Antique 1898 Magazine Ad STEAM ENGINEERING ICS School Correspondence Scranton PA For Sale

Description

Original Antique 1898 magazine Ad for The International Correspondence Schools, headquartered at Box 831, Scranton, Pennsylvania. This 2 x 2.5 inch ad promotes training in Steam Engineering, along with dozens of other late-19th-century technical trades.

The ad emphasizes learning from home, with free textbooks, guaranteed success, and flexible instruction “by mail.” ICS was one of the earliest large-scale correspondence schools in the United States, and its ads appeared widely in engineering, household, and general-interest magazines during the 1890s.

Written text from the ad includes:
“Money is not more surely a defense against poverty than technical knowledge.”
“You can learn now without leaving home.”
“Success guaranteed. Best text-books free.”
“Steam Engineering.”
“Taught by Mail.”
“$2.00 a month.”
“Estab. 1891. 45,000 students and graduates.”

This is an authentic magazine clipping from the era — not a reproduction.

Fun Fact

The International Correspondence Schools (ICS) started in 1891 to help coal miners in Scranton pass mandatory safety and engineering exams. It quickly expanded and by the early 1900s had over 2 million students. ICS later evolved into Penn Foster, a modern online education institution still operating today — making this ad a direct ancestor of today’s distance learning.

Collector Appeal

Great for collectors of:

• Antique engineering & technical ads

• Steam power and industrial history

• 1800s education and correspondence schools

• Pennsylvania industrial memorabilia

• Victorian-era print advertising

Features

• School: International Correspondence Schools

• Subject: Steam Engineering / Technical Trades

• Type: Magazine Ad

• Year: 1898

• Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania

• Size: Approx. 2 x 2.5 inches

• Original: Yes

Condition

Clean printing with strong contrast. Light natural toning only. No significant wear. See photos.

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