Emilie Blackmore Stapp
Encyclopedia
Emilie Blackmore Stapp was an American children's author
and philanthropist
whose writing career spanned over 50 years. She was born in Madison, Indiana
on July 4, 1876 and died June 29, 1962, in Wiggins, Mississippi
where she is buried. Her first book Bread and ‘Lasses: Sketches of Child Life was published in 1902.
in 1883. Following the death of her mother at the age of 50, in 1893, and upon her graduation from high school, Emilie went to work as an associate editor with a weekly newspaper
and soon found herself hired as editor
of the literary page of the Des Moines Capital, the sister newspaper of the Des Moines Register
, which served as the daily evening newspaper for the Des Moines area.
In 1902, her first book, Bread and ‘Lasses: Sketches of Child Life was published. This was followed by The Trail of the Go-Hawks in 1908; Uncle Peter-Heathen in 1912; The Squaw Lady in 1913 and Little Billy Bowlegs in 1916.
and Girl Scouts
, had a membership of over 80,000 children and adults. Membership was open to anyone regardless of race or ethnic background who performed at least one act of kindness per day. “To Make The World A Better Place” was the organization’s motto. Two prominent adult members of the “Go-Hawks Tribe” were James Whitcomb Riley
, Big Chief of the United States, and Rudyard Kipling
, Big Chief of England.
In her 1914 letter, Stapp asked Riley to be the head of the Go-Hawks Happy Tribe saying; “It seems to be the desire of the children of Indiana that you should be designated Chief of their happy tribe. The Go-Hawks Happy Tribe is composed of good little Indians from 7 to 77 who are discovering that the only real happiness in life lies in service. All over the country children are showing fealty to the tribe by donning the button emblem of service. So here’s your button which makes you a member for life. If you are caught without it some young Indian brave or squaw may rise up and scalp you.” Riley replied back, “I am happy to be the chief of both the little children and those with the spirit of little children, even though ‘the golden hair be gray.'" Stapp wrote back, asserting, “I am so glad you have not grown up. Neither have I. You must never tell my employer, nor any of those many publishers who overwhelm me with books for criticism, but I still believe in fairies.”
, in 1918, Stapp mobilized her Go-Hawks Happy Tribe to raise 4,300,892 pennies or $43,000 to feed the widows and orphans of Europe
. For her extraordinarily compassionate efforts to care of the orphans created by World War I, Emilie Blackmore Stapp was decorated by the both the governments of France
and Belgium
for distinguished service. King Albert I of Belgium presented her with the honor of the Queen Elizabeth Medal
for her distinguished, unselfish and loyal service to the people of Belgium. In addition, the government and people of France bestowed upon Stapp, the honor of the French Medal for Distinguished Service for her efforts to feed the orphans and widows of France.
. The purpose of The World Neighbor Club was to establish relationships with and befriend children of different countries and to create libraries throughout the world where children could learn the English language. In a thank you letter, a student from The Albanian Vocational School writes to Stapp, “We thank you very much for the kindness you have done the Albanian children, and we thank you also very much for the books you send to us. We will never forget our best friends of America, and we will try to repay these good deeds you are doing.”
Emilie Stapp continued in her work as Children's Editor at Houghton Mifflin until 1925 when she was forced to resigned due to ill health. After leaving Houghton Mifflin Company, Emilie Blackmore Stapp authored Little Streets of Beacon Hill, published in 1928 by the J.F. Olsson Company. About this same time she, and sister Marie, moved to the small town of Wiggins, Mississippi where they had acquired 80 acres (32.4 ha) of land two miles (3 km) east of town on Mississippi Highway 26. They named their new property Friendship Farm. In the quiet solitude of southern Mississippi, Emilie Stapp could fully devote herself to creative writing. Upon the fertile ground of Friendship Farm, Emilie and Marie Stapp established a pecan
orchard and built their home, a Cape Cod
design, they named The Dolls’ House. The home, built from the virgin southern yellow pine
timber of south Mississippi, received its name from a rare collection of over 400 dolls
of historic significance, that the Stapp sisters acquired from their world travels and prominently displayed there.
Soon after their arrival in Wiggins, Mississippi, Emilie and her sister Marie, became actively involved within the community. In 1932, they deeded 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land and a club house to the Women’s Club of Wiggins, and with a donation of over 4,000 books, they established the first lending library in Stone County, Mississippi
. Becoming concerned with the dilapidated condition of the old post office
, the Stapp sisters funded construction of a new post office for the City of Wiggins.
