Frances Clarke Sayers

Last updated • 7 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Frances Clarke Sayers
Frances Clarke Sayers.png
Sayers in 1977
Born(1897-09-04)September 4, 1897
DiedJune 24, 1989(1989-06-24) (aged 91)
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Librarian and author

Frances Clarke Sayers (September 4, 1897 – June 24, 1989) [1] was an American children's librarian, author of children's books, and lecturer on children's literature. In 1999, American Libraries named her one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century". [2]

Contents

Biography

Frances Clarke was born on September 4, 1897, in Topeka, Kansas, to parents Oscar Lincoln Clarke and Marian Busby. [3] When she was a child she moved with her family to Galveston, Texas, which would later prove to be a great source of inspiration for her numerous children’s books. In an essay published in the September 15, 1956, edition of Library Journal , she reminisces about a woman telling her the story of the Gingerbread Man. Sayers states that, "I cannot recall her name, but her eyes were brown, her hair the exact shade of her eyes, she was short and plump, and I would know her voice were I even to hear it in paradise." [4]

Career

While it was in her early years that she fell in love with the art of storytelling, it was not until the age of twelve, when she read an article in St. Nicholas Magazine regarding service to children in the New York Public Library, that Frances Clarke decided to become a children's librarian. [5] She attended the University of Texas at Austin, but after spending only two years there she left in order to attend the Carnegie Library School in Pittsburgh because that university was "noted for its devoted staff and belief in taking books to children wherever they were". [5] After graduation, she began her career in librarianship when Anne Carroll Moore, Superintendent of the Department of Work with Children at the New York Public Library, invited her to come to work there.

In 1923, after five years with the NYPL, Frances Clarke decided to move to California to be closer to her family. There she wed her longtime friend Alfred H.P. Sayers. The couple moved to Chicago where Alfred Sayers owned a bookstore. In Chicago, Sayers helped her husband run his bookstore and worked part-time as an editorial assistant for the American Library Association. [3] Unfortunately, the Great Depression caused a lack of business for the Sayers’s bookstore and they decided to move back to California. Soon Sayers began to write children's books that would delight and enchant children, as well as adults, throughout the years. [3] Her books were often semi-autobiographical, often bringing back the sights, smells, and sounds of her childhood in Texas.

In California Sayers added another title to her repertoire: that of lecturer. "In 1936 she offered a course in children's literature at the Library School of the University of California, Berkeley, where she emphasized high standards of criticism, respect for children and children's books, and delight in storytelling." [5]

In 1941, Sayers moved back to New York to replace Anne Carroll Moore at the NYPL as Superintendent of the Department of Work with Children. While Superintendent Sayers also "taught a course in writing for children at the New School for Social Research...and served as a consultant to the Library of Congress for the reorganization of its Children’s Book Collection." [5]

In 1952, after eleven years with the NYPL, Sayers retired from the life of a public librarian. However, her active spirit would not allow her to rest. In no time, Sayers was back lecturing students on the importance of children's literature. Throughout 1953 and 1954 Sayers traveled to many universities lecturing on this topic. [5]

Sayers moved back to California to live with her sister. It was not long before Sayers was once again summoned to step into the role of lecturer. Sayers now found herself "Senior Lecturer in the English department for the University of California, Los Angeles. When the UCLA School of Library Service opened in 1960, she was invited to offer the course in children’s literature there also." [5] She retired from lecturing in the mid-1960s, but continued writing children’s books and for scholarly journals. [5] She died in her home of a stroke at the age of 91. [6]

Essays and speeches

"Summoned by Books"

"Summoned by Books" is a speech Sayers gave in November 1962 at the annual meeting of the California Library Association. She speaks on the issue that librarians need to make themselves known and appreciated once again, and to do that, they need to appreciate themselves. Sayers tells them that not only are they responsible for helping patrons find the information they want, but that as librarians, they are responsible for sharing with patrons the same love and appreciation they feel for books as well. She states that, “…as librarians we are not only summoned by books ourselves, but we are the instrumentation for the summoning of others.” [4]

