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Edited by Leon S. Stone
Australian Library Amateur Journalism
Dedicated (with Shillalahs behind our backs!) for the ‘Masaka’ of it, to Burton ‘Bad Boy’ Crane (‘De Joisey Lily’) Official Editor N.A.P.A.
(‘Masaka’ – Japanese for ‘The hell you say!’)
Corroboree*
IDLY turning over a postcard in my hand amongst other letters it sent an electric shock through me – ‘Hadley Smith Dead at 74’ read the gloomy headline. Dated March 22, signed by Burton Crane and Edna Hyde McDonald, the printed postal told the sad story.
Amateur Journalism’s greatest figure had gone. It didn’t seem possible. The ubiquitous Edwin Hadley Smith had an ageless, deathless quality about him. You felt as long as A.J. existed so would his magic name continue to electrify; his papers continue to startle; his peerless collecting work go on.
Hollywood’s favorite adjectives are the only ones capable of adequately classifying his world-famed collection and library of A.J. installed in the Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin Institute. Not even remotely approached in size, comprehensiveness and completeness (40,000 amateur papers, bound in over 200 volumes, dating back to 1750, from 23 countries, 1150 books, 2800 newspaper and magazine clippings, 2500 photos, 6800 relics, 17500 catalog cards), it is gigantic, terrific, colossal!
It put A.J. on the map as a big-time hobby. Inanimate, perhaps, but it will stand for all time as a vital, living memorial to Hadley Smith, A.J.’s most famous collector and preserver of our history. His historical research and records on file in his unique Boys’ Herald and Library News can never be equalled. ALAJ owes him a tremendous debt for invaluable assistance and donations. May Nita Gerner Smith carry on the good work.
* Australian aborigines hold Corroborees, which are ceremonial gatherings, get-togethers and conventions.
‘I greatly enjoyed your splendid Koolinda with all the history and data on Australian amateurs.’ – Clyde F. Noel, Washington, U.S.A.
Australian printing and advertising authority, Newspaper News, September 1943, had this to say: ‘Ye Wayside Press. Fine Pocket Editions. In these days when expert skill is so often subordinate to mechanical dictates, it is refreshing to receive from Ye Wayside Press (Hal E. Stone) several copies of pocket editions, which bear the stamp of fine craftsmanship.
Craftsmanship – the embodiment of a love of fine work – is exemplified in the production by wise selection of type and ornament and the combination of paper and ink tones. Presswork was carried out on an 8 x 12 platen. The harmonious selection of cover papers encloses a craftsman’s interpretation of the art of printing. The booklets are – ‘Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam;’ ‘The Bookshop Sage,’ by Len. D. Gilmour; and ‘Not Understood.’
Accolade of an Old Master! ‘You are to be complimented upon your publication, which stacks right up with the special issues being gotten out here and has a deal more interesting reading matter in it than some of them. The ‘Ragged Roman’ is quite an idea, and is a distinct novelty!’ Tim Thrift, Mass., U.S.A.
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Those two Esquire-ish boys, Burton Crane and Ora Stark, provided the most flippant literary frolics and gambolings seen in the ajay press for many years. Then Crane’s journalistic companion-in-crime dropped out.
Their light-hearted, light-headed, salty commentaries and stabs-in-the-back spiced up ajay affairs. Nothing so intriguing has been witnessed in the ajay Inky Way since Ralph Babcock, Hyman Bradofsky, Sheldon Wesson and Hadley Smith laid about each other’s skulls lustily with typographical shillalahs.
Only current thing to equal it is Edward Cole’s almost lyrical lambasting of Crane. Quite a shellacking, that!
Crane and Stark’s magazines lack only the stimulus of Varga Pin-up gals and risqué colored cartoons. They did their best to make up this deficiency with Crane’s ‘frisque’ poetical cavortings, aided and abetted by Stark’s smutty limericks. How about a revival ‘revival,’ Ora?
‘Koolinda is a beautiful job; text, typography, illustrations. I am delighted to have this fine magazine.’ – F. R. Batchelder, Connecticut, U.S.A.
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U. S. Army ‘Loot’ Ralph Babcock, and Aussie Air Force James Guinane are the only two ajays we have heard of willingly devoting one entire service leave to producing their individualistic magazines. Greater love hath no man!
Guinane’s mimeoed Churinga No. 2 is easily the most facile from his fluent and gifted pen he has yet created. He writes amazingly like a sage oldtimer. No more than 70 copies were run off; so it’s a collector’s piece.
