Personal Recollections; Sixty Years of Book Publishing
New York: A. S. Barnes and Company, 1942. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. [2], 77, [3] pages. Frontis illustrations. Illustrations. Cover stained with some wear. Inscribed to Lt. Col. Ivan L. Bennett, with heartfelt gratitude, and affectionate regarding John Barnes Pratt April 1942. This is believed to have been inscribed to future Chaplain (MG) Ivan L. Bennett served as the 8th U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains from May 28, 1952, until his retirement on April 30, 1954. During World War II, Gen. Bennett served as chaplain at Southwest Pacific Headquarters and as chief chaplain of U.S. Army Forces in the Far East before being appointed chief chaplain of U.S. Forces in the Pacific in June 1945. He was appointed chaplain of the Far East Command in Tokyo in 1949, and, in 1952, he became Chief of Army Chaplains, a position he held until retiring in 1954. He also served as United Nations Chaplains during the Korean conflict. CH Bennett served a dual role as the Far East and U.N. Command Chaplain, supervising nearly 270 chaplains representing a variety of nations. In 1940, Gen. Bennett completed work on a revised Army-Navy Hymnal. He was instrumental in designing a metal hymnal carrying case for use in the field. John Barnes Pratt also published a book on hymns. In the Spring of 1882, at the age of sixteen, Pratt found it necessary to earn his own living. On his father's advice, he sought employment in the Personnel Department of the Young Men's Christian Association. Since his uncle was A. S. Barnes, of A. S. Barnes and Company, the author was appointed to the position of assistant receiving and shipping clerk. The author's wages were small, and there was little opportunity to learn much about printing and binding, for his duties consisted of packing and shipping the many and varied school books published by the Company. In three months, he was transferred to the store in New York, where his duties consisted of going to the post office three times each day for the mail. In due time, he was promoted to second mail clerk and soon after, to head of the mail department. By 1886 he had made considerable progress, and had become familiar with the publications of the house and the manner of their distribution A large number of agents, located at strategic points, were employed to introduce into the schools the various textbooks published by the Company. The addition of the employees of the Kellogg Company, the expansion of the Company's publications in the textbook field and the resulting expenses necessary to their promotion and sale produced a very heavy demand on the resources of the concern, and by 1909 the prospect of successfully "carrying on" was exceedingly dubious. The author suggested to Mr. Barnes that they form a stock company to take over the books only, making the best possible disposition of the periodicals. The policy of the new organization was to continue and enlarge the line of textbooks known as the "New Barnes Writing Books," as well as "The New Barnes Readers." During 1910 Mr. Barnes, whose health was failing, withdrew from active connection with the Company, and his death occurred on January 12, 1911. Drastic reductions in expenses were made. Toward the close of 1918 it became apparent that the business could not continue under its present arrangement, and a change was necessary. In the spring of 1919, John Pratt began business as sole owner of A. S. Barnes and Company, re-established as a private firm. He rented a little corner office in the building at 30 Irving Place from some friends, kept his own books, and employed a stenographer. There were only seventeen titles on the list of publications in the field of Physical Education, in addition to six hymnals. He built the business back up from that. Condition: Good.
Keywords: Publishing, Ivan L. Bennett, Army Chaplain, Hymnal, Mail Room, Book Binding, Textbooks, Sales, Printing, Kellogg, Magazines, Advertising, Entrepreneur, Business Management
[Book #82716]
Price: $100.00