Page Layout ⇒ Catchwords

[jpeyton]

Salutations to all.

I’ve been using LaTeX for quite a while now, and have been quite pleased with the results. I have a question that is not about getting something necessary to work, but rather about a particular feature that I’d like.

Before the eighteenth century printers placed a catchword at the foot of a page. This catchword—which would be the first word on the next page—was aligned right, set just below the last line on the page.

Catchwords were a printers’ convenience, because it would help them get the pages in the right order. However, it also helps the reader, and I would like a method of implenting them myself.

How would one create a package or macro that would automatically add catchwords? I imagine it wouldn’t be difficult, but I have no experience with creating my own macros.

[gmedina]

Hi, and welcome to the board!

This seems like a job for the fwlw package; take a look at the following simple example:

Code: Select all

\documentclass{report}
\usepackage{fwlw}
\usepackage{lipsum}% just to generate automatically some text

\pagestyle{NextWordFoot}

\begin{document}

\lipsum[1-20]

\end{document}

The package documentation can be found in the file fwlw.sty itself.

[jpeyton]

Thanks for that! Adding the following to the preamble helps with fancyfooter:

Code: Select all

\usepackage{fwlw}
\fancyfoot[RO]{\vskip-24pt\hfill\copy\NextWordBox}

By substituting ‘plain’ for ‘NextWordFoot’ in fwlw.sty, I made the plain page layout produce the catchword. How can I get the catchword 24 points higher, as with the fancy layout?

In addition, I’m getting a couple bugs. \thispagelayout{empty} is not taking effect, and the first chapter begins on page 2 with page 1 blank after the table of contents.

[gmedina]

...By substituting ‘plain’ for ‘NextWordFoot’ in fwlw.sty, I made the plain page layout produce the catchword...

That's not a very good idea. It's better to do those modifications in your .tex file.

...How can I get the catchword 24 points higher, as with the fancy layout?

In addition, I’m getting a couple bugs. \thispagelayout{empty} is not taking effect, and the first chapter begins on page 2 with page 1 blank after the table of contents.

What document class are you using? Please post here a reduced compilable version of your document and give us a more detailed explanation so that we can get an idea of what you are trying to achive.

[jpeyton]

...By substituting ‘plain’ for ‘NextWordFoot’ in fwlw.sty, I made the plain page layout produce the catchword...

That's not a very good idea. It's better to do those modifications in your .tex file.

I'm not quite sure how to do that. Could you help with that?

...How can I get the catchword 24 points higher, as with the fancy layout?

Actually, this brings up the broader question that I would like to know the answer to: How can I get the footer to appear just one line below the text (so that if the footer took up a whole line it would look like another line of text)?

In addition, I’m getting a couple bugs. \thispagelayout{empty} is not taking effect, and the first chapter begins on page 2 with page 1 blank after the table of contents.

What document class are you using? Please post here a reduced compilable version of your document and give us a more detailed explanation so that we can get an idea of what you are trying to achive.

I'm using the book class. I'll send the file when I'm at my other computer, but for now I would like find the answers to the other questions.

[gmedina]

In the meantime, the code below could give you some ideas. I used a new custom length to place the footer as you required (the code contains explanatory comments). I also redefined the plain page style to behave as the fancy page style; of course, this modification will affect every page that internally used the plain style (first page of each chapter, ToC, LoF, LoT, etc.).

Finally, I didn't fully understand the problem with the first chapter and the table of contents; I used the openany class option, perhaps that's what you needed.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[openany]{book}
\usepackage{fwlw}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage{lipsum}% just to automatically generate some text

% a new length used to place the catchword
\newlength\mylen
% assign to the new length the value \baselineskip-\topsep-\footsep
\addtolength\mylen{-\footskip}
\addtolength\mylen{-\topsep}
\addtolength\mylen{\baselineskip}

% definitions for the fancy page style
\fancyhf{}
\fancyfoot[RO]{\vskip\the\mylen\hfill\copy\NextWordBox}
\renewcommand\headrulewidth{0pt}
\pagestyle{fancy}

% the plain page style will behave exactly as the fancy page style
\makeatletter
 \let\ps@plain\ps@fancy
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\clearpage

\chapter{Test chapter}
\lipsum[1-20]

\end{document}

[jpeyton]

All right, I did the suggestions. Here's my trimmed-down file (still a bit long, but the details may be necessary).

