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MaryM
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In the picture book memories thread, I just mentioned a book I found from my childhood. It has sent me on a search for more info about this little series and the publication history.
I mentioned in the other thread that in my copy the title page was mostly ripped out so I had do search to find more author/publisher, etc. and in doing so have discovered a publishing arm within Western Publishing Group, who did the Golden books with Simon and Schuster eventually purchasing all the shares. In searching the archives only one of these "A First Book for Little Catholics" books seems to have been mentioned in the past (St. Christopher has been mentioned by the Aussies), though I'm wondering if you have run across them, Jenn. It seems right up your alley.
This series "A First Book for Little Catholics" books published by Simon and Schuster/Western and the Catechetical Guild Educational Society. Western Publishing purchased Guild Press, Inc., a publisher of Catholic books, religious greeting cards, and gift wrap in the early 1950s which seems to have then become the Catechetical Guild Educational Society. Fr. Louis Gales had founded the Catechetical Guild Educational Society in 1942, to publish comic books. He is the author of several of the "A First Book for Little Catholics" I found, so they all seem to be tied together. I also find Fr. Gales' name linked to Leaflet Missal Company and Catholic Digest. Wish I could find a clear history of it all.
Here are some examples of the "A First Book for Little Catholics" books. This Flicker site has the whole Saint Therese book uploaded. It is precious!
I've been trying to find out more about this Catholic branch of the publishing giant (Western/Simon & Schuster). Is anyone familiar with it? Have you seen some of the other titles. I think we might have had the My Guardian Angels (Mary Stromwall) one when I was little, but I can't find an image on line to see if I recognize it.
Are St. Paul Catechetical Guild Educational Society and just Catechetical Guild Educational Society the same thing?
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MaryM
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I also wanted to mention Catechetical Guild Educational Society had other small picture books which weren't part of this particular series as well as the comic books. It looks like there are some books/comic books that have been republished by current publishers - though I hadn't connected any of these together before. And I see you have mentioned those here in one old thread, Jenn. So what else do you know about them? Are the books you are familiar with the pre- or post- purchase by Western/Simon & Schuster?
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Erin
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Mary
One of my favourite topics 
Okay I'm blessed to have both books you mention 
Looking on the back of St Christopher's there is a whole list, some mentioned on the site you linked to.
The blurb says, First Books for Little Catholics are designed to present the truths of the Catholic faith to the young child in easy to understand words and colorful pictures.
List is:
St Joesph
St Paul
St Therese
St Peter
Good Manners in God's House
I want to be Good
Our Lady's Medal
St Christopher
My Day with Jesus
The Infant of Prague
The Story of St Francis
A First book of Poems
A First Book of Prayers
Our Lady of Fatima
First Picture Dictionary
First Holy Communion
A First Book of Saints for Boys
A First book of Saints for Girls
My First Missal
A First Book About Saints
My Book about God
My Guardian Angel
Hail Mary
The Ten Commandments
I Believe
My Little Missal
Let's Pray
My Confession
A First Life of Christ
The Rosary
First Bible Stories
On the back of the St Therese book are pictures and descriptions of "Punch Out Books"
Exciting colourful activity Books. These large (10"x14") sturdy paper books contain dozens of full colour punch out figures easily assembled to form inspiring decorative tableaux for home or school. Children can create three dimensional shrines, reconstruct biblical scenes visualize stories of the saints even set up an entire sanctuary.
Wow!!
Books include:
St Joan of Arc
Children of the Bible
Our Lady of Fatima
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Town where Jesus Lived
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Celebration of the Mass
Kateri Tekakwitha
Animals of the Ark
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Erin
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Just found another copy I was sure I had, First Holy Communion. My favourite!
Back cover says the books are available from your parish pamphlet rack, through your regular book dealer or on direct order from Catechetical Guild
These books are all published in the 1950s, imprimatur by Cardinal Spellman of New York. The First Holy Communion was also published in Canada by the Musson Book Co. Ltd. Toronto
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
| I've been trying to find out more about this Catholic branch of the publishing giant (Western/Simon & Schuster). Is anyone familiar with it? Have you seen some of the other titles. I think we might have had the My Guardian Angels (Mary Stromwall) one when I was little, but I can't find an image on line to see if I recognize it. |
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I'm familiar with some of the works, Mary, but not all the intricacies of how they worked together. It seems around 40s-60s (I'm brushing a broad stroke because I can't pinpoint) there seemed to be various large publishers that would have a Catholic division. Perhaps it was the demand, the insistence that an imprimatur must be had before Catholics could or would buy these books, so I find readers, music books, and children's books with a "Catholic version". It's a fascinating part of our Catholic American history.
