Harry A. Franck
Encyclopedia
Harry Alverson Franck, better known as Harry A. Franck (29 June 1881 - 18 April 1962) was an American travel writer during the first half of the 20th century.
In the summer of 1900, following his freshman year at the University of Michigan
, Harry Franck set out with only $3.18 in his pocket to see Europe. He worked his way across the Atlantic on a cattle boat, visited England
and France
, and got back to Ann Arbor two weeks after classes had started. While an undergraduate, he bet a fellow student that he could travel around the world without money, and after a year of teaching, proceeded to do so. He spent sixteen months circling the globe, working to earn money along the way. His book, A Vagabond Journey Around the World (1910) sold well enough to encourage him to continue his travels, following five years teaching in two private schools and in the Springfield, Massachusetts
Technical High School.
Franck had many adventures, not all of them pleasant. All his books except Winter Journey Through the Ninth, which was privately published in 2001, are out of print, but readily available second hand.
His books intimately recorded life as it was lived in the societies he visited, at a time when many of them were changing rapidly. They are an important historical source for their pen-portraits of figures like the "Irish Buddhist" U Dhammaloka
. Some may find it hard to believe the societies he describes existed less than a century ago. His strong belief in the work ethic
sometimes colored his impressions; in some of the societies he visited, he pointed out, idleness was a sign of rank and prosperity.
For instance, in Wandering in Northern China (1923), he visited Korea
, which had been a Japanese colony
since 1910. The first thing he noted was that Korea was virtually devoid of trees
. The aristocracy
had been stripped of their duties but were allowed to wear the unique attire of their rank
, although many were living in poverty. Franck reported that the noblewoman's formal dress "displayed to the public gaze exactly that portion of the torso which the women of most nations take pains to conceal."
In the same book he reported on a visit to the northern Chinese city of Harbin
, which at the time of writing (1923) contained a large population of refugee Russian aristocracy
. He reported that the refugees held formal gatherings every Saturday night, complete with formal dress, although most of them were destitute. A former Russian aristocrat approached the director of the YMCA whom Franck was visiting to ask for some food; the director told him he would be welcome to lunch in exchange for cutting the grass. The Russian apologized but said he was unable to comply - manual labor was declasse - and departed, unfed.
In Zone Policeman 88
(1913), Franck worked as a police officer in the Panama Canal Zone
. In Vagabonding Down the Andes (1917), he traveled thousands of miles on foot. Vagabonding Through Changing Germany (1920) reported the turmoil in the aftermath of World War I
. He even traveled through the Soviet Union
in 1935, not without difficulty, and recorded his impressions in A Vagabond in Sovietland (1935).
Franck married Rachel Latta Franck (1893–1986) in 1919. They had five children. In 1938 Franck was 57 and began to travel by air, which was still a novelty at that time. He wrote Sky Roaming Above Two Continents in 1938 and The Lure of Alaska in 1939.
When he was almost 60 years old, Franck obtained a commission as a Major in the Army Air Force and served with the Ninth Air Force in France in the closing days of World War II
, where the fighting was still going on. He reported vividly on the devastated conditions in eastern France. A nearby fortress had been bypassed by the Americans but was still manned by a German garrison. The Germans fired the same number of rounds from their cannon every night at the same time; the Germans, he was told, weren't aiming at anything, they were just following orders not to surrender. Winter Journey Through the Ninth was not accepted for publication at the time because publishers felt the market for war memoirs was glutted. It was privately printed by the Franck family in 2000.
Other American travel writers of the 1920s and 1930s included Richard Halliburton
, who also travelled as a well-educated but impecunious young man through Europe and then beyond.
In the summer of 1900, following his freshman year at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Harry Franck set out with only $3.18 in his pocket to see Europe. He worked his way across the Atlantic on a cattle boat, visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and got back to Ann Arbor two weeks after classes had started. While an undergraduate, he bet a fellow student that he could travel around the world without money, and after a year of teaching, proceeded to do so. He spent sixteen months circling the globe, working to earn money along the way. His book, A Vagabond Journey Around the World (1910) sold well enough to encourage him to continue his travels, following five years teaching in two private schools and in the Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
Technical High School.
Franck had many adventures, not all of them pleasant. All his books except Winter Journey Through the Ninth, which was privately published in 2001, are out of print, but readily available second hand.