Here are my remaining questions:

(1) How can I get the first page of each chapter to have no header, and the footer number centred directly below the last line?

(2) Similarly, how can I get the footer (catchword) of a fancy page directly below the last line, even with an underfull vbox?

(3) What is with the blank on page 1? I can understand a blank verso so the book begins on an odd page, but I don't get why the right page would be blank.

(4) Why does \thispagestyle{empty} not work with the two book-specific titles?

[gmedina]

Some questions:

1) Your chapters must always start on an odd-numbered page?

2) The first part of a chapter should also contain a catchword if it occurs in an odd-numbered page?

[jpeyton]

Some questions:

1) Your chapters must always start on an odd-numbered page?

2) The first part of a chapter should also contain a catchword if it occurs in an odd-numbered page?

1) No, I would like the chapter to “open any”; however, I do not want a blank odd page before a chapter begins.

2) Yes, my intention is to have catchwords on all odd-numbered pages, regardless of whether the odd-numbered page begins a chapter. (Of course, if the even-numbered page following begins a chapter, there would be no catchword.)

[gmedina]

The code below includes the modifications needed. Basically all I did was to replace some \newpage commands with \clearpage or some of its variation, to redefine the plain page style and to redefine the \mainmatter command to suppress that problematic blank page.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[titlepage,openany,11pt]{book}

\usepackage[papersize={5.5in,8.5in},top=66pt,bottom=60pt,left=51pt,right=51pt,bindingoffset=0pt]{geometry}
\linespread{1.15}     % Leading to ease reading
\raggedbottom         % Looks better with underfull vboxes

\newlength\catchword % Sets a new length for positioning the catchword
\addtolength\catchword{-\footskip}
\addtolength\catchword{-5pt}

% Customizing the header and catchword
\usepackage{fancyhdr, fwlw}
\fancyhf{} % Clears default header and footer
\pagestyle{fancy}
\setlength{\headheight}{18pt}
\fancyhfoffset[LE,LO,RE,RO]{0pt}
\renewcommand{\headrule}{\smallskip \hrule width\headwidth height\headrulewidth}
% Adds the catchword to the bottom right corder of fancy style
\fancyfoot[RO]{\vskip\the\catchword\hfill\copy\NextWordBox}

\fancyhead[LE,RO]{\thepage} % Makes page number appear in top corner of each page
\fancyhead[CE]{Harvey Newcomb} % Displays author on left page
\renewcommand{\chaptermark}[1]{\markboth{#1}{}} % Sets the chapter mark for marking the right page
\fancyhead[CO]{\itshape\lowercase{\leftmark}} % Displays chapter on right page

% Redefinition of the plain style (first page of chapters, of ToC, etc.)
\fancypagestyle{plain}{%
  \fancyhf{}
  \fancyfoot[C]{\thepage}
  \fancyfoot[RO]{\vskip\the\catchword\hfill\copy\NextWordBox}
  \renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
  \renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}}

% The following command is for making titles,
% with parameters for title, subtitle, author and other
\newcommand{\titlo}[4]{
  \clearpage{\thispagestyle{empty}\cleardoublepage}
	\begin{center}
	~
	\vskip 60pt
	{\bfseries\Huge #1}

	{\Large\itshape #2}

	\vskip 16pt
	{\Large by}

	\smallskip
	{\bfseries\huge #3}

	{\Large #4}
	\end{center}
}

\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0} % Disables section numbering

% Redefinition of mainmatter to avoid an additional blank page
\makeatletter
\renewcommand\mainmatter{%
    \clearpage % default: cleardoublepage
  \@mainmattertrue
  \pagenumbering{arabic}}
\makeatother
  
\begin{document}

\frontmatter

% Main title page

\begin{titlepage}

	\begin{center}
	~
	\vskip 48pt
	{\bfseries\Huge How to be a man}

	{\Large A book for boys, containing useful hints\\on the formation of character}
	
	\vskip 48pt
	{\bfseries\Huge \textsc{How to be a lady}}

	{\Large A book for girls, containing useful hints\\on the formation of character}
	\end{center}
	
\end{titlepage}

\clearpage{\thispagestyle{empty}\clearpage}

~
\vfill
This is where the copyright information goes.
\vskip 36pt

% Title page for first book -- this volume is a compilation of two books

\clearpage
\titlo{How to be a man}{A book for boys, containing useful hints\\on the formation of character}{Harvey Newcomb,}{Author of the ``Young Lady's Guide,'' etc.}

