Eric P. Kelly
Eric P. Kelly was an American author and journalist born on March 16, 1884, in Amesbury, Massachusetts. He spent part of his childhood in Denver before moving to New York City, where he completed his education at De Witt Clinton High School and later earned an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College in 1906. Kelly's career in journalism spanned several publications, including the Westfield Times and the Boston Herald, and he also took on teaching roles at Mercersburg Academy and Dartmouth College. His experiences during World War I, particularly his work with Polish exiles, fostered a deep appreciation for Slavic culture and language, inspiring much of his creative writing.
In 1925, he spent a year in Poland as part of a scholar exchange program at the University of Krakow, where he became fascinated with the local culture and traditions. Kelly's literary contributions often featured Polish settings and characters, aiming to preserve the rich history that had been impacted by war. His most notable work, "The Trumpeter of Krakow," earned him the Newbery Medal in 1929, highlighting his ability to engage young readers with historical narratives. Kelly continued to contribute to literature and journalism throughout his life, retiring in 1954 and passing away on January 3, 1960. His legacy includes a commitment to fostering cultural understanding through storytelling.
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Eric P. Kelly
Writer
- Born: March 16, 1884
- Birthplace: Amesbury, Massachusetts
- Died: January 3, 1960
- Place of death: Youngston, Arizona
Biography
Eric Philbrook Kelly was born on March 16, 1884, in Amesbury, Massachusetts, the son of Edward Lowell Kelly, a bookseller who managed a circulating library, and Massalena Hadley Philbrook Kelly. He moved to Denver, Colorado, with his parents when he was five and attended school there. His family next lived in New York City, where Kelly studied at De Witt Clinton High School.
Kelly completed an A.B. degree at Dartmouth College in 1906. He briefly wrote for the Westfield Times, in Westfield, Massachusetts, after graduation. He started reporting for another Massachusetts newspaper, the Springfield Union, later in 1906 through 1911. The following year, he became editor of the Hunterton Gazettein High Bridge, New Jersey. From 1914 to 1918, he reported for the Boston Herald. Kelly also was employed at the State House News Bureau and studied journalism at Boston University during 1916 and 1917.
Kelly traveled to Europe in 1918 as a relief worker, assisting people displaced during World War I. He encountered Polish exiles and traveled throughout Poland with supplies, interacting with, and developing an appreciation for, Slavic people and their culture. Kelly learned to speak Polish and also visited Russia and Czechoslovakia.
By 1921, Kelly returned to the United States and taught at the Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania before accepting a teaching position as an English instructor at Dartmouth. He also worked summers from 1922 to 1924, reporting for the Boston Transcript. Kelly married Katharine Collins Merrill on July 2, 1924, at Portland, Maine.
Kelly returned to Poland in 1925 when the Kosciusko Foundation, initiating a scholar exchange program, asked him to study and teach at the University of Krakow for one year. While he lived in Krakow, Kelly often explored that city, especially a church where an hourly trumpet performance intrigued him. During the summer of 1928, Kelly lectured in literature at Columbia University, discussing Polish literature. He earned an A.M. degree from Dartmouth in 1929 and became a journalism professor. In 1929 and 1930, he traveled to Vilno and Lvov, Poland, for additional research.
During World War II, Kelly assisted the United States government to shelter Polish refugees in Mexico. He chaired the committee selecting Pulitzer Prize novels in 1951, 1952, and 1954. Kelly retired from Dartmouth in June, 1954. He resided on Chebeague Island, Maine, spending winters at his house in Youngstown, Arizona, where he coedited a community newspaper, Record and Desert Call, in 1959. Kelly died on January 3, 1960, at his Youngstown home.
Poland inspired Kelly’s creative writing. He wrote stories with Polish settings and characters for St. Nicholasand Youth’s Companion. Researching in Krakow archives and libraries, Kelly hoped his writing would help preserve memories of the Polish culture that had been destroyed or disrupted by war. Reviewers praised Kelly’s writing for making history accessible and relevant to young readers. They noted how Kelly’s knowledge and experiences helped him to create emotionally appealing books. In 1929 the American Library Association awarded Kelly the Newbery Medal for The Trumpeter of Krakow. Kelly displayed a trumpet from Krakow when he accepted that prize.