But even today there are Catholic divisions, like Image Books of Doubleday. And some larger presses distribute small presses books, like Ignatius Books partners with a few.
I have the Guardian angel book. It has an angel with wings outstretched walking behind a boy wearing a red shirt and walking his dog, walking the right direction (instead of left, like many pictures).
I have four of these titles in original form, and then the Neumann Press reprints of some of the titles. They are dear and wonderful. But the reprints are much more sturdy than the older versions. The binding is quite delicate.
MaryM wrote:
| Are St. Paul Catechetical Guild Educational Society and just Catechetical Guild Educational Society the same thing? |
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I think they are one and the same. I don't think there was a St. Paul Catechetical Guild Educational Society. Do you have something to show for that? CGES was based in St. Paul, so sometimes bibliographies would write: St. Paul: Catechetical Guild Educational Society.
The copyright and publishing information is quite interesting. I have books from 1954 and 1957.
Copyright Arts and Writers Guild Inc and Catechetical Gild Educational Society.
Printed by Western Printing and Lithographing Company, Published simultaneously in canada by the Musson Book Company, Ltd. Toronto or Palm Publishers.
Only My Guardian Angel book has a little different information. My version is copyright 1954, but the imprimatur is from 1957, and it says "Guild Press, Publishers"
And "Distributed by Golden Press, New York." but it continues the above information of copyright and printing.
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
| I also wanted to mention Catechetical Guild Educational Society had other small picture books which weren't part of this particular series as well as the comic books. It looks like there are some books/comic books that have been republished by current publishers - though I hadn't connected any of these together before. And I see you have mentioned those here in one old thread, Jenn. So what else do you know about them? Are the books you are familiar with the pre- or post- purchase by Western/Simon & Schuster? |
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Yes, the next step up from "For Little Catholics" was a "Young Catholics" series, which we had a few of these books. They have the same imprint with imprimatur, copyright, and printed in as the Little Catholics ones. I have My Mass Book in original edition, and grew up with the Rosary one. I think I have that but can't find it right now. I have a reprint of The Seven Sacraments.
"Little Catholics" I would say would be preschool to 2nd grade age, then "Young Catholics" would be 2nd to 4th-5th grade age? Just my guesstimate.
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MaryM
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So Erin, how many of the little books do you have? I had found a pretty substantial listing of books similar to the one you posted here, and you don’t find many of them available anywhere. And the one I have A Child’s Home is not listed in that list.
Western Publishing - was the parent company for so many specialty publishers. If you read that Golden Legacy book you see how many different smaller publishing names they used - sometimes when they bought out a company or when they started a new one just for printing purposes. I know that in the publishing industry there is still that element, but they seem to have taken it to an art form in the 40-50’s. I’m trying to figure out who was connected to who. All the Guild ones seem to be generally the same just using variations on the name to distinquish them slightly and maybe delineate a specific line of the Catholic published books.
I’m sursprised you two haven’t mentioned more of these books and raved - only those few passing references, so I feel really late to the game though I am rediscovering a piece of my childhood.
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
I’m sursprised you two haven’t mentioned more of these books and raved - only those few passing references, so I feel really late to the game though I am rediscovering a piece of my childhood.
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I think it's only been pretty recently where I've felt more comfortable mentioning out-of-print books here.
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JennGM wrote:
| CGES was based in St. Paul, so sometimes bibliographies would write: St. Paul: Catechetical Guild Educational Society. |
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That's right, one of mine has that info
JennGM wrote:
The copyright and publishing information is quite interesting. I have books from 1954 and 1957.
Copyright Arts and Writers Guild Inc and Catechetical Gild Educational Society.
Printed by Western Printing and Lithographing Company, Published simultaneously in canada by the Musson Book Company, Ltd. Toronto or Palm Publishers.
Only My Guardian Angel book has a little different information. My version is copyright 1954, but the imprimatur is from 1957, and it says "Guild Press, Publishers"
And "Distributed by Golden Press, New York." but it continues the above information of copyright and printing. |
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This is the sort of information I have too, each slightly differ.