% Preface for first book

\chapter{Preface for boys}
``\textsc{Who} reads a preface?'' Many do not, but jump at once into the middle of a book. But it is well to know something about a book, before reading it; and who so likely to give you information respecting the contents of a book as the Author himself? I wish to see the youth of my country come forward upon the stage of life, models of excellence, with characters formed for the times in which they are to act. How much influence my book may have, in securing such a result, I cannot tell; but my design in writing it has been, to contribute something toward forming the character of some of those who are to be our future electors, legislators, governors, judges, ministers, lawyers, and physicians,---after the best model; and, from the kind reception of my former attempts to benefit American youth, I trust they will give a candid hearing to the few hints contained in the following pages. It is intended for boys,---or, if you please, for \textit{young gentlemen},---in early youth, from eight or ten to fifteen or sixteen years of age. It covers substantially the same ground occupied by a work for girls issued simultaneously with it; and some of the chapters are identical in the two books, while others are entirely different, and some partially so. It is the hope of the Author, that every one who reads it, will strive to \textit{be a man}, in the highest sense of the term.

% Title page for second book

\clearpage
\titlo{How to be a lady}{A book for girls, containing useful hints\\on the formation of character}{Harvey Newcomb,}{Author of the ``Young Lady's Guide,'' etc.}

% Preface for second book

\chapter{Preface for girls}
``\textsc{Preface}! I never read a preface, it's \textit{so prosy},'' said a bright-eyed, spright\-ly little girl;---``I want to get at the story.'' Her object in reading was \textit{to be amused}. If she had desired to be benefited by what she read, she would have perused the Author's preface, in order to understand why he wrote the book. The ``Young Lady's Guide'' was intended for a class of females, who have attained some degree of maturity of character, and who are supposed already to have entered upon a religious life. The success of that work has led the Author, for several years, to contemplate the preparation of another, for a younger class of females. Having daughters of his own, and having been many years employed in writing for the young, he hopes to be able to offer some good advice, in the following pages, for girls or misses, between the ages of eight and fifteen. His object is, to assist them in forming their characters upon the best model; that they may become well-bred, intelligent, refined, and good; and then they will be \textsc{ladies}, in the highest sense. This book covers substantially the same ground occupied by another work for boys, issued simultaneously with it. Some parts of both are identical; while other parts are entirely different. If it shall be the means of benefiting one immortal mind, the Author will be abundantly rewarded.

\clearpage
\tableofcontents
\clearpage{\thispagestyle{empty}\clearpage}

% The first two chapters

\mainmatter
\chapter{On childhood and youth}\vskip-18pt
\section{The great elm}
\textsc{In} one sense, very young persons are apt to think too much of themselves---in another, not enough. When they think they know more than their parents and teachers, or other elderly people, and so set up to be \textit{bold} and \textit{smart}, then they think too much of themselves. It used to be said, when I was a boy, that ``Young folks \textit{think} old folks are fools; but old folks \textit{know} young folks are fools.'' Although I would be very far indeed from calling you \textit{fools}, because you have already acquired much knowledge, and have the capacity for acquiring much more, yet, with reference to such knowledge as is acquired by \textit{experience}, and in comparison with \textit{what there is to be known}, there is ``more truth than poetry,'' in the old adage. But, when young people suppose it is of no consequence what they do, or how they behave, \textit{because they are young}, then they do not think enough of themselves. Should you see a man riding with a little stick for a whip, you would not think his stick worth your notice at all; but the biggest tree that ever I saw grew from a little willow stick that a man rode home with, and then planted in his garden. You have sat under the beautiful shade of a great elm-tree; and when you have looked upon its tall, majestic trunk, and its great and strong branches, with their ten thousand little limbs waving gracefully before the wind, you have been filled with admiration and delight. ``What a mighty tree!''\ you say; ``I wonder how long it has been growing.'' But the seed of that tree, when it was planted, many years ago, was nc bigger than a mustard-seed; and if you had seen the little tiny sprout that your grandfather was tying up with so much care, when it was a few years old, you would have wondered that a man should think so much of such an insignificant twig. But, if he had let it grow up as it began, without any care, it never would have been the stately tree it is now. That was the most important period in its life, when it was a little twig. It began to lean over, and grow crooked and ugly. If it had not been trained up then, it would have continued to grow worse and worse; and, after it had grown to be a tree, it could not have been straightened at all. Now, you are, in some respects, like this little twig. You, too, have just begun to be; and now your character is pliable, like the young tree. But, unlike it, your being is to have no end. Instead of growing a few hundred years, like a great tree, you are to live forever. And every thing that you do now must have an influence in forming your character for your whole being. In this latter sense, you cannot think too much of yourself; for you are the \textit{germ} of an immortal being.

