1919 - 1920  (Not In My Collection)

The Department of Interior - Bureau of Education sponsored and National Geographic Society prepared publication began Oct. 6, 1919. It was intended to supplement the information teachers had to expand student knowledge of the World we were increasingly involved in after WWI. 1919 issues were printed on one side of the pages, stapled at the top, and were 6" x 13 ½".  Jan, 5, 1920 became double-sided, 6" x 9 ½" (aprox.), and were still top stapled. Index pages, when included were announced periodically on the front contents section.

1920 Bulletin #1...(May 10)...

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

National Geographic Society began publication of 30 issues per school year.  They replaced the Dept. of Interior heading with their mission statement and the size remained the same.

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

A rather notable picture. (note title had changed to Geographic News Bulletins on Oct. 19, 1925). The mission statement has been expanded.

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National Geographic School Bulletin List and those for sale 

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With this issue, the title changed to Geographic School Bulletins and was still used on each odd page and on article titles.  

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Stapling at the top fold was changed to light glue to keep the pages aligned.  All bulletins were designed to be separated for use and display, which was encouraged.  Complete copies are scarce for that reason. Note the solicitation to buy war bonds.

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

Note the "s" is missing from "bulletins".  This and the next (Oct. 14) issue were the only two printed this way in this era...it reverted back thereafter. Use of Headings on inside pages was discontinued. The header format changed.

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

Historic photo included here simply for it's odd caption in light of today's knowledge.

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The Header format changed and excluded the mission statement.

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The Header format changed and added the gray stripe and logo.

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Inclusion of an index for every 10 issues twice a year started here.  The total annual index was in issue #30.

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The first color was used on the cover and on titles and maps inside.

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The first color tint used on the cover and limited color titles inside.

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Ahhh...the first yellow on a cover and on the back with tinting inside. Also, beginning with #1 of this Vol. (1958) the roman numbers were changed to Arabic!  The stripe at the bottom was for notification to renew.

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The Logo was removed in favor of a globe...note the gray was interchanged with color issues. This issue had no color inside either.

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A rather distinctive cover design with the subject (Maya) announced on the front.

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

Experimentation with this horizontal layout was short lived.

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This is the first left folded issue which was still produced using the Black and White. The Vol. # was moved to the rear cover. (bummer)... staples were used again for a time.

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This is the first 4 color printing used in an issue of school bulletins.

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This issue incorporated the change to an elliptical title. The size was reduced by the amount shown as a black stripe at the bottom.

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This issue has the change moving the Vol. # to the inside front cover. This further complicates the ability to physically sort the issues.

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National Geographic School Bulletin List and those for sale 

This is an issue dedicated to Middle America.

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This is a Special Issue on cliff dwellers.

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The title ellipse changed shape and the inner border accent was added.

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This cover of this issue is the distinctive composite used on the binders for school bulletins and was a cover for the World Traveler.

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National Geographic School Bulletin List and those for sale 

This is the first issue with a blank space on the rear cover where an address label could be pasted for mailing to the recipient.

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This is the first issue found which contained a small ad for a National Geographic publication. It was for the book "Greece and Rome"

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This is the 50th Anniversary issue (counting from 1919 when DOI issues started).

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This issue contained an ad for the World Traveler first issue and contained information about the many learning disabilities and numbers of affected children in the US for which the new publication was designed.

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National Geographic School Bulletin List and those for sale 

This issue has a title change and the square logo was added.

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This is the Oct. 1964 through May 1970 Index to the School Bulletins.  This is a rare collectible.

Click on Pic to Enlarge (Courtesy, Bob Simpkins)

This Special Pollution Issue is actually designed to fold out to a large classroom poster on the subject.

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This is the last issue after over 56 years of this publication.  It proudly announced it's successor (World Magazine) without apology. (see layout below).

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National Geographic School Bulletin List and those for sale 

1975

This is the page layout in the last  Bulletin issued showing a promotion for the succeding World Magazine.

  (In the Issue)

I have two of these binders with 30 Bulletins each (school years 1966 to 1967) and (1967 to 1968) complete.  Bulk priced at $125 each.