tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post3628032188967479753..comments2024-03-28T11:09:49.882-04:00Comments on Great but Forgotten: Alice and Jerry BooksChuck Rothmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903706448043066253noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-84350978619903820992024-03-24T22:17:35.958-04:002024-03-24T22:17:35.958-04:00For anyone interested in teaching kids from A&...For anyone interested in teaching kids from A&J author Mabel O'Donnell's basal approach or reminiscing from this 1930s-1940s vintage perspective, O'Donnell also served as Consultant in Reading for The Basic Science Education Series first published in 1948. <br />These wonderful, evocative books bring back memories just like those evinced by her readers. I still remember detailed learning from them now, like the illustration of Butter-and-Eggs in the Summer is Here book. I spotted some of them while on a country walk a few decades ago. They'll probably be extinct soon if not already because people consider them to be weeds, as do farmers. It made me so happy to those miniature snapdragons with their flowers of soft yellow and orange. It's thanks to the Fall book that I know how to identify Blue Cohosh, and the constellation Pegasus.<br /><br />This four-book softcover series teaches kids about science through closely observing all of the aspects of nature transforming in each season. She repeats the identical structure in each book to build reading skills (e.g., a picture dictionary inside each front cover), along with scientific concepts: See, then touch the flora and fauna. Identify each by season, observe migration/hibernation, temperature ranges, the night sky, your shadow hinting at the changing angle of the Sun's rays, adult activities/work by season, kid's activities, and family/cultural celebrations to help anchor the knowledge.<br /><br />Watercolors illustrate these books in a style reminiscent in feeling to the A&J series, but the illustrators were not the Hoopes sisters, Margaret and Florence. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-19208659006103170992024-03-24T20:03:14.833-04:002024-03-24T20:03:14.833-04:00And I would also say that those older folks in Fri...And I would also say that those older folks in Friendly Village who taught, befriended, and guided Alice and Jerry may have influenced Mr. Rogers in his "neighborhood" approach to raising kids in a kinder and deeper way. The parallel A&J primer, Wishing Well, offered lessons or values to live by, also. (The characters in the parallel readers and primers are different, but the stories and illustration follow suit with A&J of course; Alice May and Peter are the characters in this book.) Captain Jerry, who owns an enviably big fishing boat anchored out in the harbor, takes Alice May out fishing in his book to teach the boys a lesson since they had dissed her, saying "Girls don't fish." He has Alice show them her catch next to theirs, and says "Girls catch big fish, they do." The boys "have nothing to say." And, of course, the Puritan ethic comes through clearly when Captain Mac tells Peter that if he wants to buy a toy boat like he did, the Wishing Well had taught him he had to work hard to get it; wish AND work." The books do have morals like bricks; you know, like that, "Crime doesn't pay, but hard work carries the day," approach to teaching values.<br />Finding that copy of The Wishing Well, and opening it to that watercolor in winter twilight on the first page of the last chapter entitled, Santa Comes to Gay Street, just took me right back to that moment in my childhood when I must have been stricken by the feeling that Christmas could be magical when I escaped into that Friendly Village world.Nannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-76862104841710386422024-03-24T19:34:25.443-04:002024-03-24T19:34:25.443-04:00Someone mentioned The Dimity Dress. What book was ...Someone mentioned The Dimity Dress. What book was that in? I would love to find it. I loved that story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-77353295144734534582024-03-24T03:51:04.956-04:002024-03-24T03:51:04.956-04:00This is amazing to see how many people love A&...This is amazing to see how many people love A&J books! I believe the watercolors of the Hoopes sisters were the biggest aspect that carried me away when I read them. They illustrated many, many books, and were business savvy, maybe having extra time and energy never having married nor having children. I grew up in South St Paul MN, starting school in 1957 when I was only 4 yrs. old because I was smart enough to pass advanced entrance tests, but know now I was so introverted and had already learned to read at four to escape because I was not socially skilled enough to be in kindergarten that early. Mabel O'Donnell, the author and educator who founded their reading series basis has a grade school named after her (even her first name, Go Mabel!) in IL, I believe. My home was no place for good memories and I lived for that first day of school every