The First 80 Years: The Christian Science Monitor, 1908-1988

"I've tried to be a decent president for a decent people," says Theodore Roosevelt as Taft takes over . . . Emmeline Pankhurst finds her meeting on women's franchise canceled . . . Archduke Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated . . . World War I . . . Amelia Earhart flies Atlantic . . . the Great Depression . . . FDR and Churchill and Hitler . . . Mohandas Gandhi . . . the Marshall Plan . . . Israel launched . . . Stalin era ends . . . Korea . . . Sputnik . . . JFK . . . man on the moon . . . civil rights . . . Vietnam . . . Solidarity . . . the shuttle . . . 80 tumultuous years. History in the making - not looked back on with hindsight, but seen through the lively lens of that day's front page. The First 80 Years, The Christian Science Monitor 1908 - 1988 packs an unusual impact: It offers an instant "eye on the news" as well as a very particular range of vision. The Monitor was founded during the early years of this century with what remains a unique purpose: "To injure no man, but to bless all mankind." In contrast to the rampant yellow journalism of the day, it offered a clear, calm view of current events. Wholesome journalism; not Pollyanna, but not without hope, either; a professional eye trying to draw out the significant from the tangle of trivia. Its journalists reached for threads of understanding and perspective in an increasingly complicated world. Initially the Monitor's front page concentrated largely, though not exclusively, on local New England affairs. But soon, especially during and after World War I, it broadened its range to focus on the nation and the world - a focus that has sharpened ever since and can be seen throughout the pages of this book. Not surprisingly, this approach has brought it acclaim around the globe. It is read as avidly in Peking as in Peoria, In Moscow as in Minneapolis. Its [seven] Pulitzers and countless other awards simply confirm its professional standing; its influence on social, political, and economic issues has been far greater. It is part of the daily educational base of hundreds of thousands of Americans and others, breaking down barriers of background, culture, race, and ignorance. This brief look at the first 80 years offers a special appreciation for generations of the paper's journalists, as well as for the millions of readers who have made their efforts worthwhile.  205 pages