It turns out that before the late nineteenth century, magazines for children were not differentiated by gender. Both boys and girls read the children's periodicals such as Harper's Young People, Pepper and Salt and Youth's Companion, to name a few. A look into some volumes of Youth’s Companion from 1877, showed games and puzzles, features about royalty, politicians, world events and exotic locations. The serialized stories were almost always morality tales involving poor children, orphans or dead children. And often the story revolved around a child teaching an adult a lesson. Consider this passage from an 1877 volume of Youth’s Companion: Marshall is a ten year old boy. His family has been wronged by a Mr. Hogan. Marshall had this exchange with his parents:
“The more fault you!” said his father. “After that man’s treatment of you and all of
us! I’m ashamed of you, Marshall!”
But now kind-hearted Mrs. Morrison seconded her son, and said, -“For the sake of his poor wife and children, Philip! Think how we should feel if you were hurt in that way. And consider – what I have heard you say many times – that it isn’t Mr. Hogan himself, but the bad spirit which drink has put into him, that does these things.”
As for Seventeen Magazine, no such equivalent existed back then.
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