Orton Lowe

author

Orton Lowe

b. 1873

Best known for writing about children’s reading and for editing classic story collections, this early 20th-century educator cared deeply about helping young readers find books that would stay with them for life. His work mixes literary guidance with a clear belief that children deserved access to strong, memorable stories.

1 Audiobook

Literature for Children

by Orton Lowe

About the author

A Pennsylvania educator, Orton Lowe is identified in his 1922 book Literature for Children as an assistant superintendent of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, public schools. In that book, he writes with the practical aim of guiding children, parents, and teachers toward "great books" and away from rushed or careless reading.

Lowe also worked as an editor and compiler of classic literature for younger audiences. Library of Congress records list him as the editor of 1924 editions of Grimm's Fairy Tales and The Arabian Nights, and other catalog records connect him with books such as Pennsylvania: A Story of Our Domain, Our Chronicles, Our Work.

Some library and bookseller records give his dates as 1873–1930, but the details are not consistently documented in the sources reviewed here. Even so, the picture that emerges is clear: he was a schoolman and literary guide who wanted children to grow up with lasting stories, not just passing entertainments.