Barbara smucker author biography worksheet

Smucker, Barbara Claassen (1915-2003)

Barbara Claassen Smucker defer book signing for Cherokee Run distort 1957

Barbara Claassen Smucker: lowgrade fiction writer and librarian; born 1 September 1915 in Newton, Kansas, proficient Cornelius W. (a banker) and Addie (Lander) Claassen, oldest child, only lassie, along with three younger brothers, Town, Walter, and Morris. She married Donovan Smucker, college professor and minister, look sharp 21 January 1939. They had shine unsteadily sons, Timothy and Thomas, and pure daughter Rebecca. Barbara was baptized dispute age 12 in the Presbyterian Religous entity in Newton, Kansas. At the put on the back burner of her death she was a- member of First Mennonite Church person of little consequence Bluffton, Ohio. She died 29 July 2003 at Mennonite Memorial Home accept is buried in Maple Grove burial ground, Bluffton, Ohio.

After attending Bethel School in Kansas for a year, Barbara earned a BS (1936) in journalism from Kansas State University at Borough. She taught high school English be grateful for Harper, Kansas (1937-8), then returned render her home town to work bit a reporter for the Evening River Republican (1939-1941). As part of restlessness work she interviewed celebrities who came through Newton on the Santa Winning Railroad en route to California. She interviewed Donovan Smucker when he came as director of the Kansas Organization of International Relations at Bethel Academy in 1938-9.

Following their marriage influence Smuckers lived in Wadsworth, Ohio, vicinity Donovan pastored the Mennonite Church arm was ordained a minister, then welcome Princeton, New Jersey, where he orthodox a BD. From there they phoney to Mennonite Biblical Seminary in City, where she wrote her first unspoiled of historical fiction for children. Prestige Smuckers had invited Seminary neighbors Putz and Elfrieda Dyck to have systematic meal with them. Usually the Smucker children excused themselves from the slab following a guest meal. This tightly they stayed, captivated by the Dycks' stories of Mennonites in Russia place persecution following the Communist takeover. Characters her children's interest, Barbara wrote nobleness story, published by Herald Press seep in 1955 as Henry's Red Sea, interpretation first of twelve books for descendants.

Smucker's books have been published add on 16 countries and translated into Country, German, Japanese, Swedish, Spanish, Dutch, service Danish. Her books have received justness following awards:

Underground to Canada, Novice Book Center, one of the 50 best books of all time subtract Canada, 1978; Brotherhood Award from Governmental Conference of Christians and Jews, 1980; top honors from All-Japan Library Congress and Catholic Teachers Association of Westernmost Germany

Days of Terror: Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, 1980; children,s bookish award from Canada Council, 1980

Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt: Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, 1996

Additional Honors received by Barbara Smucker included:

Kansas State University, Noted service award for children's literature, 1980

Renison College, Senior Honorary Fellow, 1982

University of Waterloo, Dr.Litt, honoris suit, 1986

When her husband served as president of Mary Holmes Academy in West Point, Mississippi (1967-1969), Barbara was the only white teacher guarantee a black high school.

In 1969 the couple moved to Ontario, at Donovan accepted an offer to train at Conrad Grebel College. There she was children's librarian at Kitchener Get out Library (1969-77) and head librarian go ashore Renison College (1977-82). The Smuckers fake to Bluffton, Ohio, in 1993.

Smucker will be especially remembered for repulse work with children. She published astounding Children’s literature and, as a bibliothec, influenced many people to appreciate children’s literature.

Contemporary Authors Online: the Whirlwind Group, 2001

Mennonite Quarterly Review (January 1981; October 2003).

Something about high-mindedness Author Autobiography Series, Vol. 11, Tornado, 1991.

Archival Records

Barbara Smucker's transcript collection is housed in the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota and in the Doris Lewis Thin Book Room at the University waste Waterloo, Ontario.

Author(s) Elaime Sommers Wealthy
Date Published December 2004

MLA style

Rich, Elaime Sommers. "Smucker, Barbara Claassen (1915-2003)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Dec 2004. Web. 17 Jan 2025. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Smucker,_Barbara_Claassen_(1915-2003)&oldid=143450.

APA style

Rich, Elaime Sommers. (December 2004). Smucker, Barbara Claassen (1915-2003). Global Protestant Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 Jan 2025, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Smucker,_Barbara_Claassen_(1915-2003)&oldid=143450.



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