The children included in the Historic Children's Voices collection wrote in their newspapers about many different subjects relating to their daily lives. These include education, morality, animals, nature, and religion, among others. Examples of this are two Maine manuscript newspapers, one before and another after the Civil War. The Maine Reform was co-written by Lucy J. Howard and Caroline Eastman in 1858 and The Skowhegan Clarion was written by Charles Miller Coburn in 1867. Both newspapers try to copy the style of papers and opinion pieces written by adults, while at the same time including details about their own personal and school lives and activities.
The Maine Reform
Lucy J. Howard (ca. 1843- ) and Caroline Eastman (ca. 1841- ) lived with their families in Maine during 1858. They wrote a newspaper together, likely as a school project. They discussed their school life and activities, morality, religion, and their personal lives. They also wrote short poems, writing exercises, puzzles, games, jokes, and parodies. In a notable article, titled "My Kitten," the contributor describes all the adventures and everything they enjoy about their beloved pet.
Before the Civil War, Maine's economy revolved around lumber and agricultural development. Lumbermen searched for pine and spruce in the Maine forests and sent the wood floating down rivers towards sawmills established near waterfalls. Shipbuilding was an important industry in Maine due to the abundance of timber. Textile mills moved from Massachusetts to Maine, joining the other important industries in the state, including shoemaking, granite quarrying, brickmaking, and pulp and papermaking. The increase in industry also caused an expansion of transportation networks, primarily railroads connecting the various towns and cities to the larger regional and national networks. Despite this industrial development, Maine remained a largely agricultural state before the Civil War, with most of the population living in small villages and towns.
The Skowhegan Clarion
Charles Miller Coburn (1860-1882) lived in Skowhegan, Maine with his parents and four sisters. His father, Stephen Coburn, had been a teacher and principal, a lawyer, and an U.S. congressman, and was the brother of famous Maine Governor Abner Coburn. The Coburn family was prominent in the politics and business of the town of Skowhegan and the state of Maine.
Charles was 7 years old when he wrote his newspaper. He lived a comfortable life while growing up in a wealthy and well-known family. He likely attended Dudley's Corner School House in 1867. Charles copied bible verses and nursery rhymes, and wrote about winter and Christmas, animals, his family, and the transatlantic cable for his newspaper. He enjoyed drawing and included many drawings in his newspaper, notable one of an elephant. He also included jokes, puzzles, short poems, and advertisements.
By the mid-19th century, the town of Skowhegan had developed into a busy mill town, with various mills including a paper mill, sawmill, two flour mills, and a wood pulp mill. The Somerset and Kennebec Railroad first reached the town in 1856. Farms produced mainly hay, potatoes, wheat, and wool. During and after the Civil War, many farms in Maine grew increasingly mechanized due to lack of manual labor. The bustling town went towards the 20th century with a strong industrial base.
Suggested Classroom Questions and Activities
- How would a child's newspaper be different from an adult's newspaper? What are some of the different things they would write about?
- What would you choose to write about in your own newspaper? What are some important events that you would include?
Ask your students to design and write their own newspaper. How would they organize it? What events, news, or stories would they include? Would they write about their school life, their personal life, or an imaginary life? What subjects would they write about (technology, fashion, health, etc.)? What opinion pieces would they include? Or would they write about local or school news and events? What title would they chose for their newspaper?
(CCSSI W2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section. CCSSI W2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section. CCSSI W2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.)
To extend this activity, have students design advertisements, write poems and/or puzzles, and draw original or copied drawings for their newspapers. Additionally, have students come up with a motto for their newspapers.
(CCSSI SL2.5 Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.)
To add on, have students "publish" their newspaper by scanning it, printing out copies, and giving them to their classmates. Alternatively, they can also read aloud their newspaper in front of the class. Then have students write "letters to the editor" for each other's newspapers with their thoughts and opinions, or with something they would like to add.
(CCSSI W2.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. CCSSI SL2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.)