Franklin M. Reck (November 29, 1896 – October 15, 1965) was an American writer best known for his books for boys. He also wrote books and magazine articles about American transportation.
Biography
Franklin Mering Reck was born in Chicago, Illinois. His first book, ''Sergeant Pinky'', was published shortly after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and related Mering's experiences of the war. He served in the American army as part of the 110th infantry.
In 1925, he graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Agricultural Journalism.
He wrote widely on transportation, including the book ''The Romance of American Transportation'' (1939, republished 1962). Among his other works are an official history of the
4-H movement, ''The 4-H Story'' and the ''Ford Guide to Outdoor Living and Station Wagon Living''. He also served for six years as boys editor of the ''
Farm Journal
''Farm Journal'' is a United States agricultural trade magazine that was established in 1877, and is the leading United States farm magazine. History
Wilmer Atkinson founded the publication in Philadelphia in March 1877 as a small eight-page mont ...
'' and for ten years as an editor of ''
The American Boy
''The American Boy'' was a monthly magazine published by The Sprague Publishing Co. of Detroit, Michigan from November 1899 to August 1941. At the time it was the largest magazine for boys, with a circulation of 300,000, and it featured action sto ...
''.
Mering's final book, ''Stories Boys Like'', was released the day he died.
Selected works
*''The Romance of American Transportation'' (1962)
*''Tomorrow We Fly'' (1943)
*''The Ford Guide to Outdoor Living on Wheels'' (1952)
*''The Dilworth Story'' (1954)
*''The 4-H Story: A History of 4-H Club Work'' (1951)
*''Sergeant Pinky''
*''Sand in Their Shoes; The Story of American Steel Foundries'' (1952)
*''Radio From Start to Finish'' (1942)
*''Power From Sstart to Finish'' (1941)
*''On Time: The History of Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation'' (1948)
*''Automobiles From Start to Ffinish'' (1935)
Notes and references
External links
Franklin M. Reck Papers 1909-1965 University of Oregon Libraries Special Collections & University Archives
*
1896 births
1965 deaths
American male journalists
20th-century American journalists
Iowa State University alumni
American children's writers
{{US-journalist-19thC-stub