Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 1040

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

2.4 linear feet (3 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Paul John Jones Philadelphia Evening Bulletin columns and short stories, 1933-1970, Ms. Coll. 1040, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1933-1970 (inclusive)

Creator:

Jones, Paul

Form:

Articles and Printed ephemera

Abstract:

Paul Jones (1897-1974) was a highly regarded newspaper columnist, author, historian, teacher and worldwide lecturer known for his expertise in history, language and world affairs. This collection contains the published columns of Paul Jones from his time at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as well as a few of his short stories.

Paul John Jones, eighth child of Thomas Shade Jones and Rose Coyle Jones, was born in Philadelphia on July 3, 1897. Paul Jones was a highly regarded newspaper columnist, author, historian, teacher and worldwide lecturer known for his expertise in history, language and world affairs. Paul graduated from Roman Catholic High School in 1915 where he was awarded the Mayor's Scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. Paul earned three degrees at the University of Pennsylvania: BA in English and French (1920), MA in French (1924) and a doctorate in French (1927).

Paul's studies were interrupted during World War One, when he took a leave of absence to serve in the US Army Air Service. Paul trained, then later instructed, at Princeton and at Kelly Field and Hicks Field, Texas. Paul Jones served as a pursuit plane pilot in the 213th and 138th Aero Pursuit Squadrons in France and Germany.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Penn, Paul Jones resided for a year in France. Later in 1921, Paul returned to the United States, where he was employed as a teacher and baseball coach at Temple University High School. In 1922, Paul began his graduate studies at Penn and his teaching career at Penn, focusing on Romance Languages. In 1924, Paul earned his MA in French from Penn and continued his teaching and studies. In 1925, Paul was awarded the University of Pennsylvania Jusserand Travelling Fellowship. In 1926, while residing in Paris, France, Paul Jones married Katharine McCahey, also a graduate of Penn, class of 1922.

In 1927, Paul received his PhD from Penn and authored "An Alphabet of Aviation." Paul Jones continued to teach Romance Languages at Penn until 1930, when he resigned his faculty position to concentrate on writing fiction for such notable magazines as the Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Liberty, the New Yorker, Readers Digest, and other national magazines.

In 1939, Paul Jones joined the staff of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as an editorial columnist, becoming a bylined columnist by 1945. Paul's column "Candid Shots" was highly popular, rated at over one quarter of a million newspaper fans, and was frequently reprinted by many interested organizations.

In 1941, while still working for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Paul Jones traveled to South America to serve as an exchange journalist. Paul's experience resulted in his appointment by the U.S. government to the position of Chief Consultant for the Office of Inter-American Affairs, working for Nelson Rockefeller as liaison to the countries in South America, from 1942 to 1945.

Paul Jones continued his teaching career by lecturing in journalism at Penn from 1946 to 1950, and instructing as a visiting professor at Villanova University, Immaculata College, East Stroudsburg University, West Chester College, and Pennsylvania University of Indiana.

In 1959, at the request of the U.S. Department of State, Paul Jones lived for four months in Vietnam, lecturing on journalism. Paul's lectures at the University of Saigon were especially notable. Paul also had the extraordinary opportunity to interview then President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, on May 23, 1959. During this time Paul also served as an exchange journalist for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.

In 1964, again at the request of the U.S. Department of State, Paul Jones traveled for three months to fourteen countries in Africa, lecturing on the American political system. Paul's formal talks and informal discussions about the United States' politics and policies were most effective in Senegal, the Congo, Guinea, the Camaroons, the Niger Republic, Madagascar, and the newly emerging African nations, where he appeared before University students, labor groups, high government officials and the foreign diplomatic corps. Paul's lectures at the American University of Cairo, Egypt were very highly praised.

In 1967, at the request of the U.S. Department of State, Paul Jones travelled to the Middle East for two months, delivering lectures on American foreign policy; most notable was Paul's interview with Jordan's King Hussein, which appeared in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.

In addition to his editorial columns and international work, Paul Jones was widely known and well respected for his scholarly research on both the Revolutionary War and the American Civil War. In 1962, Paul was presented the Bronze Plaque Award of the Lincoln Civil War Society of Philadelphia for distinguished writing on the Civil War.

In 1969, Paul Jones retired from the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin and published his book The Irish Brigade, a historical account of the American Civil War that highlights the accomplishments of enlisted Irish immigrants fighting on the side of the Union.

Paul Jones died October 9, 1974, at his home in Wynnewood, PA.

Biographical note supplied by donors of the collection.

This collection contains the writings of Paul Jones, mainly those from his time at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as well as a few of his short stories. Many of the articles are from his "Candid Shots" column and discuss a wide range of topics including politics, local and international news, and daily life. Jones appears to have been very interested in American, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia history, and many articles reflect those topics. There are also a number of articles documenting his work with the United States government in South America, Africa, and Vietnam.

The columns are listed alphabetically, but physically are maintained in the order in which they were arranged by the donors. Each column was given an item number and as a result, titles may be listed multiple times. A CD including scans of all the photocopied articles was included in the gift.

Researchers are advised to perform a keyword search in order to narrow the results from their search.