Robert Haven Schauffler
Encyclopedia
Robert Haven Schauffler (8 April 1879 – 24 November 1964) was an American
writer, cellist and war hero. Schauffler published poetry, biographies of Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann
and a series of books celebrating American holidays.
which was then in Austria (but is now Brno
in the Czech Republic
) where his parents were missionaries. By the time he was two he was back in the United States where his family founded the Schaffler College in Cleveland in 1886 for Bohemian
immigrants who were interested in social or religious work.
Schaffler's first successful career was as a cellist and he studied with several notable musicians. His academic studies started at the Northwestern University
, but he completed his degree at Princeton
before going on to study at the University in Berlin in 1902-3. By this time he had already been editor of the Nassau Literary Magazine magazine for a year. On his return from Berlin he combined his skills as a music editor for another magazine. He came to notice in 1912 when he published a book of poetry named after a poem called Scum o' the Earth. This poem had come to notice after being published in a magazine. The poem had focussed attention on the monetary divide between middle class American and poor immigrants.
In 1907 he published the first of several books that celebrated American holidays. The first were Thanksgiving and Our American Holidays - Christmas. The book he created for Christmas includes several extracts from Dickens
, Shakespeare, Leigh Hunt and William Morris
. The first section deals with whether there is or is not a Santa Claus
by quoting the 1897 editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church
. The book is certain that there is.
Scauffler published Arbor Day two years later and there then followed books for Washington's Birthday, Lincoln's Birthday and Independence Day. His final holiday books were not published until after the war and there were Armistice Day in 1927Plays for Our American Holidays in 1928, Halloween in 1933 and Columbus Day, five years later. His books before World War I
involved several on travel. He wrote Through Italy with the Poets in 1908, Romantic Germany the following year and in 1913 he published Romantic America.
Schaffler married before the First World war but his wife, Katharine de Normandie Wilson, died in 1916 and he was a widower for several years. Schaffler joined the Army as a second lieutentanant and served as an instructor. He was awarded a Purple Heart
for his wounds at the Battle of Montfaucon which took place in mid October 1918. He took up employment as a lecturer when he left the U.S.Army in May 1919 whilst continuing to write poetry in his spare time. He remarried Margaret Widdemer
who jointly won the Pulitzer Awardfor Poetry
that year in 1919 for her collection The Old Road to Paradise. Over the next few decades he lectured whilst creating biographies of Robert Schumann
, Brahms and Beethoven.
In 1942 he again took up the holiday theme when he published the first of three more holiday titles working with Hilah Paulmier. The first was called Democracy Days... a year later they published Pan American Day and in 1946 and 47 they puiblished Peace Days and Good will days. Schauffler died in 1964 as a divorcee and his papers are stored at the University of Texas at Austin
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, cellist and war hero. Schauffler published poetry, biographies of Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
and a series of books celebrating American holidays.
Biography
Schauffler was born on 8 April 1879 in BrünnBrunn
Brunn or Brünn may refer to:Places* Brünn, the German form of the Czech city Brno* Brunn, Upper Palatinate, a town in Bavaria, Germany* Brunn, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a municipality in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
which was then in Austria (but is now Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) where his parents were missionaries. By the time he was two he was back in the United States where his family founded the Schaffler College in Cleveland in 1886 for Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
immigrants who were interested in social or religious work.
Schaffler's first successful career was as a cellist and he studied with several notable musicians. His academic studies started at the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, but he completed his degree at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
before going on to study at the University in Berlin in 1902-3. By this time he had already been editor of the Nassau Literary Magazine magazine for a year. On his return from Berlin he combined his skills as a music editor for another magazine. He came to notice in 1912 when he published a book of poetry named after a poem called Scum o' the Earth. This poem had come to notice after being published in a magazine. The poem had focussed attention on the monetary divide between middle class American and poor immigrants.
In 1907 he published the first of several books that celebrated American holidays. The first were Thanksgiving and Our American Holidays - Christmas. The book he created for Christmas includes several extracts from Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, Shakespeare, Leigh Hunt and William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
. The first section deals with whether there is or is not a Santa Claus
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
Is There a Santa Claus? was the title of an editorial appearing in the September 21, 1897, edition of The New York Sun. The editorial, which included the famous reply "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus", has become an indelible part of popular Christmas folklore in the United States and...
by quoting the 1897 editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church
Francis Pharcellus Church
Francis Pharcellus Church was an American publisher and editor. He was a member of the Century Association.-Biography:...
. The book is certain that there is.
Scauffler published Arbor Day two years later and there then followed books for Washington's Birthday, Lincoln's Birthday and Independence Day. His final holiday books were not published until after the war and there were Armistice Day in 1927Plays for Our American Holidays in 1928, Halloween in 1933 and Columbus Day, five years later. His books before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
involved several on travel. He wrote Through Italy with the Poets in 1908, Romantic Germany the following year and in 1913 he published Romantic America.
Schaffler married before the First World war but his wife, Katharine de Normandie Wilson, died in 1916 and he was a widower for several years. Schaffler joined the Army as a second lieutentanant and served as an instructor. He was awarded a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for his wounds at the Battle of Montfaucon which took place in mid October 1918. He took up employment as a lecturer when he left the U.S.Army in May 1919 whilst continuing to write poetry in his spare time. He remarried Margaret Widdemer
Margaret Widdemer
Margaret Widdemer was a U.S. poet and novelist. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1919 for her collection The Old Road to Paradise, sharing the prize with Carl Sandburg, who won for his collection Corn Huskers.-Biography:Margaret Widdemer was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and grew up...
who jointly won the Pulitzer Awardfor Poetry
Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards
The Pulitzer Prize jury has the option of awarding special citations where they consider necessary.-Journalism awards:* 1924: A special prize of $1000 was awarded to the widow of Frank I. Cobb, New York World, in recognition of the distinction of her husband's editorial writing and service.* 1930:...
that year in 1919 for her collection The Old Road to Paradise. Over the next few decades he lectured whilst creating biographies of Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
, Brahms and Beethoven.
In 1942 he again took up the holiday theme when he published the first of three more holiday titles working with Hilah Paulmier. The first was called Democracy Days... a year later they published Pan American Day and in 1946 and 47 they puiblished Peace Days and Good will days. Schauffler died in 1964 as a divorcee and his papers are stored at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Poetry
- Scum o' the Earth and Other Poems, 1912
- The White Comrade and Other Poems, 1920
- Magic Flame and Other Poems, 1923
- The poetry cure, a pocket medicine chest of verse, 1925
- The poetry cure, with Marion Bauer (1927)
- The junior poetry cure (1931)
- New and Selected Poems, 1942
Prose
- Peter Pantheism (1925)
- Beethoven: the man who freed music. Vol. 1-2 (1929)
- Hobnails in Eden. Poems of a Maine vagabond (1929)
- A manthology; songs that are fit for men, and a few women (1931)
- The mad musician; an abridgment of Beethoven: the man who freed music (1932)
- The unknown Brahms (1933)
- The magic of music, an anthology for music (1935)
- Florestan, the life and work of Robert Schumann (1945)