Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis was an American children's book author.
She was born Elizabeth Foreman in Baltimore, Maryland and studied art at the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts from 1909-1910. Of that time, she has said,
She attended a secretarial school in Baltimore from 1916-1917, preparatory to travel to China
for the Methodist Women's Board. Later in 1917 she received religious instruction at the Bible Seminary in New York.
She then became a Methodist missionary
and teacher in China, initially as the associate mission treasurer for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society in Shanghai
(1917-1918). During the next two years, she was a teacher in the schools of Nanjing
, and a district supervisor of schools in Chongqing
. In Nanjing, she taught at two schools - a girls boarding school and a boys academy. She met her husband, John Abraham Lewis, who was also a Methodist Missionary in the Upper Yangtze for many years. They got married in 1921. They had one son, John Fulton Lewis, who grew up to become a newspaper editor and author.
After several years, due to illness, she had to leave China. Once back in America, she used her Chinese experiences as inspiration for novels and short stories. Her first book, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
, based on her time as a director of schools in Chungking (Chongqing
), won the 1933 Newbery Award and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
in 1960.
She died in Baltimore, Maryland.
She was born Elizabeth Foreman in Baltimore, Maryland and studied art at the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts from 1909-1910. Of that time, she has said,
My sister and I grew up in a world of books, country life, horses, dogs, and a variety of other pets, a background threaded by colorful strands of wit, hearty laughter, singing, hospitality, and naturally in Maryland, good food. Our chief instruction, beside that of school and church, came from the proverbs in the home. Sometimes I think these brief, pungent expressions of man's age-old wisdom have had more influence than anything else in shaping my life. When editors and secretaries weary of my endless re-writing, they do not guess that I am still at the mercy of ten words which accompanied every girlhood task: 'If worth doing at all, it is worth doing well!'
She attended a secretarial school in Baltimore from 1916-1917, preparatory to travel to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
for the Methodist Women's Board. Later in 1917 she received religious instruction at the Bible Seminary in New York.
She then became a Methodist missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and teacher in China, initially as the associate mission treasurer for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
(1917-1918). During the next two years, she was a teacher in the schools of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, and a district supervisor of schools in Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
. In Nanjing, she taught at two schools - a girls boarding school and a boys academy. She met her husband, John Abraham Lewis, who was also a Methodist Missionary in the Upper Yangtze for many years. They got married in 1921. They had one son, John Fulton Lewis, who grew up to become a newspaper editor and author.
After several years, due to illness, she had to leave China. Once back in America, she used her Chinese experiences as inspiration for novels and short stories. Her first book, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze is a book by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1933. The story revolves around Fu Yuin-fah, the son of a widow from the countryside of western China, who wishes to become a coppersmith in the big city...
, based on her time as a director of schools in Chungking (Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
), won the 1933 Newbery Award and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award was started in 1958 by Dr. David C. Davis with the assistance of Prof. Lola Pierstorff, Director Instructional Materials Center, Univ. of Wisconsin and Madeline Allen Davis, WHA Wisconsin Public Radio. Awards were presented annually at the Wisconsin Book Conference...
in 1960.
She died in Baltimore, Maryland.
Publications
- Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze, 1932
- Ho-Ming, Girl of New China, 1934
- China Quest, 1937
- Portraits from a Chinese Scroll, 1938
- Test Tubes and Dragon Scales, 1940, in collaboration with Dr. George C. Basil
- When the Typhoon Blows, 1942
- To beat a Tiger, One Needs a Brother's Help, 1956
External links
- http://secure.britannica.com/ebi/article-9315041