Fall so I could take home that reader and finish the whole book in one night to find out what happened to all the characters. I'm a bird lover so didn't care so much about Jip, but Mr. Carl's birds, Yeah! I loved the "It takes a village to raise a child" theme, and felt close to all those older single folks who paid such loving attention to Alice and Jerry. Just think how many there were: Miss Lizzy, Mr. Carl, Miss Betsy, Cobbler Jim, the Toy Mender, Mr. Andrews (the guy who owned the fruit store and delivered the milk with his horse Dolly and wagon), and maybe the guy who taught them to shingle his garage roof (notice it wasn't just Jerry, but Alice too). Thanks to this author, and the illustrators, I saw older women as role models in these books living independently in their own homes who were smart, valued, and visible members of society, not to mention vocal, and opinionated too. When I first came upon one of these readers in my 20s, I was so overwhelmed when I opened the book to the picture of snow falling in the house and yard in a pink and blue twilight. Reading the text about the snow falling and that Santa Claus was coming that night, I literally had to sit down right then and there and read that story. <br />I then bought, over the years, every one of these readers, including every paper companion workbook, soft cover pre-primers, and primers. Best of all, I have 2 complete sets of the big teaching posters that were given to the teachers. They're watercolors of them, e.g., Jerry pushing Alice in a go-cart, etc. with some including Kip. These books literally kept me alive, and the posters are matted, framed, and hanging in my bedroom where they still make me smile every day. I wish I could have thanked them in person for their gift to children and adults everywhere. I see they're still being reprinted and used in Canada! Florence, Margaret, and Mabel-- you may have passed on, but your heartfelt gift to children, and the child in everyone you reached--lives on! Many thanks, Nan<br />. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-49067396495996213962023-01-31T17:24:45.198-05:002023-01-31T17:24:45.198-05:00I learned to read in the mid-1950's with the A...I learned to read in the mid-1950's with the Alice & Jerry series at my elementary school in New Jersey. The school changed to the Dick & Jane series when my youngest brother (6 years younger) was there.<br />Apparently they are still available for teaching children to read!!<br />https://www.rainbowresource.com/category/9446/Alice-and-Jerry-Basic-Reading-Program.html<br /><br />I really loved the detailed illustrations of A & J compared to the simplistic Dick and Jane illustrations with their blank backgrounds. <br /><br />SusanSoozndhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11142668537987009071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-28069394158872459742022-11-02T17:03:30.596-04:002022-11-02T17:03:30.596-04:00OMG! The name Jip just came to mind. Alice and Jer...OMG! The name Jip just came to mind. Alice and Jerry! It's been said when a person gets old, memories from childhood come to mind. WOW! It's true. 😱Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-58827270877472445052022-09-10T16:26:56.460-04:002022-09-10T16:26:56.460-04:00I remember having those books in school in 1955.
I...I remember having those books in school in 1955.<br />Interestingly, I quoted 'run jip run' to a woman<br />online just yesterday. It was a funny context and<br />I won't bore you, but it just blew my mind that <br />Jip should pop into my ancient brain. Alice and Jerry<br />might have come, had I thought real hard and smoked<br />a great deal, but good on Jip was right on the tip <br />of my brain!FriPilothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17815347894868545590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-7477876414451004292022-08-09T01:09:12.806-04:002022-08-09T01:09:12.806-04:00We had Alice and Jerry books in elementary school....We had Alice and Jerry books in elementary school. The only thing I remember is “ run run run see Jip run “Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-20624957632448663542022-07-20T23:54:42.631-04:002022-07-20T23:54:42.631-04:00Dick and Jane get all the glory. When I heard a r...Dick and Jane get all the glory. When I heard a reference to those two little twerps, I knew that my school didn’t use them, but I couldn’t remember the names of the kids in my books. Google brought those names back. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-15117558967172852972022-05-16T12:00:44.836-04:002022-05-16T12:00:44.836-04:00I remember Alice and Jerry and Jip from NYC in 195...I remember Alice and Jerry and Jip from NYC in 1954.<br /><br />I must say, however, that I found the books tedious. I much preferred Looney Tunes comics and Uncle Scrooge. In fact, that's really how I learned to read: my grandmother read the talk balloons, and I followed along.<br /><br />Then, almost before I knew it, I was teaching literature at a large university.