Christmas With Mary Alice Jones

Dr. Mary Alice Jones (June 23, 1898 - September 23, 1980) was a lecturer, teacher, and the author of dozens of books for children about the Bible, Jesus Christ, prayer, God...and Christmas which sold over 20 million copies and were translated into multiple languages. She held masters' and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University and Yale University and was a widely respected consultant for Christian children's education.

"Stories of The Christ Child" by Mary Alice Jones. Illustrations by Eleanor Corwin.
Published by Rand McNally & Co., 1953

Some of Dr. Jones' credentials that were usually published on the back covers of her books. 

She is best remembered today for her "Tell Me About..." series which began in 1943 while she was the children's religious editor for Rand McNally beginning in 1945. Many online sources do not have a complete biography of Miss Jones and creating one has been a goal of mine for some time. This year would have been her 120th birthday, and the 75th anniversary of her first children's book Tell Me About God, so now may be a special time to reintroduce her work online.

To research the life of Mary Alice Jones, I have built a small but growing collection of her works.
Some of Jones' books were made into audio-visual aids for school, home and church use. I was fortunate to have purchased a super-rare A/V filmstrip & LP record version of her book "Tell Me About Christmas".

Very rare cover box for the filmstrip and 33 R.P.M record for Mary Alice Jones' "Tell Me About Christmas". 

I am interested in learning more about Jones' work in radio and instructional technology, (a woman as educated as her has to have an archival collection out there) and there will be more writings about her to come.

Welcome to the Christmas Library 2018!

"Jack and Judy in Bibleland", December 24, 1948. Nationally published comic strip by Robert Acomb

About five years ago I read an interesting news article from 1994 about an all too obvious truth about broadcast media during the Christmas season. That scarcely any of the many Christmas specials on television acknowledge the birth of Christ as central to the meaning of Christmas. So with that in mind, I began researching radio and TV specials that focus on the Birth of Christ, compiling a list of media from television, radio, home video and even exciting programs from the Golden Age of Radio.

To find wonderful radio and TV special the acknowledge Jesus and the reason for the season, please visit the updated Christmas Library Guide, for the best in radio, television and film. This page will be updated daily.

Every December I have tried to post fun research finds related under the banner of the "Christmas Library" and hope to be more fruitful in December 2018. There will be posts on comic strips, music, instructional technology, radio and television ministries, and so much more to show many ways to tell the tidings of great joy of the birth Jesus Christ.

In the meantime, to find wonderful stories that give the reason for the season, please check out the revised Christmas Library Guide, and recheck it often for updates.

Classic Jack Hamm Cartoon: "Thankful Reflection"

This Jack Hamm Panel appeared Sunday, November 27, 1955 in the Austin American. The scripture comes from Psalms 22:4 "Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them".

Happy Thanksgiving!

Operation Christmas Child: Collection Week 2018

It is hard to believe that it is once again collection week for Operation Christmas Child.

"Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, works with local Christians in more than 100 countries to deliver gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need. The Greatest Journey is our 12-lesson follow-up discipleship course for children who have received shoebox gifts".

My wife and I packed our first shoebox two years ago and have looked forward to doing it again ever since. Were able to send 13 overseas last year and have far surpassed that this year. It gives us a lot of joy knowing that these packages can bring joy and hope to a small child and lead them to Christ.

National Collection Week is HERE and I want to encourage you to find a local packing center so you can touch the life of a child!

The following images are from the Operation Christmas Child website.

Shoebox Distribution in Moldova 

Shoebox Distribution in Zambia 

By Camel in Namibia 

Collection Center 

"Young People's Christian Library" Book Series

Over time in researching Christian radio, television and film, I do learn about book series and magazines. I now own a few of the digest sized "Young Reader's Christian Library" books which were published by Barbour Publishing in the 1980s to the early 2000s. Packed with illustrations, these books are mix of Bible stories, true stories of great evangelists, and great works of literature,

Four covers from three decades. The "Jesus" cover is at late 1990s edition. The "Pilgrim's Progress" on the top right is an early 2000s version, while the two on the bottom are 1980s versions. 

Titles include:
Samuel Morris
John Wesley, The Horseback Preacher
Jesus
David
The Pilgrim's Progress
Hudson Taylor
Corrie Ten Boom
In His Steps
Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace
D. L. Moody, The Great Evangelist
Abraham Lincoln
Ruth
David Brainerd
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Billy Sunday

Several of these titles are now available to borrow digitally from the Internet Archive:
"Young Reader's Christian Library at Internet Archive"

They can also be purchased used and new at various book dealer and would make for great gift for young readers for the upcoming Christmas season.

Classic Jack Hamm Cartoon: "Pillars of Strength"

Jack Hamm, "Pillars of Strength", November 15, 1958

In Remembrance and Celebration on National Patriots Day - September 11th, 2018. The scripture in this panel is from Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." 

Classic Jack Hamm Cartoon: "That Night Might Be Day"

"That Night Might Be Day" By Jack Hamm, distributed to newspapers for April 05, 1952.

The scripture used for this panel is taken from John 5:24, the words of Christ: 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life". (KJV)