March 18, 1834 issue of The Sentinel
Manuscript newspapers were written by children and teenagers as school projects or as means to share their thoughts and opinions with their peers. These were written on blank paper or repurposed envelopes, either in ink or pencil, and sown or held together with a colorful ribbon. Many of them included original drawings, copied illustrations, amateur engravings, or complex calligraphy. They often copied the organizational style of printed newspapers, with recurring columns and sections. They were published monthly or semi-monthly, usually including an editorial, varied articles, and correspondence from contributors. Many of the newspapers were sold as single issues or yearly subscriptions paid in advance. However, many manuscript newspapers were instead read to a group of listeners since they had to be transcribed completely by hand.