in temperature also affect the composition.

Neatness is absolutely necessary in printing, and to secure this you must keep your hands clean so as not to finger-mark your prints. Care must be taken in throwing off printed sheets to see that they do not fall upon freshly printed ones if these are wet enough to mark them.

Materials should be put away in their proper places after use. Do not throw type, leads, and furniture carelessly about, as they are likely to be lost or broken by doing so. Cigar-boxes make handy receptacles for pied type, until you have an opportunity to sort out and distribute it. These are useful also for keeping leads, furniture, and rules in, and a cabinet similar to that described in Chapter I (Fig. 15), or the curio-cabinet described in Chapter IV (Fig. 59), should be made to hold them.

The young printer should see to it that

Proofs and Scraps of Paper are thrown into a waste basket and not scattered about, as they accumulate rapidly, and not only make a shop look very untidy, but increase the danger of fire.

Oily Rags should be kept in a covered tin can, for they are liable to ignite spontaneously when exposed to the air; and of course oils, gasoline, and benzine should be handled away from fire and corked up after use.

CHAPTER X

AMATEUR JOURNALISM

Amateur journalism is by no means a new pastime, but probably at no time in its long history has it been thought as much of as at present.

It would be a difficult matter to even roughly estimate the number of papers which have been issued in the amateur world. Mr. Edwin Hadley Smith of New York City has the largest collection now in existence. This at present consists of 22,600 amateur papers, 500 amateur books, 800 photographs of amateur journalists, 800 professional clippings, and 2,500 miscellaneous printed relics dating as far back as 1845. The collection, which is the result of many years' work, is sorted and catalogued, and will soon be placed in one of our large libraries, where the public may inspect the work that has been turned out by amateurs for the past half century.

There are at present in the neighborhood of two hundred amateur papers published in the United States. A few of these papers, representative of amateurs from all parts of the country, have been grouped together and reproduced opposite page 142, and several others are shown in Figs. 162, 163, 164, 165, and 166. It is to be regretted that lack of space forbids a larger display of these papers, many of which are quite unique and reflect credit upon their publishers.

Every boy aspirant to the field of journalism should join one of these associations as soon as he has the proper credential—a copy of his own paper, or an original article of his published in an amateur paper. By becoming a member and getting acquainted with other amateurs through exchange of papers, a boy is greatly benefited. He has a chance to see what other amateurs are doing, finds out through the other papers what the members think of his work, and learns through these friendly criticisms wherein he can improve his publication. He also has a chance to enter his writings for the prizes awarded annually by the associations for the best poems, sketches, essays, histories, and editorials.

A great number of the members of these two associations are interested in smaller organizations, among which are the Interstate Association—consisting of the members of the East—and the Western. Again, a large number of amateurs have formed state organizations, and in large cities, where there are enough members to do so, local clubs have been formed. The city clubs hold frequent meetings, at which it is customary for the members to take part in literary programmes. The state and other organizations generally hold semi-annual meetings, and the National Amateur Press Association and the United Amateur Press Association meet annually in some city chosen the preceding year, and at this convention elect their officers, make awards of prizes for the year, and have a general good time.

The boy who is owner of a printing-press is almost certain to get the publishing fever and commence the publishing of a small paper. If his press is too small for such an undertaking, it will of course be necessary for him to do such job printing as he can get to do until he has earned sufficient money to buy a larger press and such materials as he will need in publishing a paper.

Nothing daunts the ambitious boy. If he has not a press, and there are no prospects of him earning one for some time, he will not allow this to interfere with his plans. It only means he must devise some other way of printing. Many boys have already proven that a press is not an absolute necessity, by issuing papers printed with rubber type, written by pen and on typewriters, and printed by the mimeograph and such duplicating machines. These are all more or less tiresome operations, but ways in which the boy determined to publish a paper may start. A few examples of papers printed by these methods are shown in Figs. 162, 163, and 164.

It might be interesting to know a little something about how these papers were run. The one shown in Fig. 162 was lettered by hand, and while only one copy of an issue was made, and that passed about in the school at which the publishers attended, there was a good deal of work required to get it up.

The paper shown in Fig. 163 is also a school paper, published at the Lake High School, Chicago. The copy for this was first written off on a wax sheet by means of a typewriter, and this sheet placed on the cylinder of a machine known as a "neostyle," the cylinder then being revolved and the papers printed from the wax sheet.

