author
James Hosmer Penniman
1860–1931
Remembered as a teacher, collector, and generous supporter of education, this early-20th-century writer devoted much of his work to books, learning, and the life of George Washington. His writing reflects a lifelong belief that reading and historical study could shape both character and citizenship.
2 Audiobooks
Children and their books
by James Hosmer Penniman
Books and how to make the most of them
by James Hosmer Penniman
About the author
Born in 1860, James Hosmer Penniman was an American educator and author with strong ties to Yale and Philadelphia. Archival records describe him as a teacher and administrator at the Lower School of the DeLancey School in Philadelphia, where he worked for many years before retiring in 1913.
After leaving school administration, he continued his work as a literary and historical collector and as a writer. He published books on reading and on George Washington, including Books and How to Make the Most of Them, and was known for writing about early American history in a clear, instructive way.
Penniman also left a philanthropic mark on academic life. Yale archival material credits him with founding memorial libraries of education at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, and Brown, reflecting his deep commitment to scholarship and the value of books. He died in 1931.