Ethel R. (Ethel Rose) Peyser

Born in New York City on March 6, 1887, Ethel Rose Peyser was an American writer and journalist. She studied at Vassar College, Barnard College, and Teachers College, Columbia University, earning her bachelor's degree in 1908.

Peyser wrote across a wide range of subjects, which helps explain her appeal today. She is known for works such as Cheating the Junk-Pile, a practical guide to buying and maintaining household equipment, and for music books including How Music Grew, written with composer Marion Bauer. She also published broader educational works such as The Book of Culture, showing her interest in making the arts and general learning accessible to everyday readers.

She died in New York City on September 12, 1961. Although she is not widely remembered now, her writing offers a clear picture of a smart, curious author who believed useful knowledge and cultural education belonged to everyone.