The paper shown in Fig. 164 was the writer's first attempt in the publishing line, and was indeed a sorry specimen of typography. A box of rubber type, a four line holder, and ink-pad constituted the printing outfit. The paper was a twelve-paged two-column affair, requiring six impressions of four lines each to the column. The column ruling was done with a pen, and, after printing the copies, each had to be gone over and retouched with pen and ink. It was a long and tedious job, and so wearing upon the type that they were practically useless by the time the second issue had been printed. But by this time the publishers became owners of a press with which they were able to turn out more satisfactory work.

The first thing for a boy to consider is

The Character of his paper—whether it shall contain news of the athletic field, the school, or the neighborhood, entirely, or be devoted to amateur journalism entirely, or be made up of a little of each.

The schoolroom presents so much of interest to those in and out of it, that papers managed and edited by several pupils, with the articles written by the different classes, are generally successful. Athletic news is always interesting to boys, and to have at least a portion of your paper given up to this subject might be a good plan.

The paper shown in Fig. 165 is an example of a small paper, the size of the sheet being three by four and one-half inches. It was published a few years ago by six boys living in Lexington, Kentucky. The staff, the oldest of whom was but ten years of age, consisted of the editor-in-chief, who attended to the general management, editing, and printing of the paper, and five other boys, known as the associate editors, who gathered the news and did the hustling. This paper contained mostly neighborhood news, and had a large local circulation.

The paper shown in Fig. 166 consists of twelve pages printed upon a press with a form capacity four by six inches, and is given up entirely to the publication of original stories and poems.

Some boys who do not own presses have the printing done by professionals, but simply to edit a paper gives them but half the pleasure and experience derived from executing all the work themselves,—editing, printing, binding, mailing, etc.

In Naming a paper be sure to select a suitable title for it, a name with a meaning, such as will denote the character of the publication, being desirable.

The Frequency of Publication will depend largely upon the size of sheet, number of pages, the amount of time that can be devoted to the work, and the facilities for printing. Whether weekly, monthly, semi-monthly—twice a month, bi-monthly—once in two months, or quarterly, try to place each issue in the hands of subscribers as nearly on time as possible.

The Size of Page will depend largely upon your press. However, a small sheet is most desirable for an amateur paper.

The first page should be headed with the name of the paper set up in rather large type. You will find

A Stereotyped Heading cheaper to buy than a font of large type, and easier to handle on account of its being in a solid block. Below the heading should appear the volume number, date, and number of issue, on one line, followed by the title of the article and body of type.

The Choice of Type may be made by examining the sheets shown opposite page 142 and in Figs. 165 and 166, many of which are good specimens of typography. These should also help you to formulate your ideas as to the style of your paper.

The second page should be headed with the page number and name of paper—or title of story—in small caps, this line to be separated from the body of type by means of a pica brass rule.

Great care should be used in publishing a paper to have the proof thoroughly corrected before the form is printed, for typographical errors spoil the appearance of the paper and are always disgusting to the reader. Also see to it that the marginal lines correspond on each sheet, and try to get uniform impressions throughout the paper.

A Cover is desirable for a small paper, as it adds to its appearance and size. If you have one, set it up in somewhat the same style as those shown opposite page 142. The cover sheets should be cut a little larger than the inside sheets, so they will cover the latter when they are bound together.

With the printing of an issue completed, the sheets are ready for

Binding.—They may be fastened together by means of wire staples, paste, or thread.

Figure 167 shows a scheme of stitching much employed in printing-offices and which is simple for an amateur to do. The sheets are first folded inside one another, as in the drawing. Then, starting at A with a needle and thread, run the needle through the sheets; carry the thread underneath the sheets from A to B, from B to C above, from C to A beneath, and up through the sheets at A. Then tie the two ends of D and E in a hard knot, with the portion of the thread marked F between them.

Few amateurs bother with

Advertisements, probably because it is hard to find merchants who have confidence in results from magazines with small circulations; but with cheap rates you should be able to secure enough ads. to more than defray the expenses of publishing a paper.

Before soliciting these, cut a sheet of paper the size of a page and divide it into small spaces with a pencil and ruler, making what is known as

The Advertisers' Dummy.—Show this to your prospective advertisers and let them pick out the space they wish, charging so much per inch, the rate varying according to the position the ad. will occupy.

