author
Lawrence A. (Lawrence Augustus) Wilkins
b. 1878
A leading early advocate for Spanish teaching in American schools, this educator helped shape how languages were taught to generations of students. His books were practical, classroom-minded, and closely tied to the growth of modern language study in the United States.
1 Audiobook
Lecturas fáciles con ejercicios
by Lawrence A. (Lawrence Augustus) Wilkins, Max Aaron Luria
About the author
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, on November 11, 1878, Lawrence Augustus Wilkins became an influential figure in language education in the United States. He is best remembered for writing Spanish textbooks and teaching materials, including First Spanish Book, Second Spanish Book, and Spanish in the High Schools.
Wilkins played a major role in organizing Spanish teachers nationally. Sources credit him as a key force behind the founding of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish in 1917, and he served as its first president. A memorial published in Hispania after his death in 1945 describes him as a widely admired leader in foreign-language education and notes his long work with New York City high schools.
His writing suggests a teacher focused on real classroom use rather than theory alone, which helps explain why so many of his books were adopted and reprinted. He died in New York on December 24, 1945.