His books intimately recorded life as it was lived in the societies he visited, at a time when many of them were changing rapidly. They are an important historical source for their pen-portraits of figures like the "Irish Buddhist" U Dhammaloka
U Dhammaloka
U Dhammaloka was an Irish-born hobo turned Buddhist monk, atheist critic of Christian missionaries, and temperance campaigner who took an active role in the Asian Buddhist revival around the turn of the twentieth century....
. Some may find it hard to believe the societies he describes existed less than a century ago. His strong belief in the work ethic
Work ethic
Work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. An example would be the Protestant work ethic...
sometimes colored his impressions; in some of the societies he visited, he pointed out, idleness was a sign of rank and prosperity.
For instance, in Wandering in Northern China (1923), he visited Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, which had been a Japanese colony
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
since 1910. The first thing he noted was that Korea was virtually devoid of trees
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. The aristocracy
Yangban
The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...
had been stripped of their duties but were allowed to wear the unique attire of their rank
Sumptuary law
Sumptuary laws are laws that attempt to regulate habits of consumption. Black's Law Dictionary defines them as "Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury or extravagance, particularly against inordinate expenditures in the matter of apparel, food, furniture, etc." Traditionally, they were...
, although many were living in poverty. Franck reported that the noblewoman's formal dress "displayed to the public gaze exactly that portion of the torso which the women of most nations take pains to conceal."
In the same book he reported on a visit to the northern Chinese city of Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, which at the time of writing (1923) contained a large population of refugee Russian aristocracy
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
. He reported that the refugees held formal gatherings every Saturday night, complete with formal dress, although most of them were destitute. A former Russian aristocrat approached the director of the YMCA whom Franck was visiting to ask for some food; the director told him he would be welcome to lunch in exchange for cutting the grass. The Russian apologized but said he was unable to comply - manual labor was declasse - and departed, unfed.
In Zone Policeman 88
Zone Policeman 88
Zone Policeman 88: a close range study of the Panama Canal and its workers is a non-fiction book written by Harry A. Franck published in 1913...
(1913), Franck worked as a police officer in the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. In Vagabonding Down the Andes (1917), he traveled thousands of miles on foot. Vagabonding Through Changing Germany (1920) reported the turmoil in the aftermath of World War I
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. He even traveled through the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1935, not without difficulty, and recorded his impressions in A Vagabond in Sovietland (1935).
Franck married Rachel Latta Franck (1893–1986) in 1919. They had five children. In 1938 Franck was 57 and began to travel by air, which was still a novelty at that time. He wrote Sky Roaming Above Two Continents in 1938 and The Lure of Alaska in 1939.
When he was almost 60 years old, Franck obtained a commission as a Major in the Army Air Force and served with the Ninth Air Force in France in the closing days of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where the fighting was still going on. He reported vividly on the devastated conditions in eastern France. A nearby fortress had been bypassed by the Americans but was still manned by a German garrison. The Germans fired the same number of rounds from their cannon every night at the same time; the Germans, he was told, weren't aiming at anything, they were just following orders not to surrender. Winter Journey Through the Ninth was not accepted for publication at the time because publishers felt the market for war memoirs was glutted. It was privately printed by the Franck family in 2000.
Other American travel writers of the 1920s and 1930s included Richard Halliburton
Richard Halliburton
Richard Halliburton was an American traveler, adventurer, and author. Best known today for having swum the length of the Panama Canal and paying the lowest toll in its history—thirty-six cents—Halliburton was headline news for most of his brief career...
, who also travelled as a well-educated but impecunious young man through Europe and then beyond.
Works
- A Vagabond Journey Around the World (1910)
- Four Months Afoot in Spain (1911)
- Zone Policeman 88 (1913)
- Tramping Through Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras (1916)
- Vagabonding Down the Andes (1917)
- Vagabonding Through Changing Germany (1920)
- Roaming Through the West Indies (1920)
- Working North from Patagonia (1921)
- Wandering in Northern China (1923)
- Glimpses of Japan and Formosa (1924)
- Roving Through Southern China (1925)
- All About Going Abroad (1927)
- East of Siam (1926)
- The Fringe of the Moslem World (1928)
- I Discover Greece (1929)
- A Scandinavian Summer (1930)
- Foot-Loose in the British Isles (1932)
- Trailing Cortez Through Mexico (1935)
- A Vagabond in Sovietland (1935)
- Roaming in Hawaii (1937)
- Sky Roaming Above Two Continents (1938)
- The Lure of Alaska (1939)
- Rediscovering South America (1943)
- Winter Journey Through the Ninth (2001)