William Strunk Jr. facts for kids

William Strunk Jr. (born July 1, 1869 – died September 26, 1946) was an American professor. He taught English at Cornell University. He is famous for writing The Elements of Style in 1918.

Later, one of his former students, E. B. White, updated and expanded the book. It became a very important guide for writing in English. Many people know it as “Strunk & White.”

William Strunk Jr.'s Early Life and Education

William Strunk Jr. was born and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the oldest of four children.

• He earned his first degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1890.
• He then got his PhD from Cornell University in 1896.
• He also spent a year studying in Paris, France, learning about language.

Teaching and Writing Career

Strunk first taught math at the Rose Polytechnical Institute in 1890. After that, he taught English at Cornell University for 46 years. He was very good at many types of literature, not just one area.

In 1922, he wrote a book called English Metres. This book studied how poems are put together. He also helped create special versions of works by famous writers like William Shakespeare.

Meeting E.B. White

William Strunk was part of a group called the Manuscript Club. This was a casual meeting for students and professors who liked to write. It was here that he met a young student named Elwyn Brooks White.

Working on a Hollywood Film

From 1935 to 1936, Strunk worked as a language expert for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Romeo and Juliet. People at the movie studio called him "the professor." This was partly because he looked very smart in his suit and glasses.

The Elements of Style

In 1918, Strunk first printed The Elements of Style for his students at Cornell. His students often called it "the little book." Strunk wanted this guide to help both teachers and students. It focused on the most important rules for good writing. These were rules that people often broke.

In 1935, Strunk and Edward A. Tenney updated the guide. They published it as The Elements and Practice of Composition.

E.B. White's Contribution

In 1957, E. B. White wrote about "the little book" in his New Yorker column. He praised it for teaching clear, correct, and short writing. A publishing company then asked White to update Strunk's book.

White's new version sold more than two million copies. Since 1959, over ten million copies of the book have been sold.

Family and Later Years

In 1900, William Strunk married Olivia Emilie Locke. They had three children together. One of their children was Oliver Strunk, who became a well-known music expert.

William Strunk retired from Cornell University in 1937. He became ill in 1945 and passed away less than a year later in a hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York. His friends and former students remembered him as a kind and helpful teacher. They also remembered his cheerful and honest nature.