Wilson, Hazel (Hutchins)

Hazel (Hutchins) Wilson was born on April 8, 1898 in Portland, Maine to Fred Linwood and Emma Hutchins. She attended Bates College A.B 1919, Simmons College B.S 1920. She married Jerome Wilson on September 16, 1930.

Wilson was a member of the American Newspaper Women's Club, Children's Book Guild of Washington D.C (president 1955-1956, 1970-1971), Women in Communication. During her career she held many positions in libraries. She held a position as a high school librarian from 1920-1923; librarian at Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College (Now Northeast Missouri State University) in Kirksville from 1923-1926; head of the circulation department for the American Library in Paris, France from 1926-1928; librarian at Bradford Academy, in Bradford Massachusetts from 1928-1929; supervisor of school libraries in Denver Colorado from 1929-1930; and lecturer at George Washington University in Washington D.C. from 1956-1967. In addition to this work, Wilson also taught writing classes for children, was a lecturer at various events, and did some radio and television work. She also worked with foreign students as a consultant.

Wilson died of congestive heart failure on August 20, 1992 in Bethesda Maryland.

From the guide to the Hazel Hutchins Wilson papers, 1969, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)

Hazel Hutchins Wilson was born on April 8, 1898 in Portland, Maine. She earned her B.A. from Bates College and a B.S. from Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Wilson was a professional librarian at the high school and college level and a lecturer at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. She is the author of over 15 children's books. Her most famous books are the Herbert series, which was based upon the actions of her son and his friends. Hazel Wilson died on August 20, 1992.

Biographical Source: Something About the Author, vol. 3, pp. 260-261 and vol. 73, pp. 231.

From the guide to the Hazel Wilson Papers, 1960-1969, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])