The Children's Newspaper
Encyclopedia
The Children's Newspaper was a long-running newspaper published by the Amalgamated Press (later Fleetway Publications) aimed at pre-teenage children founded by Arthur Mee
in 1919. It ran for 2,397 weekly issues before being merged with Look and Learn
in 1965.
as a part-work between 1908 and 1910, the title was immediately relaunched as The New Children's Encyclopædia. This new edition, published in monthly parts from March 1910, added a supplement in September 1910 entitled The Little Paper which carried news stories of interest to children. This idea was expanded by Mee into the 12-page, tabloid-sized 'Children's Newspaper' which debuted on 22 March 1919, priced 1½d.
Subtitled The Story of the World Today for the Men and Women of Tomorrow, the paper epitomised Mee's values and reflected the editor's twin faiths of Christian
ethics and the British Empire
. Mee believed that children could be guided to better, more creative lives through education. His aim for the Encyclopaedia was to give the nation's children a firm grasp of subjects such as history and geography and practical. The Children's Newspaper was designed to keep young people up to date with the latest in world news and science.
At its peak, The Children's Newspaper sold 500,000 copies a week. Following Mee's death in 1943, Hugo Tyerman took over the editorial reins. Sales began to fall after the Second World War
as rival publications, notably the Eagle
, Junior Mirror and Junior Express, began to appear. It was not until the mid-1950s that The Children's Newspaper began to modernise, adding features on television and sports and including interviews with popular sporting personalities.
In January 1962, Fleetway Publications launched the educational weekly entitled Look and Learn
. The black and white Children's Newspaper suffered by comparison and despite attempts to attract a teenage audience by adding a column for girls and a 'Pop Spot' featuring photos of popular singers and groups, sales continued to slip. The Children's Newspaper came to an end on 1 May 1965 after 2,397 issues.
In November 2004, the rights to the magazine were purchased by Look and Learn Magazine Ltd. who began posting issues for viewing or downloading on their website in April 2007.
Arthur Mee
Arthur Henry Mee was a British writer, journalist and educator. He is best known for The Harmsworth Self-Educator, The Children's Encyclopaedia, The Children's Newspaper, and The King's England...
in 1919. It ran for 2,397 weekly issues before being merged with Look and Learn
Look and Learn
Look and Learn was a British weekly educational magazine for children published by Fleetway Publications Ltd from 1962 until 1982. It contained educational text articles that covered a wide variety of topics from volcanoes to the Loch Ness Monster; a long running science fiction comic strip, The...
in 1965.
Background
Following the successful publication of The Children's EncyclopædiaThe Children's Encyclopedia
The Children's Encyclopædia was an encyclopædia originated by Arthur Mee, and published by the Educational Book Company, a subsidiary of Amalgamated Press of London. It was published from 1908 to 1964. Walter M. Jackson's company Grolier acquired the rights to publish it in the U.S...
as a part-work between 1908 and 1910, the title was immediately relaunched as The New Children's Encyclopædia. This new edition, published in monthly parts from March 1910, added a supplement in September 1910 entitled The Little Paper which carried news stories of interest to children. This idea was expanded by Mee into the 12-page, tabloid-sized 'Children's Newspaper' which debuted on 22 March 1919, priced 1½d.
Subtitled The Story of the World Today for the Men and Women of Tomorrow, the paper epitomised Mee's values and reflected the editor's twin faiths of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ethics and the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Mee believed that children could be guided to better, more creative lives through education. His aim for the Encyclopaedia was to give the nation's children a firm grasp of subjects such as history and geography and practical. The Children's Newspaper was designed to keep young people up to date with the latest in world news and science.
At its peak, The Children's Newspaper sold 500,000 copies a week. Following Mee's death in 1943, Hugo Tyerman took over the editorial reins. Sales began to fall after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as rival publications, notably the Eagle
Eagle (comic)
Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
, Junior Mirror and Junior Express, began to appear. It was not until the mid-1950s that The Children's Newspaper began to modernise, adding features on television and sports and including interviews with popular sporting personalities.
In January 1962, Fleetway Publications launched the educational weekly entitled Look and Learn
Look and Learn
Look and Learn was a British weekly educational magazine for children published by Fleetway Publications Ltd from 1962 until 1982. It contained educational text articles that covered a wide variety of topics from volcanoes to the Loch Ness Monster; a long running science fiction comic strip, The...
. The black and white Children's Newspaper suffered by comparison and despite attempts to attract a teenage audience by adding a column for girls and a 'Pop Spot' featuring photos of popular singers and groups, sales continued to slip. The Children's Newspaper came to an end on 1 May 1965 after 2,397 issues.
In November 2004, the rights to the magazine were purchased by Look and Learn Magazine Ltd. who began posting issues for viewing or downloading on their website in April 2007.