<br /><br />Go figure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-70467976888753538792021-10-09T07:38:07.661-04:002021-10-09T07:38:07.661-04:00I started school in 1948. Alice and Jerry and Jip ...I started school in 1948. Alice and Jerry and Jip were the books used in the St. Paul, MN schools. I loved the books and learned to read early and easily. I have always been a voracious reader and Majored in English in college and became an English teacher. I think the only problem with sight reading is that learning to spell was more difficult.Linda Haynes Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17293301376777518697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-71197343553844242172021-09-25T17:35:19.346-04:002021-09-25T17:35:19.346-04:00We used Alice and Jerry series in our public schoo...We used Alice and Jerry series in our public school in the early 1960's in North Louisiana. What I remember most was of course the little dog Jip, who apparently made the biggest impression on everyone. I also recall illustrations of colorful fall leaves which we had few of that far south. I think there was one where they harvested apples made candied apples. I was always hungry as a child, and those shiny red apples just looked so delicious. Another one in the series I think they went into the woods and tapped sugar maple trees and boiled it down to make maple syrup, and mixed it with snow to make snow ice cream. Again...set my little empty stomach to growling! Then later on in elementary school, it was great to travel around with the family in their camper, when they took a year off work and school.( Of course I broke the class room rules, read ahead, and finished it in one night, but kept my mouth shut about it!) At one point, the family in the story drove to Biloxi, Mississippi, and I was thrilled! In just a few years, my cousins moved to Biloxi, and I got to see the endless horizon of the Gulf of Mexico, for the first time. It looked just like the illustration in my reader! Great little series. Too bad they don't still use something like that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-17808932528387643862020-07-04T14:11:19.323-04:002020-07-04T14:11:19.323-04:00I too had The Alice and Jerry books in my catholic...I too had The Alice and Jerry books in my catholic school. I started 1st grade in 1962. Thank you for pointing the differences out between the series geared towards the catholic schools. None of these copies looked familiar and now I know why. I had trouble learning to read by the look and see method (whole language instruction). My teacher recognized this in me and fellow classmates. We were pulled for remedial reading (intensive phonics instruction) for half an hour every day. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14853516343826994579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-4955576824497596062020-06-10T10:03:46.350-04:002020-06-10T10:03:46.350-04:00I rememberthe reader,"If i were going" f...I rememberthe reader,"If i were going" from about 5yrs<br />old. Reading it took me to places Icould only dream of!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-81796624814414179092020-04-25T22:30:18.466-04:002020-04-25T22:30:18.466-04:00I have looked for the story The Dimity Dress for a...I have looked for the story The Dimity Dress for a long time. Any luck anyone has had? I don't remember which grade reader it was in. I went to parochial school.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-70085044904324074502020-04-19T11:05:55.479-04:002020-04-19T11:05:55.479-04:00Oh yes, I am so glad I found other folks that shar...Oh yes, I am so glad I found other folks that shared the experience of learning reading about Alice, Jerry and Jip. My 1st grade class started reading about them in 1953, not realizing we were learning a lifelong skill. I was in Mrs Thornton's class at Orange Street School in Jesup, GA. Look Alice, see Jip jump. Oh, that was the real Golden Years.Jerry Olen Moodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-3445919299651345462020-03-03T20:27:44.997-05:002020-03-03T20:27:44.997-05:00I have been looking for the dimity dress story.i h...I have been looking for the dimity dress story.i had David and Ann early readers in Catholic schools.how can I find that particular story?debbie clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01959111384960892426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-46507365153997602982019-10-29T12:02:24.088-04:002019-10-29T12:02:24.088-04:00I could only remember the books as "Alice and...I could only remember the books as "Alice and Jerry books" myself! As another person posted, I thought they were best friends as well and not brother and sister for some reason. I love the illustration of them sitting on the high hill above the town. Ahhh...such fond memories! Thank you for this blog!pammypieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03935408761746219998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-45396383061150848572019-08-29T18:51:45.715-04:002019-08-29T18:51:45.715-04:00As one other has said, I