With at least four regular issues a year, and not less than fifty per cent of the circulation paid subscriptions, you will be able to enter your paper in the post-office of your city as

Second-class Matter, which makes it possible for you to mail your papers to out-of-town subscribers at the rate of one cent per pound.

To secure these privileges write to the third assistant postmaster-general of your city for an entry blank, together with full particulars concerning second-class matter. Return the application with a copy of your paper; and when it has been passed upon, the postmaster will issue you a certificate entitling you to these rates and authorizing you to print upon your paper "Entered at the post-office at (name of town) as second-class matter."

CHAPTER XI

A BOY'S DARK-ROOM

There is no reason why an industrious boy cannot do a profitable business with a camera, when he has learned to operate it successfully, does careful and neat work, and charges a reasonable price for his pictures. The many monthly photographic competitions in the magazines should be a great help in showing where his faults lie, and when he has overcome these he should be able to make considerable money from the cash prizes offered.

An amateur should master as much of the work as possible. One of the most interesting parts is missed if you pay a professional to develop your plates, and you never know where your faults have been made in taking the pictures, by not seeing the manner in which the image appears on the negative during the development. Even though you spoil one or two plates in your first attempts at developing, your results on the whole will probably be as good as those obtained by a professional, who is very often careless with amateurs' work.

No discussion of photography has been included in this book, as a complete treatise would be too lengthy, and a condensed description impractical. There are a number of excellent publications which describe the subject in detail, making it so clear that a boy cannot help but understand the principles with a little study. Few of these books, however, dwell upon the equipment of the dark-room, and none give a fellow any ideas for the making of his apparatus, generally an important item to a boy.

The Necessary Equipment for a dark-room is not large, about all you require besides your chemicals being a ruby lantern, printing frame, three trays,—one for developing, another for fixing, and a third for toning,—a two-inch camel's-hair brush for dusting plates, a drying-rack, glass graduate, funnel, set of scales, bottles for solutions, and a cabinet in which to keep your apparatus and supplies.

A Dark-room is not a necessity, although it is a great convenience, especially if you are doing much work. With the shades pulled down, you will find that your bedroom serves the purpose very well in the evening, and many boys do their work in this way.

Figure 168 illustrates how developing is carried on in a bedroom of an old-style house, where the wash-stands are set in recesses in the wall. Here a shelf made up of several boards fastened together with battens is set upon the marble slabs around the basin. In this shelf an opening four by six inches is made as shown in Fig. 170, the edges of the opening being rabbeted to receive a five-by-seven camera plate. This arrangement is very complete, for the developing is performed on the shelf, the fixing on the stand below, and the washing in the basin, while light from the lantern is projected through the glass in the shelf, making it light underneath.

This scheme can be used for any wash-stand, by nailing the shelf to two pieces of board twelve inches long by the width of the shelf, these pieces being set firmly upon the wash-stand.

Some boys use

The Bath-room for their dark-room, darkening the window and shutting out any rays of light that may come through the key-hole and cracks about the door. This works splendidly, there being running water at hand and the tub in which to wash the negatives. The work-table is made out of several boards battened together, and should be set across the edges of the tub.

Figure 169 shows

Another Scheme—a dark-room fitted up in a closet, or by partitioning off a corner of the attic or cellar. In the latter case the inside of the partition should be covered with black paper or cloth to prevent light from entering cracks in the boards. The room should be provided with

A Work-table about three feet high. This should be built against the wall and strongly braced, as shown in the sketch (Fig. 169). Fasten a shelf to the wall about nine inches below the table, and under this make a rack with three divisions in it for trays. The rack should be fastened to the braces, as shown in the drawing.

Running Water is a great convenience in a dark-room, as it saves the bother of having to carry water in pails, or transferring your plates to a tub or wash-basin for the final bath after development.

If it is impossible to locate your dark-room where it will be supplied with running water, the best scheme is

A Water-tank with hose attachment. This is shown in Fig. 169. To carry it out, procure from your grocer a "half-barrel," such as is used for the shipment of salt mackerel, etc., and, after thoroughly cleaning it, bore a hole in the side about two inches from the bottom. Buy at a drug-store several feet of rubber tubing, a rubber stopper with a hole cut in the centre, two pinch-stops, a six-inch piece of glass tubing bent at right angles, and a small glass funnel. Slip one end of the bent piece of glass tubing into the rubber stopper, and stick the latter in the hole made in the barrel. Then slip a short piece of the rubber tubing over the glass tubing, and place one of the pinch-stops on it to be used in regulating the supply of water from the tank (see Fig. 171). Set the barrel on one end of the table, and run the rubber tubing through a hole cut for it in the work-table.