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‘Received your beauitful Koolinda. A most agreeable surprise!’ – Robert Telschow. New Jersey, U.S.A.
Pte Morris Gerber and Sgt Tech John Miller (U.S. Army) both staged records. Gerber is first Yank ajay to publish an amateur paper on Aussie soil with six issues of his mimeoed Brochure. Miller is first Yank ajay to check in at the Stones, meet Aussie ajays; first to despatch V-Mail (Airgraph) editions of his Three Circles. Take a bow, boys!
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‘Thank you very much for your kindness in sending me a copy of Koolinda. The paragraphs referring to my father, the late Herbert Round, deeply moved me. I will value the journal very much.’ – Miss Lilias Round, Burwood, Virginia.
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Most notable ajay historical work, since Edward Cole’s scholarly Chapters of History, Burton Smith’s NAPA History, Charles Heins’s UAPA History, is Burton Crane’s Argumentative History in his Masaka. As an ajay researcher I fully appreciate the ‘sweat, blood and tears’ involved. So little of our history is so pungently recorded as Weary Years. Stars, Invisible By Day, Edwin Hadley Smith’s biography in March National Amateur is another distinguished and masterly effort from his pen. He is top ranking ajay historian biographer. Grab a halo, Burton!
Impeccable typography, flawless press work on Masakas 8, 10, 11, place it among six greatest ajay publications of all time. Just when Burton was treading on the heels of Old Maestro Tim Thrift he has to go and louse up his laurels with those awful color smears in No. 12. Too bad!
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‘I write you my rave of Koolinda. I like the type very much; the purple ink on lilac paper makes the cover look very attractive and professional. I liked that boy on the inside back cover. He looks like a favorite kid brother.’ – Willametta Turnepseed, Ohio, U.S.A.
‘Congratulations on the attractive and interesting first number of Koolinda. Keep it up.’ – Rev. J. Schlarb, U.S.A.
Paul Cook stages a classy come-back with his opulent and majestic 50 page tome The Ghost. Line up of contributing oldtimers is most impressive. Ethel May Stuart Johnston Myer’s (phew!) ‘Like A Voice From The Tomb’ and Ernest A. Edkin’s ‘Books That Debauched Me’ appealed most. Cook’s own commentary sadly missed.
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Walter J. Held’s Spectator (originally 1914 vintage) a beautiful back to the fold brochure. Great taste in typography, printing, paper, plus relishable reminiscent editorial ramblings, place it pronto in the Chosen Circle.
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Anthony Moitoret’s personally printed Tick Tock strikes a responsive reminiscent note, distinctive and timely. His newspaper ‘Suns’ were outstanding. A private press now allows him to continue activity with the popular brochure style. He is one of our leading ajay collectors.
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A CREATION of the nimble mind of Hal E. Stone, YE WAYSIDERS: ‘A Tribe of Literary and Art Enthusiasts, who are banded together for the purpose of Worshipping Nature, Loving the Beautiful and Breathing God’s Pure Air,’ came into being in Melbourne, 1905.
Foremost of the artistic creations were YE WAYSIDE GOOSE and YE KANGAROO. On these were: ‘Chief and Ink Waster – Hal E. Stone; Medicine Man – Martin C. Brennan; Historian – Fred J. Cousins; Printer and Designer – Phil Stone; Makers of Quaint Pictures – Frank L. Wilmot, Sam Goddard, Len Gole, A. Kirk.’ Imprint – ‘100 only of this Art Edition impressed and daintily prepared by Candlelight by Hal and Phil Stone at the home of the Waysiders.’
An Elbert Hubbard Roycrofter group in embryo, the magazines ran to 3-color covers, bearing the credit – ‘Designed and engraved on metal and printed by Phil Stone for Ye Wayside Goose, A Journal of Intelligence.’
Distinguished Aussie poet, Frank Wilmot (Furnley Maurice) received his initial poetical publication through the Waysiders. ‘The Three Cities,’ his first printed poem, appeared in Victorian Kangaroo, June-July, 1898. His first prose work was printed in his own amateur magazine, Microbe, from 1902 onwards.
‘Your very pleasant surprise carried me back forty years! While reading Koolinda I was lost in the past. Congratulations on script and production. I was co-contributor with Frank Wilmot in Louis Lavater’s magazine Verse. Herbert Round was responsible for my introduction to the Australian A.P.A. I contributed book reviews, articles, stories and verse to magazines and newspapers. I have very happy memories of Convention gatherings. Hal Stone certainly has a worthy successor in his son.’ – Miss Ellie Russell, Beecroft, N.S.W.
