Ethel Jacobson (1899Silvia Palmer Mudrick, Debora Richey, and Cathy Thomas, ''Fullerton: The Boom Years'' (Chicago: Arcadia, 2015), pp. 78–79. . – 15 February 1991
, ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'', 17 February 1991. Accessed 26 January 2023.Jennifer Moulton, "Ethel Jacobson, 91, internationally known OC poet, author of 6 books", ''

Orange County Register ''The Orange County Register'' is a paid daily newspaper published in California. The ''Register'', published in Orange County, California, is owned by the private equity firm Alden Global Capital via its Digital Fiest/Media News subsidiaries. ...

'' (Santa Ana, California), 18 February 1991, p. 37. Via ProQuest.) was an American writer of light verse and a book reviewer.

Early life and education

Born Ethel Sonntag in Paterson, New Jersey,"Ethel Jacobson"; in ''Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors'' (Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale, 2002). ''Gale in Context: Biography'' (accessed January 26, 2023). she was "brought up in New York City". Jacobson studied at the

Parsons School of Design Parsons School of Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is a private art and design college located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1896 after a group of progressive artists broke away from established Manhatt ...

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio. It was founded in 1842 by methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five – a consortium ...

and the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the fin ...

: an education in art, music, and more – although not poetry.

Personal life

She married Louis John Jacobson in 1923; the couple had two daughters (described in December 1937 as thirteen and six years old)."Fullerton poetess gets it printed", ''

The San Bernardino County Sun ''The San Bernardino Sun'' is a paid daily newspaper in San Bernardino County. Founded in 1894, it has significant circulation in neighboring Riverside County, and serves most of the Inland Empire in Southern California, with a circulation area s ...

'', 1 December 1937, p. 26. Via Newspapers.com. The family moved to Fullerton, California, in 1928. The couple summered in

Mammoth Lakes Mammoth Lakes is a town in Mono County, California, and is the county's only incorporated community. It is located immediately to the east of Mammoth Mountain, at an elevation of . As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,191, r ...

, California. Jacobson enjoyed sketching and raising cats. Jacobson died on 15 February 1991 in Fullerton, aged 91.

Career

Jacobson reviewed books (particularly nature-related booksMargaret Teague, "Talented light verse writer visits in city", '' Bartlesville, Okla. Examiner-Enterprise'', 11 April 1962, p. 5. Via Newspapers.com.) for the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'', the ''

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'', and the ''

Santa Ana Register ''The Orange County Register'' is a paid daily newspaper published in California. The ''Register'', published in Orange County, California, is owned by the private equity firm Alden Global Capital via its Digital Fiest/Media News subsidiaries. ...

''. From 1933 to 1978, Jacobson contributed hundreds of poems to ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

''. Other periodicals to which she contributed material included ''All-Story Love Stories'', ''

Arizona Highways ''Arizona Highways'' is a magazine that contains travelogues and artistic photographs related to the U.S. state of Arizona. It is published monthly in Phoenix by a unit of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). Background The mag ...

'', ''

The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

'', '' The Author & Journalist'', ''Child Life'', ''

Collier's ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened in 1905 to ''Collie ...

'', ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

'', ''Fiction Parade and Golden Book Magazine'', ''

Good Housekeeping ''Good Housekeeping'' is an American women's magazine featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, and health, as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good House ...

'', ''

Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...

'', ''Life Story Magazine'', ''

Look To look is to use sight to perceive an object. Look or The Look may refer to: Businesses and products * Look (modeling agency), an Israeli modeling agency * ''Look'' (American magazine), a defunct general-interest magazine * ''Look'' (UK ma ...

'', ''

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

'', ''Love Book Magazine'', ''

Love Story Magazine ''Love Story Magazine'' was an American romantic fiction pulp magazine, published from 1921 to 1947.Doug Ellis, John Locke, and John Gunnison, ''The Adventure House Guide to the Pulps''.Silver Spring, MD : Adventure House, 2000. (pp. 153-4) It w ...

'', ''

McCall's ''McCall's'' was a monthly American women's magazine, published by the McCall Corporation, that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-for ...

'', ''New Love Magazine'', ''

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'', ''

Redbook ''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst Corporation. It is one of the " Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publication as of January 2019 and now operates an article-comprise ...

'', and ''

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''. She also wrote poems that regularly appeared within syndicated pot-pourris: "Cook-coos, by Ted Cook""Cook-coos" was from the

King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...

; it appeared in ''

The San Francisco Examiner The ''San Francisco Examiner'' is a newspaper distributed in and around San Francisco, California, and published since 1863. Once self-dubbed the "Monarch of the Dailies" by then-owner William Randolph Hearst, and flagship of the Hearst Corporat ...

''. Many examples can be seen at Newspapers.com. and "Contract highlights, by Z. V. Smith"."Contract highlights" appeared in '' The Redwood Journal'' (Ukiah, California). Many examples can be seen at Newspapers.com (which anachronistically labels pre-1954 issues the ''Ukiah Daily Journal''). Jacobson wrote many poems about her dog Rover. Later, she turned to writing poems about her cats.Peggy Powell, "Laughter – fore and after: Life fun to Ethel Jacobson", ''The Independent'' (Pasadena, California), 2 February 1962, p. 11. Also published as: Peggy Powell, "Laughter – fore and after: Life mostly fun to Ethel Jacobson", ''

Star-News ''Star-News'' is an American, English language daily newspaper for Wilmington, North Carolina, and its surrounding area (known as the Lower Cape Fear). It is North Carolina's oldest newspaper in continuous publication. It was owned by Halifax Me ...

