Scripps College Logo

Close

About Scripps
At a Glance
  • Assessment and Institutional Research
  • Annual Financial Reports
  • WASC Reaffirmation Process
History
  • College Timeline
  • History of the Presidency
  • Scripps College Traditions
Initiatives
  • Centennial (Strategic) Plan
  • Diversity
  • Sustainability
  • Centennial Celebration
Our Campus
  • Scripps Merchandise
Administration
  • President
  • Board of Trustees
  • Senior Leadership
Claremont Colleges
Admission & Aid
Apply
  • First-Year Applicants
  • Transfer Applicants
  • QuestBridge Applicants
  • International Applicants
  • Homeschool Applicants
  • Veteran Applicants
Dates and Deadlines
Financial Aid
Visit
Why Scripps College
  • Scripps College Facts
  • FAQs
Contact Us
Academic Experience
Faculty
Majors & Minors
Academic Resources
  • Clark Humanities Museum
  • Department of Natural Sciences
  • European Union Center
  • Humanities Institute
  • Intercollegiate Feminist Center
  • Library
  • Registrar
  • Scripps College Press
  • Williamson Gallery
Post-Bacc Program
Research
Study Abroad
Life & Community
New Students
Creating Community
Leadership Center
Residential Vibrancy
Student Services
Contact Us
CARE@SCRIPPS
Career Planning & Resources
Title IX
  • Inside Scripps
  • Alums
  • Families
  • Careers
  • Giving
  • Events
  • Directory
Scripps Logo
  • Inside Scripps
  • Alums
  • Families
  • Careers
  • |
  • Giving
  • Events
  • Directory
  • About Scripps
    • At a Glance
      • Assessment and Institutional Research
      • Annual Financial Reports
      • WASC Reaffirmation Process
    • History
      • College Timeline
      • History of the Presidency
      • Scripps College Traditions
    • Initiatives
      • Centennial (Strategic) Plan
      • Diversity
      • Sustainability
      • Centennial Celebration
    • Our Campus
      • Scripps Merchandise
    • Administration
      • President
      • Board of Trustees
      • Senior Leadership
    • Claremont Colleges
  • Admission & Aid
    • Apply
      • First-Year Applicants
      • Transfer Applicants
      • QuestBridge Applicants
      • International Applicants
      • Homeschool Applicants
      • Veteran Applicants
    • Dates and Deadlines
    • Financial Aid
    • Visit
    • Why Scripps College
      • Scripps College Facts
      • FAQs
    • Contact Us
  • Academic Experience
    • Faculty
    • Majors & Minors
    • Academic Resources
      • Clark Humanities Museum
      • Department of Natural Sciences
      • European Union Center
      • Humanities Institute
      • Intercollegiate Feminist Center
      • Library
      • Registrar
      • Scripps College Press
      • Williamson Gallery
    • Post-Bacc Program
    • Research
    • Study Abroad
  • Life & Community
    • New Students
    • Creating Community
    • Leadership Center
    • Residential Vibrancy
  • Student Services
    • Contact Us
    • CARE@SCRIPPS
    • Career Planning & Resources
    • Title IX
Close
Search Scripps College
Scripps College > The Scripps College Press > A History Set in Type

Close

Section Menu

  • Home
  • About
    • Exhibitions
    • Scripps College Old Style
  • Goudy Lecture
  • Goudy Workshop
  • Publications
  • Contact Us
  • Follow us on Facebook!

A History Set in Type

The original Press

The Scripps College Press was founded in 1941 as an experimental typographic laboratory. The impetus to start a teaching press was provided by librarian Dorothy Drake, who encouraged the Class of 1941 to provide start-up funds for the Press. A new typeface was commissioned from renowned type designer Frederic W. Goudy for the Press’ exclusive use, and for the first six years students worked with only two sizes of this typeface on a Washington hand press under the expert instruction of printer and author Ward Ritchie.

Christy Bertelson (center), demonstrates the "hand printing process" for co-host Mary Armantrout and host George Fenneman, on KNBC and Channel 4's 'On Campus.'Christy Bertelson (center), demonstrates the "hand printing process" for co-host Mary Armantrout and host George Fenneman, on KNBC and Channel 4's 'On Campus.'Fine press printing and literature professor Joseph Foster ran the Press for the next 23 years, acquiring a Chandler and Price press and quantities of ATF and European foundry type in the process. When he retired in 1971, the Press went on hiatus until 1980 until master printer Christy Bertelson (right, center) took over and emphasized the making of individual books by students. Susan King supervised the Press for a year while professor Bertelson was on leave during the 1985-86 academic year.

In 1986 Kitty Maryatt became the director of the Press and instituted a new program of collaborative class books. Two letterpress books are produced each year by the Typography class. The class supported by the Press is entitled Typography and the Book Arts. Students from all five of the Claremont Colleges are allowed to attend under the premise that all students will learn the highest standards of typography and printing by publishing their own books. These neophyte students are asked to write on a given subject, make imagery, design the layout, hand set the metal type, print the book by letterpress and bind the edition of about 100 copies, all in one semester.

Book projects included BOUSTROPHEDON, inspired by the “Three Perfections” in Chinese culture: calligraphy, poetry and painting; SWEET & SOUR, about nice and not-so-nice characters who are asked to dialogue with each other; CALQL8R, concerning numbers and the typographic design thereof; OVERFLOW, all about water, utilising watercolor painting; SPEAKING in TONGUES, a book about secrets, written in eight languages; LIVRE DES LIVRES, a hand-painted book about art in the French style of the livre de peintre; and LIBRETTO, a book of imagery and stories inspired by music.

Sixty over Thirty: Bibliography of Scripps College Press Books details the sixty collaborative artists’ books produced by students under Kitty Maryatt’s direction. The book is available through Oak Knoll Press. Of the sixty collaborative, student books created since 1986, only four are still available for sale. The other fifty-six books are sold out. A complete list of books is available at the Press.

With 60 diverse and eloquent student-produced books under her belt, Kitty Maryatt retired at the end of 2015/16 academic year. During the summer of 2016, Tia Blassingame took over directorship of Scripps College Press. She aims to honor the rich history of the Press while looking toward the future.

About Scripps Visit Campus Request Info
Scripps college logo
1030 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 621-8000
  • Campus Map
  • Virtual Tour
  • Diversity
  • Centennial Plan
  • Employment
  • Scripps Merchandise
  • Emergency
  • Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
  • Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF)

The Claremont Colleges.

© Scripps College | Accessibility | Nondiscrimination Statement | Privacy