My former career as a published middle school teacher opened the door to a Mississippi road trip in my second chapter as a travel writer when my books landed in the de Grummond Collection at USM.
This post is the first installment of a 6-part Southern Mississippi Road Trip series. On the second leg of my journey I traveled to Historical Natchez, Mississippi, where I toured four of this city’s grand antebellum homes. Part 3 is the story of my drive on the Mississippi Backroads Between Natchez and Vicksburg where I visited a ghost town, walked the cinematic Windsor Ruins, and ate the worlds’s best fried chicken. Then I learned How to Spend 36 Hours in Vicksburg, Mississippi and The Best Way to Visit Vicksburg National Military Park. And finally, I visited highlights from several Civil Rights and Literary Driving Tours in Jackson, Mississippi.
My Books Land in the de Grummond Collection
Table of Contents
- 1 My Books Land in the de Grummond Collection
- 2 My Former Career
- 3 I Made the Paper!
- 4 My Publications
- 5 The Solution
- 6 Mississippi, Here I Come!
- 7 The de Grummond
- 8 Children’s Literature Collection
- 9 A Tour of the de Grummond Collection
- 10 Map It!
- 11 We Would Love to Hear From You
- 12 Pin this Post!
- 13 A Southern Mississippi Road Trip Series
- 14 Helpful Links
I have wanted to take a Mississippi road trip for more years than I can remember, and not long ago my wish came true.
Here’s how it happened . . . .
My Former Career
I have always loved traveling and writing, but I haven’t always been a travel writer. Last year I retired at age 56 from a 35-year career as a public school teacher. As an extension of my classroom instruction in the 1990s, I published five educational resource books for teachers. These projects left me with a wealth of accumulated drafts, research materials, proposals, contracts, and royalty statements, as well as 100+ autographs and publicity head shots of children’s authors and even a few pieces of original artwork from children’s illustrators. All told, I had about a dozen copy paper boxes of what authors call their “papers” just taking up space in my spare bedroom.
I Made the Paper!
When my first book was published, a journalist and photographer from the Tampa Tribune visited my classroom to interview my students and me for a feature article.
My Publications
For readers who may be interested in learning a bit about my books, this gallery of covers and backs will probably give you more information than you ever care to know. All books are currently out of print, but are frequently available from resellers on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and eBay.
Is it just me, or do all but one of my book covers have flying pencils?
Books
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators ( 1994)
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- Implementing Literature-Based Instruction and Authentic Assessment (1996)
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- Language Arts Lingo (1997)
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- Art Projects Plus (1997)
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators, 2nd Ed. (1999)
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators ( 1994)
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- Implementing Literature-Based Instruction and Authentic Assessment (1996)
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- Language Arts Lingo (1997)
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- Art Projects Plus (1997)
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators, 2nd Ed. (1999)
Software
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators Software (1994)
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- The Address Book of Children’s Authors and Illustrators Software (1994)
The Solution
So, what was I supposed to do with these boxes of valuable junk?
I decided to contact Ellen Ruffin, curator of the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg to inquire whether she had any interest in the contents of these boxes. Although my books themselves were not children’s literature, all of them were about children’s literature. Ellen quickly replied to my inquiry and informed me that they would be delighted to accept my books and papers. She explained that eventually the contents of my boxes would be cataloged and added to their Contributor/Finding Aid Index. Because the shipping costs to mail these boxes would be astronomical, I decided I should probably drive them up to USM.
Finding a home for my papers was the task that would finally carry me to Mississippi!
Mississippi, Here I Come!
The weekend drive to Hattiesburg took me through the Florida Panhandle and Lower Alabama. I broke it up into two days, overnighting in Tallahassee and taking detours through Blountstown, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama.
Early Monday morning, I met Ellen at the McCain Library on the USM campus and we hauled the boxes up to the de Grummond archives.
The de Grummond
Children’s Literature Collection
The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection is a leading research center focused on American and British works, housing original manuscripts and illustrations from over 1,300 authors and illustrators. The adjacent book collection contains more than 160,000 volumes dating from the year 1530. The de Grummond archives include the works of such notable children’s authors and illustrators as Ezra Jack Keats (The Snowy Day), H.A. and Margret Rey (Curious George), and of course . . . me (sarcasm intended).
If you are a lover of children’s literature, check out the de Grummond Collection web site for more information on current exhibits, events, and awards.
A Tour of the de Grummond Collection
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- The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection resides at the McCain Library on the USM campus.
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- Ellen holds an original illustration from The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.