'' (Pasadena, California), 2 February 1962, pp. 19, 27. Both via the Newspaper Archive. In 1972, she was quoted as saying "I've always been bats about cats", but described as working on a book about squirrels.Wanda Lund, "Develop own style, Utah writers hear", ''Deseret News'' (Salt Lake City), 11 September 1972, p. 10A. Via Newspapers.com. In 1937, Jacobson described herself as having a comfortable income from poetry, which she enjoyed writing, and as having refused offers of contracts to write dialogue for movies. Identifying "the battle of the sexes" as "that richest of mother lodes for the light verse writer out prospecting for subject matter", the poet

Richard Armour Richard Willard Armour (July 15, 1906 – February 28, 1989) was an American poet and prose writer who wrote more than 65 books. Life and works Armour was born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California the only child of Harry W. and Sue Wheelock Ar ...

named Jacobson as one of the women – together with

Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker (née Rothschild; August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, writer, critic, and satirist based in New York; she was known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhap ...

Phyllis McGinley Phyllis McGinley (March 21, 1905 – February 22, 1978) was an American author of children's books and poetry. Her poetry was in the style of light verse, specializing in humor, satiric tone and the positive aspects of suburban life. She won a P ...

, Margaret Fishback, and Georgie Starbuck Galbraith – who had "done even better" at this than had the men. What has been described as Jacobson's most frequently quoted verse has a darker subject:

To smash the simple atom All mankind was intent, Now any day The atom may Return the compliment.Titled "Atomic Courtesy", it has appeared in print in such diverse publications as: *''The Clark Panther'' (
Clark College Clark College is a public community college in Vancouver, Washington. With 11,500 students, Clark College is the largest institution of higher education in southwest Washington. Founded in 1933 as a private two-year junior college, Clark Colleg ...
, Atlanta), November 1954, p. 2. (At Newspaper Archive.) *''
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'' (Zanesville, Ohio), 17 January 1960, p. 4. (At Newspaper Archive.) *'' The Drumheller Mail'', 23 June 1976, p. 8. (At Newspaper Archive.) *Sara Brewton and John E. Brewton, eds., ''Shrieks at Midnight: Macabre Poems, Eerie and Humorous'' (New York: Crowell, 1969), p. 63. . *P. Edward Ernest, ed., ''The Family Album of Favorite Poems'' (New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1959), p. 216. . *William L. Masterton and Cecile N. Hurley, ''Chemistry: Principles and Reactions'' (Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989), p. 131. .

(Jacobson used the term "dark verse".) On rare occasion, Jacobson would also write serious verse. Jacobson's first collection of light verse, ''Larks in My Hair'', won high praise from its reviewer in ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'': "a wonderful bargain – more grins and laughs for the money than in many a more widely publicized book of humor" In his review for the Los Angeles ''Daily News'', Richard Armour too praised this "bright little book", saying that:

Of the general school of Dorothy Parker and Margaret Fishback, this writer specializes in the battle of the sexes, household pets (she is the light verse laureate on cats and dogs) and children.

The reviewer for ''Deseret News'' of Jacobson's third collection, ''I'll Go Quietly'', described it as "on a par with" its predecessors, but gentler: "The same wit is here, but, perhaps a little softened". ''Curious Cats'' (1969) was the first of two books to combine photographs by Florence Harrison and text by Jacobson. It won a very favorable review in '' The Sun-Telegram'' for its "really remarkable pictures of cats-in-action, all ages" and the humor and "good 'sound' hat should make itfun to read aloud to children". The reviewer for the ''Arizona Republic'' also enjoyed it: "it was lucky for the rest of us ailurophiles that arrison and Jacobsonhappened to meet and decide to collaborate". In ''The Cats of Sea-Cliff Castle'' (1972), Jacobson wrote in prose. The reviewer for ''The Sun-Telegram'' called the book "a literary and photographic work of art", in its depiction of "a haven for a colony of abandoned cats". The reviewer for the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' wrote that Jacobson " rovideda poetic minimum of text for one of the most appealing picture books possible".Florene Cooter, "Cats' home is seacoast castle", ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'', 28 May 1972, p. 7I. Via Newspapers.com.

Books by Jacobson

*''Larks in My Hair.'' Placentia, California: Courier Press, 1952. . (Poetry collection, 103 pp.; illustrated by Jacobson; with a foreword by

) *''Mice in the Ink.'' Brea, California: Progress Press, 1955. . (Poetry collection, illustrated by Jacobson, 93 pp.) *''Diamonds for Your Jubilee.'' Santa Ana, California: Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum and the Orange County Historical Society, 1964. . Commemorative publication, 12 pp.) *''I'll Go Quietly.'' Dallas: Triangle Press, 1966. . (Poetry collection, 71 pp.) *''Curious Cats.'' New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1969. . (Poetry and prose accompanying photographs by Florence Harrison.) *''Who, Me?'' Dallas: Triangle Press, 1970. . (Poetry collection, 69 pp.) *''The Cats of Sea-Cliff Castle.'' os Angeles Ward Ritchie, 1972. . (Accompanying photographs by Florence Harrison; about the homeless cats of the area of

Corona del Mar Corona del Mar (Spanish for "Crown of the Sea") is a seaside neighborhood in the city of Newport Beach, California. It generally consists of all the land on the seaward face of the San Joaquin Hills south of Avocado Avenue to the city limits, as ...

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobson, Ethel 1899 births 1991 deaths Date of birth missing American humorous poets American women poets National Academy of Design alumni Ohio Wesleyan University alumni Parsons School of Design alumni People from Fullerton, California Poets from California Poets from New Jersey Poets from New York (state) The Saturday Evening Post people Syracuse University alumni 20th-century American poets 20th-century American women writers Writers from California Writers from New York City Writers from Paterson, New Jersey Writers who illustrated their own writing