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‘Frank Munn is at this moment singing your Aussie song ‘Waltzing Matilda’ over the air. I have heard it several times and have grown to like it very much. Since you sent the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’ booklet I have read the poem and several others from it on my weekly radio program. I conduct the program right from my home, which I have not been out of in six years. Many called up to say they enjoyed these poems in particular. I told them where I got them, and who sent them to me. So, you see, you have also been on the air in the U.S.A.’ – Margaret Nickerson Martin, Michigan, U.S.A.
‘Freezette’ Thrift accuses Edna Hyde McDonald of being risqué in her Bellette. Tsk! Tsk! Never dreamed we’d see the day when Vondy would be arraigned on a morals charge! Must be that sophisticated ‘New Yorker’ atmosphere in which she dwells, or too many lunches with Burton Crane! (The number of times that guy is mentioned I should bill him for advertising!)
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Old Maestro faulters! Typographer extraordinary, Tim Thrift, in his 1943 Lucky Dog dropped a whole word out – line 9, page 20. When Tim blows up typographically that’s an ajay epoch! His own life story, ‘It Gets in the Blood,’ was enthralling. A beautiful issue marred by only this bad break and the 14-pt. Barnum heads and Maria Balle initials; neither of which appeal to our sense of type aesthetics.
‘Your handsome Koolinda was of absorbing interest. It is not only a distinctive journal in content, but in design and production. I have not received a magazine of A.J. that attracted me so much in a long while.’ – Walter J. Held, Calif., U.S.A.
Thrift’s ‘Warren J. Brodie: Man and Boy,’ in Summer 1944 Aonian, makes one of the most informative, fascinating and palatable pieces of ajay history-biography ever printed, plus exciting undercover Shillalah exposé. Thrift and Crane must be bracketed together as our two most talented writers, printers and historians. Summer Aonian is another remarkably distinguished issue. More and more its volumes constitute a second ‘Literary Cyclopedia of A.J.’
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‘With much pleasure and a great deal of surprise I received Koolinda. This is the first publication I have ever received from some country outside the U.S.A. Koolinda is a very fine publication.’ – Dorothy E. Jacobs, New Jersey, U.S.A.
With NAPA’s Ferdinand Backus cavorting strip-tease stuff with Scene-in-One, we’re waiting anxiously for somebody to go to work and sign up Gypsy Rose Lee to NAPA membership. Crane would be the ideal type for this work.
Now Gypsy is fully-fledged author of ‘G-String Murders’ there should be no trouble about her credentials – or would there?
Personally we would get a great kick in being able to exchange Koolinda with Gypsy Rose Lee. We always did go for Esquire. An edition of Strip Tease – Pu-leeze would make an ideal credential!
‘We felt greatly honored to receive a copy of Koolinda. More particularly in view of the limited issue. Koolinda has been read and re-read with ever mounting interest, not only of the subject matter, which surely is cosmopolitan in its outlook, but impressive also is the neatness and artistic arrangement.’ – Ken Smith, Washington, U. S. A.
‘Koolinda is a beautiful magazine. I shall take your paper to our Jack London Amateur Press Club and let the members see what our writers in Australia are doing.’ – Irma A. Gwin, Calif., U.S.A.
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‘Koolinda was very strikingly printed. The ‘Ragged Roman’ gave me a laugh. The blending cover and initial tints were very pleasing. In all a very high grade job and a paper which will be prized.’ – Pfc. Sheldon Wesson, U.S. Army, U.S.A.
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‘Your Koolinda is a nicely printed journal and the contents interesting. It was a pleasure to get the Australian ajay papers.’ – Burt Foote, Ohio, U.S.A.
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‘I was very glad to have Koolinda and enjoyed the contents. Years ago your father’s papers came to me. His earlier journals became mine through the gift of another. I have always prized them.’ – Edwin H. Cole, Mass., U.S.A.
‘Congratulations upon the artistic appearance of Koolinda. It certainly belongs to a top flight place amongst works of ajay art.’ – Ray Hutton, Minn., U.S.A.
‘Yankee Kangaroo, which you’ve been co-editing with Lieut. Burton J. Smith, of U.S. Air Force, is a grand job. Both Johnny Miller and Morris Gerber have written me in regard to your personal journalistic interests, talent and A.J. collection.’ – Pfc. Sid Cohen, U.S. Army, England.
