Between the Covers

Hardcover. Quarto measuring 11¾” x 10”. Flexible leather multi-ring binder. Contains 20 mylar sleeves with 17 black and white and 9 color photos inserted both sides either over or adhered to a leaf of construction paper. An additional 4 photos laid in. News clippings, correspondence and other ephemera in sleeves and laid in as well. Photos measure between 3½” x 3½” to 7” x 5”. Album near fine with a few scuffs. Photos near fine or better with color photos faded and two photos lacking.

Album and Scrapbook Depicting Small-Town Radio Station's Toys for Tots program. Baytown, Texas: 1967. 11¾” x 10”. Flexible leather multi-ring binder containing 20 mylar sleeves with 17 black and white and 9 color photos inserted both sides either over or adhered to a leaf of construction paper. An additional 4 photos laid in. News clippings, correspondence and other ephemera in sleeves and laid in as well. Photos measure between 3½” x 3½” to 7” x 5”. Album near fine with a few scuffs. Photos near fine or better with color photos faded and two photos lacking.

An album likely owned by Jay Russel, a newscaster at Baytown Texas' Radio Station KWBA documenting his 1967 effort to get Christmas presents to underprivileged kids. Instead of raising money or asking for toy donations, he asked the citizenry to donate store bonus stamps. Local businesses got involved, others went door to door and the local high school's drill team, the Sterling Stars, hosted a party at the school on December 19th. Over 1,250,000 stamps were collected and 72 children received three presents each with over 500 gifts left over. Photos include men in the radio offices with copious quantities of stamps, party shots of the kids with Santa, as well as some of the drill team girls helping children or posing with toys. There are also over 100 different examples of the donated stamps, some of which are S&H Green Stamps. Also included are numerous news clippings, correspondence, and typescripts of broadcasts. There's a thank you note from a blind person as well as a request for toys from a 15 year old boy, with three siblings ten or younger, asking for presents as his family only gets “$82.00 a month plus what ever work, I can pick up after school, but its not even enough for rent and food . . .”

A nice collection of photographs and ephemera detailing the charitable contributions of a radio station.

Item #416096