"Happy Botheration"

"Happy Botheration" was published in the November 1954 School Library Association of California Bulletin. In "Happy Botheration" Sayers discusses her move back to California and her thoughts while she was unpacking her many books. She goes into detail about how much she has come to love and care for her books, and wouldn’t part with them for all the money in the world. She manages to capture her admiration for literature by the way she talks about her experience as an assistant librarian for the New York Public Library, as well as by discussing her need to mark pages that hold some of her favorite passages. Of this, Sayers says that while unpacking she appreciates looking through her books and as “[o]ne [is] leafing through, and there is the favorite passage, the eye [is] caught and held, the mind following after.” [4]

"Of Memory and Muchness"

In her speech "Of Memory and Muchness", which she gave in November 1956 at a meeting of the California Library Association, Sayers begins by questioning what is meant in the passage of Alice in Wonderland where the Dormouse talks of Alice learning to draw and in turn, drawing many things including "memory, and muchness." From this Sayers discusses children's books that have survived and thrived throughout the ages, asking everyone to remember their favorite book. Sayers also talks of the effect of "muchness" in society and the commercialization of literature, warning her fellow librarians of the likes of Walt Disney, saying, “Walt Disney is another big book promoter, and is quite without conscience as to how he waters down, distorts, and vulgarizes such books of high originality…Muchness acclaims Mr. Disney.” [4] [7]

Awards

Throughout her long career, Frances Clarke Sayers was recognized for her many contributions and achievements in librarianship and children's literature. In 1965 she was given the Joseph W. Lippincott Award for her distinguished service in librarianship. In 1966 she received the Clarence Day Award for "Summoned by Books," her collection of speeches and writings. Sayers was also awarded the Southern California Children's Literature Award in 1969 and the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal in 1973. [5]

Writings and contributions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Sawyer</span> American childrens writer and storyteller

Ruth Sawyer was an American storyteller and a writer of fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. She may be best known as the author of Roller Skates, which won the 1937 Newbery Medal. She received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1965 for her lifetime achievement in children's literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</span> Public research library in New York City

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is a research library of the New York Public Library (NYPL) and an archive repository for information on people of African descent worldwide. Located at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard between West 135th and 136th Streets in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, it has, almost from its inception, been an integral part of the Harlem community. It is named for Afro-Puerto Rican scholar Arturo Alfonso Schomburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augusta Braxton Baker</span> American librarian and storyteller

Augusta Braxton Baker was an American librarian and storyteller. She was known for her contributions to children's literature, especially regarding the portrayal of Black Americans in works for children.

Alice Rose Provensen and Martin Provensen were an American couple who illustrated more than 40 children's books together, 19 of which they also wrote and edited. According to Alice, "we were a true collaboration. Martin and I really were one artist."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Carroll Moore</span> American writer and librarian

Anne Carroll Moore was an American educator, writer and advocate for children's libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Clark Powell</span> American librarian and author

Lawrence Clark Powell was an American librarian, literary critic, bibliographer and author of more than 100 books. Powell "made a significant contribution to the literature of the library profession, but he also writes for the book-minded public. His interests are reflected in the subjects that recur throughout his writings; these are history and travel, especially concerning the American Southwest, rare books, libraries and librarianship, the book trade, and book collecting."

May Massee was an American children's book editor. She was the founding head of the juvenile departments at Doubleday from 1922 and at Viking Press from 1932. Before working at Doubleday, she edited the American Library Association periodical Booklist.