During the 1930s Emilie Stapp became a regular contributor to many renowned children’s publications of the day. Her writings appeared in such publications as Little Folks Magazine, John Martin’s Book, St. Nicholas, Youth's Companion, and The Christian Science Monitor
where she also served as Children's Editor. In 1935, Stapp authored the novel Penny Wise. The story of Penelope Wiseman a teen-age detective based on Stapp’s popular serial of the same name, published in the Christian Science Monitor.
By 1936, Emilie and Marie Stapp's Dolls' House was opened to the public as a tourist attraction
. Tours were conducted by appointment and the home was listed in such publications as Mississippi; A Guide To The Magnolia State, published in 1938 by Viking Press
and in The Chevron Travel Guide.
In 1940, Emilie Stapp authored Isabella, The Wise Goose, and convinced Charles E. "Chubb" Howe owner of Winslow Press to publish it. Revived from folklore
, Isabella was a large white goose with a sun-bright yellow beak, able to lay golden eggs whenever she had a mind. Supporting characters such as Mr. Sun, Miss True Blue, the Happies, and Lady Daffodil shared Isabella’s land of make-believe. The book was well received by critics of the day. Favorable reviews appeared in The Horn Book Magazine, The New York Times
, and The Boston Herald. But little did anyone know that soon Emilie Blackmore Stapp and her irrepressible goose, Isabella would be destined for much greater things than simply literary success.
letter and an autographed Rudyard Kipling
book, sold to raise $283,000 in war bonds and stamps
.
Soon after, Emilie and her mythical goose, Isabella, was commissioned by the United States Government to sell war bonds. Isabella’s Victory Flight was launched in 1942. Stapp sold Isabella's war bonds through a letter writing campaign she conducted. Requests to purchase the war bonds were sent on stationery with a reproduction of Isabella created by renowned illustrator and artist, Forrest W. Orr. The letters listed Stapp's address as Isabella’s Victory Flight Headquarters, The Dolls’ House, Wiggins, Mississippi.
Emilie Stapp and Isabella participated in four bond drives. Stapp's highest single sales record came in her 8th Victory Bond campaign, where she raised a total of $710,403. From her rural home in Wiggins, Mississippi, Emilie Blackmore Stapp and Isabella raised a total of $3,339,429 for the American war effort. This was a truly remarkable feat when you consider that $1.00 in 1942 had approximately the same buying power as $13.00 in 2010. To put this remarkable accomplishment into perspective, this means that Emilie Blackmore Stapp would have raised approximately $42 Million for the war effort by today's standards.
. In 1947, Stapp wrote Isabella the Bride which tells of her marriage to Alexander, The King of Gooseland and in 1948, she followed up with Isabella, Queen of Gooseland.
By 1949, Emilie Stapp had become frustrated with the lack of promotion by her publisher, Charles Howe. On May 4, 1949, she wrote to Howe, saying: “We are sure you realize that books, no matter how delightful we think they are, will not sell themselves without publicity. I am most eager to know what your plans really are, Chubb, to publicize these books.” Howe, took the letter to heart and responded by personally creating a publicity campaign aimed at department stores, public libraries and public schools across the country. Soon brisk sales ensued and the fifth book in the series, Isabella’s Goose Village was released in 1950. Emilie Blackmore Stapp dedicated the sixth and last book in the series, Isabella’s New Friend, published in 1952, to Charles E. Howe and his wife Esther, because of Howe's efforts in successfully promoting the Isabella series. The dedication read: “To Chubb and Esther, With Feathers In Their Caps. From Isabella.”
In the mid-1950s, Emilie Stapp's writing career came to an end when she broke her hip in an accident. Holding true to the teachings of her Christian Science
faith, she refused all medical treatment. In constant pain, Stapp was confined to her bed for the next seven years of her life until dying from complications of the broken hip in 1962, just five days short of her 86th birthday. Her final resting place is next to her sister Marie Graham Stapp in their family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery, Wiggins, Mississippi.
Because Emilie Stapp and her sister Marie never had the opportunity to go to college
themselves, they helped a number of young people reach the goal of obtaining a college degree by paying fully for their educations. Among them were Robert Sherwood and David Miller of Des Moines, Iowa and Ethel Evans of Wiggins, Mississippi. Miller became a successful attorney in Des Moines and Sherwood a successful businessman. Evans, whose mother was the housekeeper
for the Stapp sisters, attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
where she earned a degree in art.
Emilie Blackmore Stapp's altruistic life was the ultimate personification of the Go Hawk Tribe motto, “To Make The World A Better Place.” She proved that one person can make a difference. Through her quiet lifelong benevolent works and extraordinary actions in World War I and World War II, she improved the lives of thousands of adults and children without selfishly seeking fame, accolades or notoriety for herself.
