author

Otis Ashmore

1853–1934

A Georgia educator and popular science writer, he spent decades helping shape public schooling in Savannah while also editing the long-running Grier’s Almanac. His work joined classroom learning with a lively interest in language, astronomy, and everyday practical knowledge.

1 Audiobook

A manual of pronunciation : $b for practical use in schools and families

A manual of pronunciation : $b for practical use in schools and families

by Otis Ashmore

About the author

Born in Lincoln County, Georgia, on March 6, 1853, Otis Ashmore built a career as an educator, lecturer, and writer. He taught science in Savannah’s high school and later served as superintendent of schools in Savannah and Chatham County from 1896 to 1916.

Ashmore was known for bringing scientific subjects to a broad audience. Contemporary biographical sources describe him as a lecturer on astronomy, and the history of Grier’s Almanac notes that he succeeded his uncle as editor in 1882, continuing the publication while also working in education. He also wrote A Manual of Pronunciation for Practical Use in Schools and Families (1904), a guide aimed at helping readers with commonly mispronounced English words.

He died in Savannah, Georgia, on May 2, 1934. Although he is not widely remembered today, his career shows how closely teaching, public service, and practical publishing could be linked in the American South of his time.