1971-young-companion-issues

One of our readers recently came across some issues of the Amish publication Young Companion, dating to the early 1970s, at a local thrift shop. He’s offering the two issues pictured above in our latest giveaway.

I’m calling it a “retro” giveaway, but as a look at the contents shows, most of the subject matter would probably be just as appropriate today.

young-companion-in-this-issue

A little background first. Young Companion is a publication with an interesting history. It is one of Pathway Publishers’ three monthlies, along with Family Life and Blackboard Bulletin.

As we learn in “Amish Publishing and Old Order Identity”, Karen Johnson-Weiner’s contribution to The Amish and the Media, it began in 1966 as Ambassador of Peace, with an intended audience of youth doing alternative service in lieu of serving in the armed forces.

your-company-tells-on-you

Alternative service wasn’t military service–but it had its own concerns, as youth worked away from home for extended periods in cities (for instance in hospitals as orderlies) and were subject to the influences of those environments.

Karen tells us that in 1971 Ambassador of Peace became Young Companion to reflect its more general nature as a magazine for young people.

in-this-issue-yc-1971

Today the publication focuses on helping youth deal with adolescent struggles and challenges and helping them to make the right choices to be better Christians.

A recent issue covers topics including difficulties when family doesn’t approve of a significant other, dealing with feelings of inferiority, and whether it’s suitable to participate in fireworks celebrations on July 4th.

blush-easily

If you’d like to have a chance to win these 40-some-year-old issues, simply leave a comment below, and we’ll do a random drawing.

And if you’d like to subscribe to the current-day publication, you can find out how here (see the info listed for Family Life; a Young Companion subscription costs $9).

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