Alice May Douglas

Alice May Douglas (June 28, 1865 – January 6, 1943) was an American author of poetry, children's literature, and non-fiction, as well as a newspaper editor.

Alice May Douglas
"A Woman of the Century"
"A Woman of the Century"
BornJune 28, 1865
Bath, Maine, U.S.
DiedJanuary 6, 1943(1943-01-06) (aged 77)
Occupationauthor, editor
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAmerican
Genrepoetry, juvenile literature, non-fiction

Biography

Alice May Douglas was born in Bath, Maine, June 28, 1865, which remained her residence for the remainder of her life.[1][2] She had no formal training in writing, saying instead that "All my poems and stories are the result of inspiration."[2]

She began her career as an author at the age of eleven years, when her first published article appeared among the children's productions of St. Nicholas Magazine. The reading of Little Women at the age of thirteen marked an epoch in her life. She determined to be an author like Jo, and, like her, send for publication a composition she wrote to test her chances of getting published. Consequently, she sent a poem pertaining to a little sister, who shortly before death was seen throwing kisses to God. The Zion's Herald, to which the poem was sent, published it, and from that time, Douglas was a constant contributor to the press.[1]

Douglas was also engaged in editorial work on two monthly papers, the Pacific Banner and the Acorn. Her first volume of poems was Phlox (Bath, Maine, 1888). This was followed during the same year by a second volume, May Flowers (Bath, Maine, 1888). Then she published Gems Without Polish (New York, 1890). She next wrote two juvenile books, one for boys and the other for girls, in the interest of the Lend-A-Hand Clubs. Most of her books first appeared as serials. Among them were Jewel Gatherers, Quaker John in the Civil War, How the Little Cousins Formed a Museum, The Peace-Makers, and Self-exiled from Russia, a story of the Mennonites.[3]

Douglas was State superintendent of the department of peace and arbitration of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She also assisted the national peace department of that organization, by preparing much of its necessary literature and by founding a peace band for children, which had branches in Palestine and Australia.[3]

By religion, she was Methodist. Douglas died January 6, 1943.[4][5]

Selected works
  • Phlox, 1888
  • May Flowers, 1888
  • Gems Without Polish, 1890
  • Jewel Gatherers
  • Quaker John in the Civil War
  • How the Little Cousins Formed a Museum
  • The Peace-Makers
  • Self-exiled from Russia

See also

References
  1. Willard & Livermore 1893, p. 255.
  2. "Douglas, Alice May, Maine Biography File". Lewiston Journal. May 10, 1930. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  3. Willard & Livermore 1893, p. 256.
  4. Roberts 1991, p. 81.
  5. Warner, C.D. (1917). Ayres, H. M. (ed.). "The Library of the World's Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. The Reader's Dictionary of Authors". Retrieved 31 July 2018.

Attribution

Bibliography
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