Dorri Partain
Contributor

Teenagers, would you like to study a 438-page textbook before you obtained your driver’s license?

This high school textbook was written by the American Automobile Association (AAA) for use in driver’s education classes, covering every topic in 22 illustrated chapters.

The first edition of Sportsmanlike Driving appeared as a teacher’s edition in 1935, with the student edition available the following year.

AAA was founded in 1902 to promote automobile travel and produced the first road maps in 1905; by 1917 they were also publishing hotel guides. Today, AAA membership offers a full array of services including roadside assistance, banking, insurance, and hotel/restaurant recommendations.

The sixth edition, published in 1970, details the challenges of driving safely: condition of the driver, roads and traffic, operating a motor vehicle, maintenance, and buying and insuring your first car.

As with most high school textbooks, one user added their own comments in red ink on page 85: Mike C. + Linda S. = Love 4-ever!

Depending on the school district, budget cuts, liability issues, and emphasis on college preparedness have axed the offering of driver’s education classes. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education states that it is not a required course but districts may offer it.

Under the title Sportsmanlike Driving, publisher McGraw-Hill produced the 11th edition in 1987; subsequent editions have been re-titled Responsible Driving, and they are now also available as a PDF or audio book.

This copy of Sportsmanlike Driving was removed from the records of Mid-Continent Public Library on August 27, 1976.