Peggy Sullivan was an American librarian and educator. She was elected president of the American Library Association and was a scholar of the history of librarianship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances E. Henne</span> American librarian

Frances E. Henne was an American librarian. Henne pursued a life of education and became a leader and expert in creating standards for school librarians. In 1999, American Libraries named her one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide Hasse</span>

Adelaide Rosalie Hasse is listed as one of the "100 most important leaders we had in the 20th century" in the December 1999 edition of American Libraries. She is credited with having developed the Superintendent of Documents Classification system used by the Government Printing Office and Federal Depository Library Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Scoggin</span>

Margaret Clara Scoggin was one of the first librarians to expand dramatically upon the idea of young adult public librarianship. Scoggin implemented several programs throughout her career at the New York Public Library that placed intense importance on young adult readers, which ultimately inspired the ever-improving teen librarianship seen today. She said of young adults, "They are a vital force which the library can both develop and use. They are the voters of tomorrow, the potential adult users and supporters of the public library, the emergent community to whom, theoretically, the public library belongs." In 1999, American Libraries named her one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Lander Spain</span> American librarian

Frances Lander Spain was a children's librarian and an instructor of school library services. In 1960, she became the first children's librarian to ever hold the position of president of the American Library Association (ALA). Spain was named one of the library's "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doris Gates</span> American childrens writer, librarian

Doris Gates was one of America's first writers of realistic children's fiction. Her novel Blue Willow, about the experiences of Janey Larkin, the ten-year-old daughter of a migrant farm worker in 1930s California, is a Newbery Honor book and Lewis Carroll Shelf Award winner. A librarian in Fresno, California, Gates lived and worked among the people described in her novels. She is also known for her collections of Greek mythology.

Frances Jenkins Olcott was the first head librarian of the children's department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in 1898. She also wrote many children's books and books for those in the profession of providing library service to children and youth.

Romana Javitz was an American artist, librarian, and Superintendent of the Picture Collection at the New York Public Library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Allen Latimer</span> American librarian

Catherine Allen Latimer was the New York Public Library's first African-American librarian. She was a notable authority on bibliographies of African-American life and instrumental in forming the library's Division of Negro History, Literature and Prints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Burns Linn</span>

Frances Burns Linn was an American librarian, the head librarian of the Santa Barbara Library from 1906 to 1943. She was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Nesbitt</span> American children’s librarian and a library science educator

Elizabeth Nesbitt, also known as Betty Nesbitt was an American children's librarian and a library science educator. She was known “internationally as an authority on children's literature”, and made “(s)trong contributions” to children's librarianship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheila Egoff</span> Canadian literary critic and historian (1918–2005)

Sheila Agnes Egoff was a Canadian librarian, literary critic, and historian who was Canada's first professor of children's literature. A recipient of the Order of Canada, she was known for her studies of children's fiction including The Republic of Childhood (1967), Thursday's Child (1981) and Worlds Within (1988). The Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize is named after her.

References

  1. Grotzinger, Laurel A. (2003). "Frances Clarke Sayers". In Marilyn Lea Miller (ed.). Pioneers and Leaders in Library Services to Youth: A Biographical Dictionary. Libraries Unlimited. pp. 215–18. ISBN   978-1-59158-028-7.
  2. Leonard Kniffel, Peggy Sullivan, Edith McCormick, "100 of the Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century," American Libraries 30, no. 11 (December 1999): 43.
  3. 1 2 3 Maack, M. Frances Clarke Sayers (1897-1989) Archived 2008-08-30 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 12 December 2008
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sayers, Frances Clarke, and Marjeanne Jensen Blinn. Summoned by Books: Essays and Speeches by Frances Clarke Sayers. New York: Viking Press, 1965
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Wedgeworth, R. "Sayers, Frances Clarke". In ALA world encyclopedia of library and information services. 2nd ed. 1986
  6. “Frances Sayers, 91; Wrote Books for Young” The New York Times. (27 July 1989). Retrieved 13 October 2008
  7. When, in 1965, she read an article by California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction proclaiming Walt Disney “the greatest educator of this century," Sayers disagreed in a blistering letter to the Los Angeles Times, and reiterated her opinion in an interview on the matter with FM and Fine Arts magazine."Walt Disney Accused." The Horn Book Magazine, Dec. 1965. The Horn Book Magazine
  8. Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008.