MaryM wrote:
| So Erin, how many of the little books do you have? |
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Just the three I mentioned, Sts Christopher and Therese and First Holy Communion.
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Christine
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We have two of these books, My Confession for Little Catholics and Saint Bernadette: A First Book for Little Catholics. They are very sweet. The Confession book was published in 1953 copyright Artists and Writers Guild, Inc., and Catechetical Guild Educational Society, St. Paul, Minnesota. The Imprimatur was given by John Gregory Murray, Archbishop of St. Paul, September 12, 1952. Saint Bernadette was published in 1957 and has the same copyright. It was distributed by Golden Press, New York. The Imprimatur was given by Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, May 15, 1957.
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JennGM
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I didn't mention the ones I have. I have to say you ladies are making me want to track down the First Confession and First Communion ones for this year.
I have:
My Guardian Angel
Hail Mary
St. Paul
My Book About God.
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I hit the jackpot this Friday. A booth at the antique mall had 3 of these little books for 50 cents each.
One that isn't listed here is A Child's Home by Esther Wilkin, pictures by Irma Wilde, 1962.
I'm in love with the text. I'm surprised Esther didn't illustrate herself, but it's still lovely.
Since I couldn't find a copy online, I just had to share the text:
Home is where you are wanted.
It is where everyone lives
who loves you the most.
Home is where you learn to say
your morning prayer...
to thank God for another day,
and ask Him to bless all you do.
Home is where you learn to dress yourself
and put your toys away.
It is where you learn to say
"please" and "thank you."
Home is where your things are...
your games and books,
and the little white stones
you found on the beach.
Home is where you learn to thank God
for everything He gives you.
(The illustration here is the family around the table making the sign of the cross for the Blessing before Meals.)
Home is where you invite your friends
and offer them cookies.
You let them play with your toys.
Home is where you have your birthday cake.
You try to blow out all the candles
with one big blow,
and everyone sings "Happy Birthday to You."
Home is the place you go back to
after school or play.
Sometimes your mittens are wet from the snow
and your hands are cold.
Mother rubs them warm again
with her own soft hands.
Home is where cousins come,
and grandmas and grandpas
and uncles and aunts, too...
for the birthday of the little Lord Jesus.
Home is where everyone has fun together
around the Christmas tree.
Home is where you say your prayers
at night and ask God to bless you
and everyone you love.
Home is where you are wanted.
It is the place you love best.
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Oh, silly me! I just went back and saw that this is the very same book MaryM mentioned!
MaryM wrote:
| Another book I found at my parent's house, which unfortunately is not in great shape (title page torn - so I could not see an author and had to do some digging - and back cover torn off) is A Child's Home. This is such a sweet little book which I had totally forgotten but which brought back very sweet memories. It is like the small "Tell-a-Tale" books several of us have mentioned or the Golden books. The thing about this book it is clearly Catholic - so it wouldn't exactly be a part of those series. It shows a family going through everyday activities but includes Catholic imagery and traditions (like sign of cross at meal time, crucifix on wall) - all just a natural part of life. |
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See, we have great tastes!
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stellamaris
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That is lovely, Jennifer! Maybe someone will reprint that...it looks like a gem!
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MaryM
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JennGM wrote:
Oh, silly me! I just went back and saw that this is the very same book MaryM mentioned!
MaryM wrote:
| Another book I found at my parent's house, which unfortunately is not in great shape (title page torn - so I could not see an author and had to do some digging - and back cover torn off) is A Child's Home. This is such a sweet little book which I had totally forgotten but which brought back very sweet memories. It is like the small "Tell-a-Tale" books several of us have mentioned or the Golden books. The thing about this book it is clearly Catholic - so it wouldn't exactly be a part of those series. It shows a family going through everyday activities but includes Catholic imagery and traditions (like sign of cross at meal time, crucifix on wall) - all just a natural part of life. |
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 I was just going to post this, as I remembered that it was that book that started this whole thread. So happy for you to have found a copy. I would love to find a replacement for the one I have since as I mentioned it has some torn pages.
JennGM wrote:
| See, we have great tastes! |
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See, I knew you would love it!!
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TxTrish
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There are a whole bunch of these for sale right now on etsy.............
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: A First Book for Little Catholics series
