The IJA Newsletter

Passed Like a Hot Potato

 

Five years after the "Juggler's Bulletin" began publication, and a few short months before it ceased, the IJA began publishing its own "Newsletter," and thus began 32 years of uninterrupted service to the juggling community.

 

The reasons for launching a second publication while Roger Montandon' s "Bulletin" was still the official organ of the IJA were complex. A few reasons were touched upon in discussing the demise of the "Bulletin." Primarily, the IJA needed a more frequent and newsier vehicle to sustain membership interest and conduct the business of the organization.

 

The two complemented the other and it was thought there was little reason why both could not serve jugglers simultaneously, although events proved otherwise. The first issue of the "Newsletter," sent to members in the summer of 1949 inaugurated itself with the words:

 

Hello Jugglers:

At the Annual Business meeting held during rhe Convention in Jamestown, New York. it was decided to publish a monthly Newsletter to supplement the Jugglers' Bulletin published by Roger Montandon. This newsletter will carry mainly news items of interest to fellow members, and it is hoped that members may keep in touch with each other through its (their) current routes or playing dates. so that other members of the IJA can visit them.

The "Newsletter" contained mostly news of juggling sessions, visits among members, dates and places of working jugglers, notices of sick and convalescing members, address changes, obituaries, IJA business, announcements of conventions and officer reports. After the "Bulletin" stopped publication, more regular columns  were added by former "Bulletin" contributors. It also contained cartoons, bad puns, hand-drawn designs and generally carried a very informal style, like reading someone else's mail.

 

There was no set format to the "Newsletter," so it often changed with editorship. Some issues bore no date and the numbering of issues changed frequently. The cover design was often hand-drawn to depict seasonal themes. The "Newsletter" was actually renamed "Juggler's News" in August and September of 1951.

 

In the mid 1950's the mimeograph stencils were cut with an old typewriter that struck too lightly and whose a's, o's and e's were filled with dirt. Occasionally, it was produced with justified right margins. In later years, it was mimeographed on colored paper. Length of each issue depended on contributions and editors' time. In 1964 it reached 20 pages, but quickly fell back to 10 or less. In 1975 and 1976, it was folded, and toward the end was printed on glossy paper. There were stretches when it was sporadic, skipping months and arriving months late.