Item description for International Library of Technology

International Library of Technology - Chemistry. (12 hardcover book set)

Author: Earl W. Kendall
Author: Herbert Winkel
Author: Hugh E. DeFazio
Author: F. J. Frattali
Editor/Collaborator: Morris Lawrence
Publisher: International Textbook Company Scranton, PA U.S.A. circa 1950

International Correspondence Schools (ICS) was founded in 1889 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by journalist and editor of the Mining Herald, Thomas J. Foster. Alarmed by frequent mine accidents, Foster advocated better working conditions and stricter safety regulations, which led to Pennsylvania’s adoption of the Mine Safety Act of 1885 and the requirement for miners to pass a safety exam. In order to help workers pass the new test, Foster began an advice column in the Mining Herald answering mine safety questions.

Unsatisfied with this solution, in 1889 he founded the Colliery Engineer School of Mines, the first distance learning institution in the United States. The organization changed names several times, finally settling on International Correspondence Schools of Scranton.

The mission of the school was to “provide practical men with a technical education, and technical men with a practical education.” To achieve its goal, ICS did not instruct its students by standard textbooks, which it believed often contained extraneous amounts of material and "demand[ed] too great a knowledge of mathematics and other subjects." Instead, ICS created its own specially prepared "Instruction and Question Papers," which provided exactly the information the student needed and questioned him only on that material.

ICS enrolled 3,000 new students in 1894 and, with the creation of a sales force, matriculated approximately 100,000 new students annually into the early 1900s. By 1900, one in 27 Americans had taken a correspondence course with ICS. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography states that it is “by far the largest single educational institution in America’s history.”

The International Textbook Company (ITC) was founded in 1895 by publisher Thomas J. Foster in Scranton, Pennsylvania. ITC published instructional papers, booklets, and textbooks for the International Correspondence Schools, as a subsidiary department of ITC. The textbook company and the school were dependent on each other since their founding.

Many men and women who didn't have the means for schooling past grade 8 in the first half of the 20th century can thank them for their vision. ICS and other later schools such as The American School of Correspondence, provided a way to gain practical knowledge so workers could better their earning potential without quitting work for 3–4 years.

The International Library of Technology was published by ITC. These books were bound volumes of the course materials for the more than 240 courses offered. These books were used and made available in at least 184 colleges, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Cornell University, and at least 649 public libraries. The set for sale covers topics in Chemistry from the International Library of Technology.

Each book is made of separate sections, called parts. Each part is numbered independently, starting at 1.

368B Inorganic Chemistry – I, by Hugh E. DeFazio. Part 1 serial 5560A, Edition 2 copyright1949, 1943; Part 2 serial 5560B-2, Edition 2 copyright 1950, 1943; & Part 3 serial 5560C-1, Edition 2 copyright 1950, 1944. vi + 65 + 67 + 58pp.

369B Inorganic Chemistry – II, by Hugh E. DeFazio. Part 4 serial 5560D-1, Edition 1 copyright 1944; Part 5 serial 5560E-1, Edition 1 copyright 1944; & Part 6 serial 5560F-1, Edition 1 copyright 1944. vi + 53 + 56 + 51pp.

370B Inorganic Chemistry – III, by F. J. Frattali. Part 7 serial 5560G, Edition 1 copyright 1944; Part 8 serial 5560H-1, Edition 2 copyright 1944; & Part 9 serial 5560I, Edition 1 copyright 1944. vi + 57 + 61 + 58pp.

371B Inorganic Chemistry – IV, by Hugh E. DeFazio. Part 10 serial 5560J, Edition 1 copyright 1944; Part 11 serial 5560K, Edition 2 copyright 1944; & Part 12 serial 5560L, Edition 1 copyright 1944. vi + 62 + 67 + 55pp.

372 Organic Chemistry – I, by Herbert Winkel. Part 1 serial 199A, Edition 4 copyright 1924, 1913; Part 2 serial 199B-1, Edition 4 copyright 1924, 1913; & Part 3 serial 199C-1, Edition 4 copyright 1924, 1913. iv + 38 + 62 + 58pp.

375 Qualitative Analysis, by Herbert Winkel. Part 1 serial 2059A, Edition 1 copyright 1926; Part 2 serial 2059B, Edition 1 copyright 1926; Part 3 serial 2059C, Edition 1 copyright 1936, 1926; & Part 4 serial 2059D, Edition 1 copyright 1926. vi + 50 + 48 + 52 + 49pp.

Hardcovers with navy embossed boards, gold lettering on spine, but no dust jackets. Books are extremely well-preserved. Exterior as new with square corners. Interior are tight, clean and unmarked. Open as if never read, no evidence of study or prior ownership, no shelf wear. Always privately owned. Fine (As New) condition.

Size: 12mo - over 6¾ - 7¾" tall, 1,943pp
Condition: Fine (As New) Hardcovers w/o DJs – Always privately owned.

Copyrights indicate the set was last updated in the early 1950s. Editions vary from 1^st to 4^th. Print codes are a 5 digit code that I didn't interpret. Made in U.S.A. No ISBN, LCCN nor MSR.

Notes on Condition/Edition ratings:

Fine – means like new, but any book produced over 10 years ago isn't “brand new” or even “new.” Booksellers needed some word to describe this...

Like New – A new book, no marks no damage (except maybe remainder marks or shelf-wear) except not obtained directly from the publisher or in packaging from the publisher.

Very Good – How you or I might take care of a book, closer to “as new” than standard. Might show ownership.

Good – How someone else might take care of a book. Also referred to as “standard.” This is the most likely condition for books of this age & title, shows the book has been read or previously owned.

Acceptable – How a child, student or a librarian might take care of a book. (Either trying to make sure someone doesn't steal it by plastering ownership everywhere, filled it with copious notes or a book that has been damaged.)

Poor – Combination of “acceptable” factors above. Most likely with water damage as well. Might have

missing pages (you should ask).

Near – Means “almost” in an optimistic sense. e.g., “Near Fine” means very good, but on the high end.

1^st Thus – Unique somehow, maybe 1^st paperback, new illustrator, misprint or even the 1^st edition. A collector

might desire this copy.

Thanks for looking!