\section{Little things}
Did you ever stand by the shore of a placid lake or pond, in a calm, sunny day, and throw a little stone into its smooth, silvery waters? Did you observe how, first, a little ripple was formed around the place where it struck, and this was followed by a wave, and then, beyond, another, and another, till the whole surface of the water was disturbed? It was a very little thing that you did; and yet it agitated a great body of water. So it is with childhood and youth; the most insignificant action you perform, in its influence upon your character, will reach through the whole period of your existence.

\section{Manliness}
It will not do for you to say, ``It is no matter how I behave now; I shall do differently when I am a man.'' ``But would you have a little boy act like a man?'' Not exactly. I would not have him affect the man, and appear as though he thought himself a full-grown gentleman. I would not have him imitate the \textit{toad}, which undertook to swell to the size of an \textit{ox}, and in the operation burst open. But, I would have him \textit{manly} in his childishness. I would have him courageous, to meet difficulties, noble and generous in his feelings and actions, and courteous in his manners, always, in all companies, and in all places, behaving in a manner becoming a person of his age. A well-bred boy, who knows what is becoming and proper, and carries it out in his behavior, is already a \textit{gentleman}. But the mischievous, rude, unmannerly lad, who pays no regard to propriety of conduct, will never be a gentleman. And a boy who has the courage to face difficulties, and the energy and perseverance to accomplish what he undertakes, is already \textit{a man}; while the indolent, cowardly, \textit{``I can't''} boy, will \textit{never be a man}. It is my desire, in this book, to lead you to the formation of a solid, energetic, manly character, combined with true gentility of manners; and then you will be both a \textit{man} and a \textit{gentleman}.

\section{Being ladylike}
It will not do for you to say, ``It is no matter how I behave now; I shall do differently when I am a lady.'' What you are while you are a girl, you will be when you become a woman. ``But, would you have a little girl act like a woman?'' Not precisely. But I would have her act \textit{like a lady}. Not to put on airs---not to put herself forward, and take the place of a woman before she is big enough to fill it---not to feel above labor, and despise those who perform it---not to look down with scorn upon every thing that is common---not to treat with contempt those who cannot dress as well as herself, or who have not seen so much of \textit{style and fashion}. Those who behave so are \textit{pseudo-ladies}. A \textit{true lady} would despise such meanness. To \textit{be a lady}, one must behave always with propriety; and be civil, courteous, and kind, to all. To treat any human being with rudeness, would show a want of breeding of which no \textit{lady} would be guilty. But the romping, roisterous miss, who pays no regard to propriety of conduct, will never be a lady. You will not, however, misunderstand me. Do not suppose that I would have you dull and mopish, never manifesting any gayety of spirit or playfulness of conduct; but, in all these things, I would have you behave with strict regard to propriety.

\section{The fairy world}
Very young persons sometimes live in an \textit{ideal world}. What they imagine in their plays seems real. They have a little fairy world in their minds, in which they live more, and take greater delight, than they do in what is real and true. To this I do not object, within certain bounds; but often it becomes a \textit{passion}, so that they lose all relish for sober, every-day life. For such creatures of fancy, real life is too dull, and what concerns realities, too grave. Perhaps they will not like my book, because it treats of things true and real. But I beg them to consider that, through the whole of their being, they are to be concerned chiefly with \textit{realities}; and therefore, to do them substantial good, we must speak to them of things real, and not of those airy things that belong to the fairy land. But real things are, truly, more interesting than the creations of fancy. The things of fancy interest you more only because they appear new and less common. A person who has always lived in the country, and is used to sitting under the wide-spreading, shady tree, would be more pleased with the \textit{picture} of a tree than with a \textit{tree itself}. But one brought up in the city would cast away the picture, and hasten to enjoy the cool shade of the beautiful tree. A castle in the air may please the fancy; but you want a \textit{real house} to live in.

