author
V. M. (Virgil Mores) Hillyer
1875–1931
Best known for making big subjects feel welcoming to young readers, this early 20th-century educator wrote lively history and geography books that aimed to spark curiosity rather than overwhelm. His work grew out of years spent thinking carefully about how children learn.
1 Audiobook
A Child's History of the World
by V. M. (Virgil Mores) Hillyer
About the author
Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1875, V. M. Hillyer studied at Harvard and went on to become the first Head Master of the Calvert School in Baltimore. Calvert School credits him with helping build its approach to elementary education and with founding its Home Instruction Department in 1906, a program that extended the school's teaching beyond the classroom.
Alongside his work in education, he wrote books for young readers that became especially well known for their clear, conversational style. A Child's History of the World and A Child's Geography of the World are the titles most closely associated with him, and they reflect the same teaching philosophy seen in his school work: start with the child's curiosity and make learning feel like an invitation.
Hillyer died in Baltimore in 1931 at the age of 56. He is remembered both as an author and as an educator who helped shape elementary and home-based learning in the early 20th century.