The Little Printing Press (AK, 1953-1957)

Place of Publication: Nome, Alaska

Frequency:  Unknown, 64 issues

Volume and Issue Data: July 15, 1953-July1957

Size and Format:  Handwritten and typed

Editor/Publisher:  Pamela Mandeville Mulvihill (eight years old)

Title Changes and Continuation:  The Little Newsprint

General Description and Notes:

According to the editor in notes written in 1975, The Little Newsprint was begun by Pamela Mandeville Mulvihill in Nome when she was eight years old.  Her mother, Ellen Mulvihill, did the typing and the ran the ditto machine.  Her mother committed the error in the title by changing the name to The Little Printing Press after the first issue.  Pamela did all the writing and dictated to her mother what she should type, including spelling.

The paper appeared irregularly for 64 issues untill about July, 1957.  The reason for starting the paper “has been forgotten,” but the author claims it was an “instant success.”

The Little Printing Press (AK, 1953-1957)

According to Mulvihill, she sold 100 copies for 1 cent each.  I never took tips.  After the paper had been typed and run off the night before (usually very late after many discussions over the news), she would attach her coin changer to her belt and go to main street early Saturday morning.  There was a regular route through various stores and offices which were her regular customers.  The drug store took several which they resold.

She had several regular subscribers throughout Alaska and a few “outside.”  Delegate Bob Bartlett was an occasional reader.  Out of towners were charged only the cost of the paper plus postage–5 cents at the time.  Ads were five cents.  News was collected by simply being a girl growing up in Nome; “I just kept my ears open!” (PMM, Dec. 16, 1975)

Information Sources:

Bibliography: None

Locations: Alaska State Library