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‘Koolinda is by far the finest journal that has come this way; a real work of printer’s art. Were it mine I know how proud I’d feel, so I assume you take great pride in producing it.’ – Tom L. Powis, Illinois, U.S.A.
Attention, Yanks! First-class (letter) mail to Australia, 5 cents; postcards, 3 cents. Mail constantly arrives from Americans minus sufficient postage. If in doubt ask your post office. This country is NOT spelt ‘Austrailia’ nor ‘Austrilia’ but AUSTRALIA.
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‘Glad to see you back with Koolinda. Hope you may continue. Now that both Coxhead and Round have gone my Australian friends are thinning out.’ – Geo. O. Billheimer, Penna., U.S.A.
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‘Thank you for sending Koolinda. I have given Arthur the copy. All my sons would have liked it. I often wish my dear husband was with me.’ – Mrs. R. G. Coxhead, Leichhardt, N.S.W.
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‘I was pleasantly surprised to receive Australian amateur publications. I had not known A.J. was so well entrenched in Australia. I hope it continues to flourish.’ – Ernest A. Edkins, Florida, U.S.A.
“I Dips Me Lid!”
A.L.A.J. Acknowledges
AMERICA – Ora E. Stark, 6 Scribblers; Alf Babcock, 14 Kats and Kittens; 90-years-old C. W. Smith, 13 Tryouts and personal photo; Dr. Clyde Noel, 40-year-old first issue Seattle Amateur; Gordon Rouze, 120 AAPA papers.
Ernest Edkins, copy Scarlet Cockerel; Roger Rush, complete files Rebel and Snark; Dr. Chas. King, complete files of Feather Duster and Toledo Spectator; P. F. McNamee, Memoirs booklet; Geo. Macauley, 12 O-Wash-Na-Tongs, 6 Pine Needles, booklets, relics.
Paul Cook, 7 autographed booklets, 2 Driftwinds, unique Christmas Card, printed on imitation Vermont tree bark!; Burton Crane, 200 ajays; Robert Telschow, 80 ajays; Fred Singleton, 19th Century Peep Show; American A.P.A. 16 American Amateur Journalists (per directors’ board); Chas. Bow, 6 Talismans; Russell Paxton, booklet.
CANADA – Wm. Gander, complete file Story Paper Collector.
ENGLAND – Cliff Russell, 33 B.A.P.A. papers; Cleeve Sculthorpe, Collectors’ Guide; Lawrence Warner, Writers’ World.
SCOTLAND – James Birbeck, complete file of his Collectors’ Miscellany.
NEW ZEALAND – Robert Barr, 100 rare American, Canadian and English ajays.
AUSTRALIA – Len Gilmour, 8 Ms. Ajays, original photo Australian A.P.A. Sydney, 1903 Convention; Morris Gerber (U.S. Army), 60 U.A.P.A. ajays, 9 different Service publications, complete file Brochure; John Miller (U.S. Army), 60 U.A.P.A. ajays.
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‘The name Koolinda alone is worth knowing. You’re certainly worth waiting for.’ – Rose Cohen Pollak, Wash., U.S.A.
‘I enjoyed Koolinda. There is something of interest on every page and makeup is excellent.’ – Mary Timmel, Kentucky.
KOOLINDA (Kangaroo) hops out of Ye Wayside Press (Hal E. Stone) when released at erratic intervals by its keeper, Leon S. Stone. Native habitat and bushland, Elgin Street, Gordon, New South Wales, Australia.
Hand-set in 12-point ‘Ragged Roman’ (making an unexpected reappearance by Popular Request for positively one repeat performance only), and printed one page at a time on an 8 x 12 Chandler and Price power platen (50 years old!). Edition, 250 copies.
Member
National Amateur Press Association.
United Amateur Press Association.
United Amateur Press Alumni.
American Amateur Press Association.
British Amateur Press Association.
Australian Legion Ex-Servicemen.
Australian Library of A.J. (Leon Stone Collection) – 10,000 amateur papers (from 1845); Australasia, 600; British Isles, 1100; U.S.A., 8200; Foreign, 41; 200 books; 150 photos; 500 relics. Established 1920; only A.J. Library in Australia.
A.L.A.J.’s special thanks and grateful appreciation to E. McC. S. Hill (President Australian A.P.A., 1902-4) for 150 rare and valuable Australian ajays, news clips, manuscripts, relics and 3 booklet