Compton's Pictured Encyclopedia and Fact-index

“to inspire ambition, to stimulate the imagination, to provide the inquiring mind with accurate information told in an interesting style, and thus lead into braoder fields of knowledge, such is the purpose of this book.”

So reads the introduction to the complete set of illustrated encyclopedias I just purchased at the “Community Warehouse” on Interstate Ave. This is no tepid attempt at objectivity. these are truly opinionated entries.

Take, for example, “BORNEO, The Vast and Savage Island of the Dyaks,” or “LATIN, The Mother Tongue of the Civilized World.”

There’s also the deep racism and ignorance of 1949 America, as evidenced by “JERUSALEM: The Sacred City of Two Faiths.” (I guess Islam doesn’t fully register at this time.) Or the now unbelievable entries on “NEGRO” and “INDIAN, AMERICAN.”

Scans and review of the figures will follow.