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- Original artwork in the archives.
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- The Stacks.
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- Any idea what might be stored in these archival containers?
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- Vintage children’s books.
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- Digital collections.
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- Mississippi’s Freedom Summer 1964.
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- A workroom for processing donations.
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- Entrance to an exhibit room.
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- Ellen and the de Grummond Award showcase.
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- A selection of de Grummond Award medals.
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- Plaque honoring founder Lena Y. de Grummond.
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- A de Grummond historical collage.
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- Lois Lenski titles in the book collection, one of my favorite authors from childhood.
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- An original Lois Lenski illustration.
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- I loved reading serials as a young reader.
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- An identical copy of one of the first chapter books my mother bought for me.
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- A Curious George display.
Delivering my papers to the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at USM is what took me to Mississippi. But Hattiesburg was only the beginning of my Mississippi Road Trip.
My next stop would be Natchez . . . .
Map It!
We Would Love to Hear From You
Jerry and I enjoy dialogue with our readers, especially when they share insider tips and little-known stories from their travels around the world. Have you ever had a task to complete that turned into an opportunity for travel? We invite you to leave your comments and questions below, and we always respond!
Pin this Post!
A Southern Mississippi Road Trip Series
Part 2: Visit Historical Natchez, Mississippi
Part 3: Mississippi Backroads Between Natchez & Vicksburg
Part 4: How to Spend 36 Hours in Vicksburg, Mississippi
Part 5: The Best Way to Visit Vicksburg National Military Park
Part 6: Civil Rights and Literary Driving Tours in Jackson, Mississippi
Bonus: The Haunting Town of Rodney, Mississippi
Helpful Links
de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi
de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection Contributor/Finding Aid Index
What a story! And accomplishment! Love that it is visually chronicled. This is just pure awesome stiff!
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words!
Howard, that is an awesome story. Sounds like you’ve had a great adventure getting from where you started to where you are now. Congrats and thanks for sharing.
35 years as a middle school teacher…very impressive. I would last about a day! You deserve a medal for that! Congrats on getting your books at the USM library. How exciting to have your works amongst the university’s extensive children’s literature collection.
Thanks, Drew! I loved being a teacher, and it was a great honor for the de Grummond Collection to receive my papers.
Gosh Howard. I have so many things to say. First, I have been waiting for this post and you did an excellent job. LOVED seeing the photos of you as a young school teacher. I would have loved having you for a teacher. 😉 What a wonderful way to share your work and I’m so happy for and proud of you. The education system needs way more Howard’s in this world.
Next, I LOVE books though after starting to blog, cannot seem to make any time for them but I loved that you shared the collection of books they have. Impressive. I own that very Bobbsey Twin book and a plethora of old books like that. You would probably enjoy pilfering through my storage unit some time and seeing all the old treasures. 😉
Thanks for sharing. Loved the entire post.
You are too sweet, Melody! I know exactly what you mean by having no time to read anymore. Being a blogger is 24/7 work. NOT complaining, but I would love the luxury of reading a book, although I did make time to read Go Set a Watchman. Big hugs!
It sounds like you had a great career as a teacher – 35 years! That’s incredible. Thank you. Our kids need great teachers. Congrats on getting into the De Grummond Collection with your books. What a fantastic accomplishment.
I loved being a teacher, Laura, and of course my students were the best part. But I must say, I am loving my new chapter, as well!
What a great adventure! I love road trips with a mission. Glad you found a new home for all your resources and to hear about the de Grummond collection. All the best in this new career.
Thanks so much, Elaine! It truly was a rewarding experience.
What a great reason to take a roadtrip you had always wanted to take! And congrats on being published, that’s a pretty awesome achievement!
Thanks, Vicki! I am always looking for an excuse to travel. 🙂
Congrats Howard! I had no idea you were published … very cool that two of your passions combined to give you reason to realize your dream of a Mississippi roadtrip! I
Thanks, Meg! I have always loved writing. Back then I wrote out of my classroom, and now I write out of my travels. 🙂
This sounds like quite the adventure! I think it’s really neat how your books got into the De Grummond Collection! Congrats!
Thanks, Carmen! I always love a reason to hit the road.
Omg really? this is so fantastic, I would love to have anything published let alone a pile of books like yourself (travel related or not :P) and to be in a collection, and have the occasional autograph ahaha. well done 🙂
I wrote these books from lessons and activities that originated in my classroom back when teachers had freedom to be creative. Not that way anymore, which is the main reason I retired. Glad I found a place that would preserve my work.