Wilton W. (Wilton Wallace) Blancké

Wilton W. Blancké was born in Philadelphia on September 16, 1884, and studied at Central High School before going on to the University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on Latin, Greek, and classical archaeology. During his student years he also wrote, produced, and acted in plays, then earned his A.B. in 1905, A.M. in 1906, and Ph.D. in 1916.

Most of his career was spent in education. He joined the faculty of Central High School in 1906 and later became head of the foreign language department at South Philadelphia High School for Boys, teaching Latin, French, and German. He also taught courses for teachers at the University of Pennsylvania and advised foreign-language students at Temple University.

Blancké was more than a classroom teacher: archival records describe him as a strong advocate for foreign-language study in public education, and he wrote articles and letters arguing that language learning encouraged international understanding. He retired from teaching in 1946, continued writing, and died on February 12, 1949. His best-known book is The Dramatic Values in Plautus, a scholarly study first published in 1918.