Bechtel, Louise Seaman, 1894-1985

Editor, author, lecturer on children's literature. Louise Seaman Bechtel, 1894-1985, served as Editor and Head of the Juvenile Book Department of Macmillan Publishing Company in New York City. A 1915 graduate of Vassar College, Bechtel began work for Macmillan in 1919. After leaving Macmillan in 1934, Bechtel worked as a freelance writer and lecturer. She was the editor of the children's section of the New York Herald Tribune Book Review from 1948 to 1956 and was associate editor of The Horn Book Magazine, a journal on literature for children, from 1939 to 1957. She married Edwin DeTurch Bechtel in 1929. In 1980, Ms. Bechtel donated portions of her papers, an extensive book collection, correspondence and memorabilia to Vassar College.

Bechtel (1894-1985) was head of the juvenile book department at Macmillan from 1919-1934, assistant editor and director for THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE, and lecturer and author on children's literature. She graduated from Vassar College in 1915.

Louise S. Bechtel was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1894. She received a BA at Vassar College in 1915. She did graduate work at Yale University from 1915 to 1918. She was a pioneer in the field of children's literature, becoming the first children's book editor at Macmillan. In this capacity, she traveled and lectured on children's literature, became a reviewer, and initiated the first children's book program on radio. She died in 1985. Biographical Source : Something About the Author, v. 4 p. 26-27, v. 43 p. 36-37.

Editor, author, lecturer on children's literature.

Louise Seaman Bechtel, 1894-1985, served as Editor and Head of the Juvenile Book Department of Macmillan Publishing Company in New York City. A 1915 graduate of Vassar College, Bechtel began work for Macmillan in 1919. After leaving Macmillan in 1934, Bechtel worked as a freelance writer and lecturer.

She was the editor of the children's section of the New York Herald Tribune Book Review from 1948 to 1956 and was associate editor of The Horn Magazine, a journal on literature for children, from 1939 to 1957. She married Edwin DeTurch Bechtel in 1929. In 1980, Ms. Bechtel donated portions of her papers, an extensive book collection and memorabilia to Vassar College.