\chapter{Nature and objects of education}\vskip-18pt
\section{Formation of character}
\textsc{Perhaps} some of my readers, when they see the title of this chapter, will think only of confinement in school, of books, and of hard study, and so be inclined to pass over it, as a dry subject, which they have so much to do with, every day, that they have no wish to think of it in a moment of relaxation. But I beg them to stop a minute, and not throw me away, among the old school-books, till they have heard me through. I assure them that I use the term \textit{education} in a far different sense. I think it means much more than going to school and studying books. This is only a small part of education. Mr.\ Walker defines education, \textit{``The formation of manners in youth.''} But this is a very imperfect definition; and I am afraid there may be found some who would even doubt whether education has any thing to do with manners. Mr.\ Webster gives a better definition:---``Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations;''---all, in fact, that is necessary to make a \textit{man} or a \textit{woman}---a \textit{gentleman} or a \textit{lady}.

The original root, from which the word \textit{education} is derived, means to \textit{lead out}, to \textit{conduct}, to \textit{form}, to \textit{fashion}, to \textit{beat out}, to \textit{forge}. It was used with reference to the forging of an instrument out of a piece of metal, or the chiselling of a statue out of a block of marble. This furnishes a good illustration of my ideas of \textit{education}. It is a process by which a character is formed out of rude or unwrought materials. It is not confined to mere school learning. A person may be very \textit{learned}, and yet not half \textit{educated}. There are many steps in the process. The ore must first be dug up by the miner; then smelted at the furnace, and the metal separated from the dross; then wrought into bars at the foundry; afterwards forged by the smith; and then, finally, polished by the finisher. The marble must first be quarried, or blasted out of the ledge; then cut into blocks; then transported; then wrought with the hammer and chisel; and finally, polished. This gives a good idea of education. It is not merely what is done to form the character in \textit{school}; but it comprises all the influences which are exerted upon the young, in training them up and forming their characters. Education begins in the \textit{family}. It is carried forward in the \textit{school}. It is affected, for good or for evil, by the influence of public worship, lectures, books, amusements, scenery, companions, \&c. In all places and circumstances, something is doing towards the formation of character.

\section{Self-education}
Yet there is one important respect in which \textit{education}, or \textit{the formation of character}, differs essentially from the process described in this illustration. The block of marble, or the piece of metal, is \textit{passive}; the whole process is performed upon it by another. But no person can be educated in this way; every one that is educated must be \textit{active}. You may be drilled through all the schools, and have every advantage at home and in society; and yet, without your own active co\"operation, you can never be educated. But, if you are determined to be educated, you will turn every thing to some account. Every thing will be a school to you; for you will make contributions to your stock of knowledge from every object you see; and by seeking to act discreetly, wisely, and correctly, in every place, you will be constantly forming good habits. Like the little busy bee, you will suck honey from every flower. You will commune with your own heart upon your bed, and exercise your powers of thought in useful meditation. You will converse with God in your secret place, and seek wisdom of Him who has promised to give liberally to those that ask. In company, you will be more ready to hear than to speak; and you will never meet with any so ignorant but you may learn from them some useful lessons. You will exercise your mind upon every person and object you meet. You will study philosophy in the fields, by the brooks, on the hills, in the valleys, and upon the broad canopy of heaven. It has been well observed, that the difference between a wise man and a fool is, that one goes through the world with his eyes wide open, while the other keeps them shut.

\section{Foot prints}
You will perceive, then, that your education is continually going on, whether you think of it or not. Your character is constantly forming. It is your business to keep out of the way of bad influences, and submit yourself to the moulding of the good. Keep in mind the great truth that you are forming a character for eternity. Some years ago, there were found on the banks of the Mississippi River the tracks of a human being, deeply imprinted in the solid rock. These tracks were made in the soft clay, which in time became hardened, and formed into stone;---now the impression is immovable. You now resemble this soft clay. Every thing with which you come in contact makes an impression. But, as you grow older, your character acquires solidity, and is less and less affected by these influences, till at length it will be like the hard stone, and the impressions made upon you at this season will become confirmed habits.

All the impressions made upon your character ought to be such as will not need to be removed. Washington Allston, the great paint\-er, had been a long time at work on a most magnificent painting. He had nearly completed it, when his keen eye discovered some defects in a portion of the piece. He hastily drew his rough brush over that portion of the picture, intending to paint it anew. But in the midst of his plans, death seized him, and his painting remains, just as he left it. No other person can carry out the conception that was in his mind. If you allow wrong impressions to be made upon your forming character, death may meet you with his stern mandate, and fix them forever, as immovable as it left the rough print of the coarse brush upon Allston's canvass.

\end{document}