Trumbull Stickney facts for kids

Joseph Trumbull Stickney (born June 20, 1874 – died October 11, 1904) was an American poet and a scholar who studied ancient Greek and Roman cultures. He was known for his thoughtful poems and his deep knowledge of classic literature.

Joseph Trumbull Stickney's Life

Joseph Trumbull Stickney was born in Geneva, a city in Switzerland. He spent many of his early years living in Europe.

His Time at Harvard and in Paris

In 1891, Joseph started studying at Harvard University in the United States. While there, he became an editor for the Harvard Monthly, which was a student magazine. He also joined a special group called the Signet Society. He worked very hard and graduated in 1895 with "magna cum laude," which means "with great honor."

After Harvard, Joseph moved to Paris, France, where he studied for seven years. He earned a special high-level degree called a doctorate from the Sorbonne. For his studies, he wrote about ancient Greek poetry and a scholar named Ermolao Barbaro. He was the first American to earn this specific type of doctorate.

His Career and Later Years

In 1902, Joseph published his first book of poems, called Dramatic Verses. The next year, in 1903, he started working as a teacher of Classics at Harvard. This meant he taught about ancient Greek and Roman languages and cultures.

Sadly, Joseph Trumbull Stickney died in Boston in 1904, only a year after he started teaching at Harvard. He passed away from a brain tumor. He was one of several talented poets from Harvard who died at a young age.

His Poem in a Movie

One of Joseph Trumbull Stickney's poems, simply titled "Song," describes the earth coming alive in spring. A part of this poem was used without permission in the 2006 movie The Good Shepherd. In the movie, a professor character recites the poem.

Joseph Trumbull Stickney's Works

Joseph Trumbull Stickney wrote several books and poems during his life. Here are some of his important works:

• Dramatic Verses (1902)
• Les Sentences dans la Poésie Grècque d'Homère à Euripide (1903) - This was his study on ancient Greek poetry.
• The poems of Trumbull Stickney (1905) - This collection was put together after he passed away by his friends and fellow poets.
• Trumbull Stickney (1973) - Another collection of his works.
• Poem 'Mnemosyne'