grew up in Columbus, Ohio...As one other has said, I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and started in 1958. I still remember "Friendly Village" and recognize the other titles when I read them, but the thing that stuck with me was the card illustrations that came with the books. The teacher would put a card on an easel that was 24"x36" and she had the watercolor illustrations for a few of the pages inside the book, one to a card. The end of summer, school starts, the windows are open and the breezes blowing and there is that beautiful child skipping down a walk in the dappled sunshine filtered through the greeen, green trees. We had serious phonics in 3rd Grade, but Alice and Jerry (and Jip! See Jip run!) were always there... and when my six-years-younger brother started with Sally Dick and Jane I had to wonder what was wrong with the system? How had it broken so badly?Caplingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17885222911166929210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-7346693483073348012019-06-05T16:59:07.200-04:002019-06-05T16:59:07.200-04:00I started first grade in 1940 and learned to read ...I started first grade in 1940 and learned to read with Alice and Jerry. Seems they were replaced by Dick and Jane . I don’t believe I knew then as brother and sister. I thought they were friends.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12542345137341215623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-23089633603556951602019-03-07T12:57:41.465-05:002019-03-07T12:57:41.465-05:00Starting in Jan., 1957, I went to Overbrook Elemen...Starting in Jan., 1957, I went to Overbrook Elementary (public) with Dick, Jane, and Sally, then to St. Rose of Lima with John, Jean, and Judy in the Cathedral Edition (both schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). In the Catholic school, we were eventually separated into 3 reading groups by making the slower groups read the same chapter over and over again so they could fall behind while the better group kept advancing to the next story in the Reader. The 1st 2 groups were Joseph and Mary, the slowest was "Baby Jesus".<br />I bought "Engine Whistles", copyright 1942, at the New York Museum of Transportation's book store, and was amazed at the continuity between the chapters - nothing like the readers I had been taught with.jimboylan2https://www.blogger.com/profile/02107009943866530505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-73661035647582231232019-01-23T10:57:23.245-05:002019-01-23T10:57:23.245-05:00I just found this. How wonderful. I did NOT know t...I just found this. How wonderful. I did NOT know that the stories that took place earlier in history were about Alice & Jerry's grandparents. My favorite was Singing Wheels. I have a copy of all the hard bound books, but when I started this series, 64 years ago, there were 4 paper bound books before we got to the New Day In & Day Out hardbound. Does anyone remember those? I would love to find them as well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14272364615289058166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-8648528239994554262019-01-13T20:40:30.829-05:002019-01-13T20:40:30.829-05:00I also loved the story about The Dimity Dress. It ...I also loved the story about The Dimity Dress. It led to a love of history and I do living history/reenacting as my hobby. I loved reading and still do. We had books with Jack and Janet not Dick and Jane. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-38467197012526732402019-01-05T22:21:55.457-05:002019-01-05T22:21:55.457-05:00I just Googled Alice and Jerry books. This site ca...I just Googled Alice and Jerry books. This site came up. I loved the stories and the illustrations in the Alice and Jerry books. We moved to a new house in the middle of 1st grade. It was in the same town, Upper Arlington Ohio, but the new school used the Dick and Jane series. Years later I found a few Alice and Jerry books in yard sales and it was like finding old friends. I showed them to my students when I taught 1st grade and often put them out on display for Grandparents Day. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2305571058310227787.post-63038143509765244972018-11-19T18:46:26.283-05:002018-11-19T18:46:26.283-05:00September 1960 Small town in Eastern Ontario.Grade...September 1960 Small town in Eastern Ontario.Grade 1 . I was introduced to Alice&Jerry as my first reader.I remember a paragraph that told about burying "truck" in the garden. In my little mind I'm thinking "Why would they bury a truck in the garden?"Come to find out later that "truck" was another word for garbage:) It was a great book to start out with. To this day I am a sucker for a good read. I turn 64 next Saturday . A good book has been a life long passion. My teacher's name was Miss McCrimmon. She rapped my knuckles with a pointer as I started writing with my left hand. Mind you..she only did that once! Still a lefty to this day!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01353708283950998738noreply@blogger.com