The Go-Hawk Series:
The Trail of the Go-Hawks (1908) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
Uncle Peter-Heathen (1912) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
The Squaw Lady (1913) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
Unserialized Books
Little Billy Bowlegs (1916) Published by The George H. Doran Company, Illustrations by Harold Sichel
Happyland’s Fairy Grotto Plays for Children (1922) Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, (Not Illustrated)
Little Streets of Beacon Hill (1928) Published by J.F. Olsson Company, Illustrations by Jeanette Stewart
Penny Wise (1935) Published By Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
The Isabella Series:
Isabella, The Wise Goose (1940) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s Big Secret (1946) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella, The Bride (1947) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella, Queen of Gooseland (1948) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s Goose Village (1950) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s New Friend (1952) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
whose writing career spanned over 50 years. She was born in Madison, Indiana
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
on July 4, 1876 and died June 29, 1962, in Wiggins, Mississippi
Wiggins, Mississippi
Wiggins is a city in Stone County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,849 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Stone County.-History:...
where she is buried. Her first book Bread and ‘Lasses: Sketches of Child Life was published in 1902.
Life
Emilie Stapp's father, David Wilbur Stapp, and her mother, Carrie Blackmore, moved their family which included their oldest daughter Florence, sons Hal and Fred and youngest daughters Emilie and Marie to Des Moines, IowaDes Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
in 1883. Following the death of her mother at the age of 50, in 1893, and upon her graduation from high school, Emilie went to work as an associate editor with a weekly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
and soon found herself hired as editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
of the literary page of the Des Moines Capital, the sister newspaper of the Des Moines Register
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
, which served as the daily evening newspaper for the Des Moines area.
In 1902, her first book, Bread and ‘Lasses: Sketches of Child Life was published. This was followed by The Trail of the Go-Hawks in 1908; Uncle Peter-Heathen in 1912; The Squaw Lady in 1913 and Little Billy Bowlegs in 1916.
The Go-Hawks Happy Tribe
In 1913, Stapp founded the Go-Hawks Happy Tribe, a national philanthropic organization which welcomed both boys and girls. The organization similar to today’s Boy ScoutsBoy Scouts
A Boy Scout is a member of a Scouting organization. There are thousands of national Scouting organizations or federations; these are grouped into six international Scouting associations with some non-aligned organizations....
and Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
, had a membership of over 80,000 children and adults. Membership was open to anyone regardless of race or ethnic background who performed at least one act of kindness per day. “To Make The World A Better Place” was the organization’s motto. Two prominent adult members of the “Go-Hawks Tribe” were James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the Hoosier Poet and Children's Poet for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively...
, Big Chief of the United States, and Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
, Big Chief of England.
In her 1914 letter, Stapp asked Riley to be the head of the Go-Hawks Happy Tribe saying; “It seems to be the desire of the children of Indiana that you should be designated Chief of their happy tribe. The Go-Hawks Happy Tribe is composed of good little Indians from 7 to 77 who are discovering that the only real happiness in life lies in service. All over the country children are showing fealty to the tribe by donning the button emblem of service. So here’s your button which makes you a member for life. If you are caught without it some young Indian brave or squaw may rise up and scalp you.” Riley replied back, “I am happy to be the chief of both the little children and those with the spirit of little children, even though ‘the golden hair be gray.'" Stapp wrote back, asserting, “I am so glad you have not grown up. Neither have I. You must never tell my employer, nor any of those many publishers who overwhelm me with books for criticism, but I still believe in fairies.”
World War I
When the United States entered World War IWorld 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...
, in 1918, Stapp mobilized her Go-Hawks Happy Tribe to raise 4,300,892 pennies or $43,000 to feed the widows and orphans of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. For her extraordinarily compassionate efforts to care of the orphans created by World War I, Emilie Blackmore Stapp was decorated by the both the governments of 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 Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
for distinguished service. King Albert I of Belgium presented her with the honor of the Queen Elizabeth Medal
Order of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium
The Order of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was a campaign medal created by Queen Elisabeth of Belgium for humanitarian service in World War I.It was created on 15 September, 1915 and finalized by Royal Decree of 14 May, 1919...
for her distinguished, unselfish and loyal service to the people of Belgium. In addition, the government and people of France bestowed upon Stapp, the honor of the French Medal for Distinguished Service for her efforts to feed the orphans and widows of France.
