Quick Facts
Biography
Alfred Powell 'Skipper' Morgan (1889–1972), of Upper Montclair, New Jersey was an electrical engineer, an inventor with patents on radio and mechanical devices, and an author of technical and children's books. He had four sons, which is the reason why his books were originally written for boys. The 1970s editions were for boys and girls.
Alfred Morgan's contributions to electronics
Alfred Morgan made many valuable contributions to developments in the field of radio and electronics. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a radio manufacturer for a number of years. His most notable books were a series of juvenile books about Radio and Electronics. This series included the Boys First, Second, Third & Fourth Book Of Radio And Electronics.
Adams Morgan Company
Alfred P. Morgan was a partner in the electronics business. The company was Adams Morgan. Adams Morgan was created about 1910 for distributing radio construction kits. Paul Forman Godley, the developer of the Paragon Receivers, was added in 1915 as the third. The company employed 50-100 employees/workers in 1922/23. After economic problems, production was stopped at the end of 1927.
Publications
Drawing on a lifetime of experience, Morgan produced many books on radio and electronics. Although some of the projects described in his books cannot be built easily today because the parts are difficult to find, many are based on simple parts and hand tools that one can find at a hardware or electronic supply store. Safety standards have also improved in the last hundred years, so one needs common sense when deciding to carry out projects he described. A few books are available in reprints including The Boy Electrician (Lindsay Publications).
Morgan also edited a monthly column on electricity and mechanics in The Boys' Magazine.
Partial List of Publications
Chemistry
Adventures in Electrochemistry / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York: Scribner, Date: c1977.
First Chemistry Book for Boys and Girls / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner, Date: [1950]
First Chemistry Book for Boys and Girls / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner, Date: [1962]
First Chemistry Book for Boys and Girls / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner, Date: c1977.
Simple Chemical Experiments / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: D. Appleton-Century, Date: [1941]
Electronics
WIRELESS TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION FOR AMATEURS by Alfred Powell Morgan, Third Edition, D. Van Nostrand Company, NY 1914 [1]
The Boy Electrician by Alfred P. Morgan (1913 copyright) The Boy Electrician is an introduction to electricity and magnetism from a time when you could still build things at home that worked just like commercial gear. The fundamentals haven't changed in all this time, and the experiments and diagrams can be understood by anyone. [2] This book was originally reviewed tongue-in-cheek as "a menance to the business of neighbourhood electrician, for it strives to teach the average boy all sorts of things his mother would like to have done about the house."
A First Electrical Book for Boys; Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: [1951]
A First Electrical Book for Boys. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: c1963
First Book of Radio and Electronics / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York : Scribner, Date: c1977.
The Boy Electrician; Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. Date: [1948]
The Boys' First Book of Radio and Electronics. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: [1954]
The Boys' Second Book of Radio and Electronics. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: [1957]
The Boy's Third Book of Radio and Electronics. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: [1962]
The Boys' Fourth Book of Radio and Electronics; an introduction to solid state physics, semiconductors, and transistors, Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell. Publisher: New York, Scribner Date: [1969]
The pageant of Electricity Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, London d. Appleton-Century company, incorporated Date: 1939
Things a Boy Can Do with Electricity, Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's sons; London, Date: C. Scribner's sons, ltd., 1938.
Getting Acquainted with Electricity, Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York London, D. Appleton-Century company, incorporated. Date: [c1942]
Pets
An Aquarium Book for Boys and Girls, Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's Sons; London, C. Scribner's Sons, ltd., Date: 1936.
A pet book for boys and girls, Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's, Date: 1949.
A Pet Book for Boys and Girls / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York: Charles Scribner's, Date: 1951.
Tropical Fishes and Home Aquaria : a practical guide to a fascinating hobby / Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York : C. Scribner, Date: 1953, c1935.
Tools / Misc
Boy's Book of Engines, Motors and Turbines. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell. Publisher: Scribner, Date: 1946
Boys' Book of Science and Construction; Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. Date: [1948]
How to Build a 20-foot Bi-plane Glider; a practical handbook on the construction of a bi-plane gliding machine. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Spon & Chamberlain; [etc., etc.] Date: 1909.
The Boys' Book of Engines, Motors & Turbines / by Alfred Morgan ; illustrated by the author. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, 1889-1972. Publisher: New York : Charles Scribner Sons, 1946.
Tools and How to Use Them for Woodworking and Metal Working/ Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York : Grosset & Dunlap, Date: 1948.
How to Use Tools. Author: Morgan, Alfred Powell, Publisher: New York, Arco, Date: [1955]
Advertisements for Morgan's Books
It was very popular for publishers in the early 20th century to include advertisements of other books in the last few pages of their publications. Here are a few references to Morgan's books.
GLOSSARY OF AVIATION TERMS, 1917 Advertisement for; WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AND TELEPHONY SIMPLY EXPLAINED. By ALFRED P. MORGAN. This is undoubtedly one of the most complete and comprehensible treatises on the subject ever pubhshed and a close study of its pages will enable one to master all the details of the wireless transmission of messages. The author has filled a long felt want and has succeeded in furnishing a lucid, comprehensible explanation in simple language of the theory and practice of wireless telegraphy and telephony 154 pages 156 engravings. Price $1.00