Editions on the History of Alphabets for Students of the Book Publishing Industry

Abstract

Problems of literacy, correctness of speech, correction of errors in printed editions, which rose a hundred years ago, are relevant today. For the first time there are examined the textbooks published for students and professionals in book printing. The main substantive aspects of the article are the role and importance of these textbooks. At the turn of XIX-XX centuries in St. Petersburg there were several schools of book printing, where in the classroom the students got acquainted with the basic techniques of typesetting works. There was a need of publishing the special literature. The authors of textbooks have become school teachers. The article analyzes the following editions: R. Nippert «ABC Books of Eastern and Western Languages» (SPb., 1859), A.Serkov «Quick Start Guide for Compositors of Typographic Art» (St. Petersburg., 1861), G. Kerbach «Slavic Alphabet» (SPb., 1894), G. Schroeder «On the History of Alphabets» (SPb., 1896). Publications on the history of alphabets made an enormous contribution to the expansion of knowledge on book printing in Russia and formed the basis for the subsequently developed special educational literature on the art of typesetting, book printing and decorating books.