After WWI
In May 1921, Stapp left the Des Moines Capital for a new position as Children’s Editor with the Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston, Massachusetts. In Boston, Stapp continued her philanthropic work by forming The World Neighbor Club in 1923, in cooperation with the American Red CrossAmerican Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
. The purpose of The World Neighbor Club was to establish relationships with and befriend children of different countries and to create libraries throughout the world where children could learn the English language. In a thank you letter, a student from The Albanian Vocational School writes to Stapp, “We thank you very much for the kindness you have done the Albanian children, and we thank you also very much for the books you send to us. We will never forget our best friends of America, and we will try to repay these good deeds you are doing.”
Emilie Stapp continued in her work as Children's Editor at Houghton Mifflin until 1925 when she was forced to resigned due to ill health. After leaving Houghton Mifflin Company, Emilie Blackmore Stapp authored Little Streets of Beacon Hill, published in 1928 by the J.F. Olsson Company. About this same time she, and sister Marie, moved to the small town of Wiggins, Mississippi where they had acquired 80 acres (32.4 ha) of land two miles (3 km) east of town on Mississippi Highway 26. They named their new property Friendship Farm. In the quiet solitude of southern Mississippi, Emilie Stapp could fully devote herself to creative writing. Upon the fertile ground of Friendship Farm, Emilie and Marie Stapp established a pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
orchard and built their home, a Cape Cod
Cape Cod (house)
A Cape Cod cottage is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, pitched roof with end gables, a large central chimney and very little ornamentation...
design, they named The Dolls’ House. The home, built from the virgin southern yellow pine
Southern Yellow Pine
Southern Yellow Pine doesn't refer to any one species of tree, but rather a group of species which are classified as yellow pine , and are native to the Southern United States. They grow very well in the acidic red clay soil found in most of the region. The varieties include Loblolly, Longleaf,...
timber of south Mississippi, received its name from a rare collection of over 400 dolls
Dolls
A doll is a model of a human being, usually a toy.Dolls may also refer to:*Dolls , short British film directed by Susan Luciani*Dolls , a 2002 film by Takeshi Kitano...
of historic significance, that the Stapp sisters acquired from their world travels and prominently displayed there.
Soon after their arrival in Wiggins, Mississippi, Emilie and her sister Marie, became actively involved within the community. In 1932, they deeded 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land and a club house to the Women’s Club of Wiggins, and with a donation of over 4,000 books, they established the first lending library in Stone County, Mississippi
Stone County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,622 people, 4,747 households, and 3,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 5,343 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
. Becoming concerned with the dilapidated condition of the old post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, the Stapp sisters funded construction of a new post office for the City of Wiggins.
During the 1930s Emilie Stapp became a regular contributor to many renowned children’s publications of the day. Her writings appeared in such publications as Little Folks Magazine, John Martin’s Book, St. Nicholas, Youth's Companion, and The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
where she also served as Children's Editor. In 1935, Stapp authored the novel Penny Wise. The story of Penelope Wiseman a teen-age detective based on Stapp’s popular serial of the same name, published in the Christian Science Monitor.
By 1936, Emilie and Marie Stapp's Dolls' House was opened to the public as a tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
. Tours were conducted by appointment and the home was listed in such publications as Mississippi; A Guide To The Magnolia State, published in 1938 by Viking Press
Viking Press
Viking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
and in The Chevron Travel Guide.
In 1940, Emilie Stapp authored Isabella, The Wise Goose, and convinced Charles E. "Chubb" Howe owner of Winslow Press to publish it. Revived from folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, Isabella was a large white goose with a sun-bright yellow beak, able to lay golden eggs whenever she had a mind. Supporting characters such as Mr. Sun, Miss True Blue, the Happies, and Lady Daffodil shared Isabella’s land of make-believe. The book was well received by critics of the day. Favorable reviews appeared in The Horn Book Magazine, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and The Boston Herald. But little did anyone know that soon Emilie Blackmore Stapp and her irrepressible goose, Isabella would be destined for much greater things than simply literary success.
World War II
On October 28, 1942, in an effort to raise money for the war effort, the United States Treasury Department and the Holy Cathedral Book Club of Chicago, Illinois sponsored an autographed book party. That night, with such dignitaries as Carl Sandberg and Alvin C. York in attendance, a copy of Isabella, The Wise Goose sold for $800. Along with Isabella and other books, an original Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
letter and an autographed Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
book, sold to raise $283,000 in war bonds and stamps
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
.