It is advisable to filter the water used from the barrel, that you may be sure it is free from dirt, so an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 171 should be fastened below the work-table. It consists of a glass funnel set in a hole bored in a block of wood (see A in Fig. 171), which is suspended from the bottom of the work-table by means of a stick (B), one end of which is nailed to block A and the other end to the work-table. Keep a piece of filter-paper in the funnel. The rubber tubing should be cut just long enough to reach the funnel, and the bottom of this filter should come within an inch or two of the sink, which will be set in the shelf below.

You will find an iron drip-pan about as cheap

A Sink as can be had, considering that one twelve by seventeen inches will cost you just fifty cents—twenty-five cents for the pan and an equal amount to pay a tinsmith for soldering a three-eighths inch pipe in a hole cut in the bottom for a drain. Either fasten the sink on the shelf, boring a hole for the pipe to fit in, or set it in an opening cut in the shelf, as shown in the drawing, supporting it by the rim around its top. Slip a piece of rubber tubing over the lower end of the drain pipe and to this attach the second pinch-stop as a regulator for emptying the sink (see Fig. 169).

As the water supply would be insufficient to wash the plates thoroughly after taking them from the hypo bath, it should be used for rinsing only, and

A Washing-box, after the scheme of Fig. 172, made to hold the negatives while washing them. This box will stand on the shelf beside the sink until you are through developing. The rack is made up of strips of wood fastened together with wire brads. Figure 173 clearly shows its construction. Strips A, B, C, and D should be placed three and three-quarters inches apart for four-by-five plates, and kerfs should be cut in their edges as shown. A and D are mounted upon short stilts, and B and C are nailed to the uprights supporting the handle. The plates rest upon strips nailed across the bottom pieces.

The box should be just large enough for the tray to fit in. Fill all the cracks and joints with white-lead and give the box several coats of paint to make it perfectly water tight. Then make a hole in the side near the bottom to let the water out, and procure a cork to fit it (Fig. 174).

A Drying-rack.

Another scheme for a drying-rack easily made is shown in Fig. 175. For the construction, two pieces of wood twelve inches long by four inches wide will be needed (A and B in Fig. 175), also two blocks (C and D) four inches square. Mitre one edge of A and B, and cut a right-angled bird's-mouth in C and D to receive A and B. With the pieces prepared, fasten them together as in the illustration. Then procure some corrugated straw-board, such as is used for packing glass-ware, etc., cut two pieces four by twelve inches, and tack them to A and B in such a way that the corrugations on one strip coincide with those on the other. For a simple rack this cannot be surpassed.

A Cabinet similar to the one described for tools in Chapter I, or the curio-cabinet in Chapter V. This makes it possible to keep everything in order and in places where they can easily be reached. Such a cabinet is shown on the wall in Fig. 169.

The best scheme for a dark-room

Ruby-light is shown in Fig. 169. This is practicable, however, only when you build the dark-room itself and can cut a window in the partition. It makes it possible to have your source of light outside of the room, and does away with the heat caused by having a lamp within, where you are working.

First, cut a ten-by-twelve-inch window opening in the partition on a level with the top of the work-table. Then make a frame a little larger than this opening and either set a piece of ruby or orange glass in it, or paste a sheet of ruby or orange paper over it. Build a track above and below the opening for the frame to slide in, doing the work neatly, so there will be no possibility of light leaking through.

The light, which may be a candle or lamp, should stand upon a shelf supported upon a bracket outside of the window. It is convenient to have the window slide, as it enables you to open it and have white light to work by when a ruby light is not necessary.

This window furnishes light for developing, which will be done upon the table, but none for the shelf below, where the sink is located and where the fixing tray should be kept (that there will be no danger of getting hypo into the developer). In order to have light for this shelf, you had better follow the scheme shown in Fig. 170. Cut an opening four by six inches in the work-table directly in front of the window, and make a half-inch rabbet around its upper edge to receive a five-by-seven camera plate (see Fig. 170).