James Sterling Tippett facts for kids

James Sterling Tippett (born September 7, 1885, in Memphis, Missouri – died 1958) was an American teacher and a writer of books for children. He helped many young readers discover the joy of stories and poems.

Early Life and Education

James Sterling Tippett was born in Memphis, Missouri. When he was five years old, in 1890, his family moved to a farm. This farm had been passed down from his mother's father. They lived there until James was thirteen, then moved back to Memphis.

After finishing high school, Tippett started teaching. He taught high school students. During his summer breaks, he continued his own education. He attended the University of Missouri to learn even more.

Becoming a Children's Author

In 1918, Tippett moved to Nashville, Tennessee. There, he became the principal of Peabody Demonstration School. This was an important step in his career as an educator.

A few years later, in 1922, he moved to New York. He joined the Lincoln School at Teachers College. Here, he worked as an instructor and researcher. It was during this time that he started writing books for children. His first book, The Singing Farmer, came out in 1927. It was inspired by a farm exhibit in a classroom.

His Books and Writings

James Tippett taught in different states, including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and South Carolina. While teaching, he kept writing books for young readers. He also helped edit textbooks used in schools.

Some of his well-known books include:

• I Live in a City (1927)
• I Go A-Traveling (1929)
• I Spend the Summer (1930)
• Busy Carpenters (1930)
• Toys and Toymakers (1931)
• A World to Know (1933)
• Henry and the Garden and Stories about Henry (1936)
• Shadow and the Stocking (1937)
• Sniff (1937)
• Counting the Days (1940)
• Abraham Lincoln (1951)

He also wrote a series of books called Understanding Science.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1939, James Tippett and his wife, Martha, moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He became a visiting professor of education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He continued teaching and writing until he passed away in 1958.

In 1972, James S. Tippett was honored for his work. His name was added to the North Carolina Educational Hall of Fame. This showed how much his contributions to education were valued.

Famous Poems

James S. Tippett is perhaps best known for his poem "Sunning." This poem is about a dog relaxing in the summer sun. It became required reading in many elementary schools. This helped make him a well-known poet.

Another one of his poems, "The Park," was included in a children's book called My Little Book of POEMS (1983).