Soon after, Emilie and her mythical goose, Isabella, was commissioned by the United States Government to sell war bonds. Isabella’s Victory Flight was launched in 1942. Stapp sold Isabella's war bonds through a letter writing campaign she conducted. Requests to purchase the war bonds were sent on stationery with a reproduction of Isabella created by renowned illustrator and artist, Forrest W. Orr. The letters listed Stapp's address as Isabella’s Victory Flight Headquarters, The Dolls’ House, Wiggins, Mississippi.
Emilie Stapp and Isabella participated in four bond drives. Stapp's highest single sales record came in her 8th Victory Bond campaign, where she raised a total of $710,403. From her rural home in Wiggins, Mississippi, Emilie Blackmore Stapp and Isabella raised a total of $3,339,429 for the American war effort. This was a truly remarkable feat when you consider that $1.00 in 1942 had approximately the same buying power as $13.00 in 2010. To put this remarkable accomplishment into perspective, this means that Emilie Blackmore Stapp would have raised approximately $42 Million for the war effort by today's standards.
After World War II
After her successful war bond campaign, Emilie Blackmore Stapp continued to expand on the story of Isabella, by penning her second, third and fourth books in the series. In 1946, she wrote Isabella’s Big Secret which told of the goose’s exploits during World War IIWorld 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...
. In 1947, Stapp wrote Isabella the Bride which tells of her marriage to Alexander, The King of Gooseland and in 1948, she followed up with Isabella, Queen of Gooseland.
By 1949, Emilie Stapp had become frustrated with the lack of promotion by her publisher, Charles Howe. On May 4, 1949, she wrote to Howe, saying: “We are sure you realize that books, no matter how delightful we think they are, will not sell themselves without publicity. I am most eager to know what your plans really are, Chubb, to publicize these books.” Howe, took the letter to heart and responded by personally creating a publicity campaign aimed at department stores, public libraries and public schools across the country. Soon brisk sales ensued and the fifth book in the series, Isabella’s Goose Village was released in 1950. Emilie Blackmore Stapp dedicated the sixth and last book in the series, Isabella’s New Friend, published in 1952, to Charles E. Howe and his wife Esther, because of Howe's efforts in successfully promoting the Isabella series. The dedication read: “To Chubb and Esther, With Feathers In Their Caps. From Isabella.”
In the mid-1950s, Emilie Stapp's writing career came to an end when she broke her hip in an accident. Holding true to the teachings of her Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
faith, she refused all medical treatment. In constant pain, Stapp was confined to her bed for the next seven years of her life until dying from complications of the broken hip in 1962, just five days short of her 86th birthday. Her final resting place is next to her sister Marie Graham Stapp in their family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery, Wiggins, Mississippi.
Because Emilie Stapp and her sister Marie never had the opportunity to go to college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
themselves, they helped a number of young people reach the goal of obtaining a college degree by paying fully for their educations. Among them were Robert Sherwood and David Miller of Des Moines, Iowa and Ethel Evans of Wiggins, Mississippi. Miller became a successful attorney in Des Moines and Sherwood a successful businessman. Evans, whose mother was the housekeeper
Housekeeper
Housekeeper may refer to:* Housekeeper , a woman heading up domestic maintenance* Maid, a female with various domestic duties* Janitor, a person responsible for institutional maintenance* A person engaged in housekeeping...
for the Stapp sisters, attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
where she earned a degree in art.
Emilie Blackmore Stapp's altruistic life was the ultimate personification of the Go Hawk Tribe motto, “To Make The World A Better Place.” She proved that one person can make a difference. Through her quiet lifelong benevolent works and extraordinary actions in World War I and World War II, she improved the lives of thousands of adults and children without selfishly seeking fame, accolades or notoriety for herself.
Books by Emilie Blackmore Stapp
Bread and 'Lasses Sketches of Child Life (1902) Published by The George A. Miller Company, Illustrations by P.J. MonahanThe Go-Hawk Series:
The Trail of the Go-Hawks (1908) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
Uncle Peter-Heathen (1912) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
The Squaw Lady (1913) David McKay Publisher, Illustrations by Harriett Macy
Unserialized Books
Little Billy Bowlegs (1916) Published by The George H. Doran Company, Illustrations by Harold Sichel
Happyland’s Fairy Grotto Plays for Children (1922) Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, (Not Illustrated)
Little Streets of Beacon Hill (1928) Published by J.F. Olsson Company, Illustrations by Jeanette Stewart
Penny Wise (1935) Published By Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
The Isabella Series:
Isabella, The Wise Goose (1940) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s Big Secret (1946) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella, The Bride (1947) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella, Queen of Gooseland (1948) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s Goose Village (1950) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr
Isabella’s New Friend (1952) Published by Winslow Press, Illustrations by Forrest W. Orr