Case-J

The 1920s were a new era of freedom and opportunity for women, with many stepping into entrepreneurship. Olive Kennon Beaupre Miller from Aurora, Illinois did just that. A graduate of Smith College, Miller returned to Illinois to teach English.  After marrying and having a daughter, Miller couldn’t find quality children’s books that were well written literature, with ethical standards, and that were developmentally appropriate. So, she wrote stories to read to Virginia.  Miller and her husband Harry founded The Bookhouse for Children publishing company in 1919.  The company’s first six volume set, edited by Olive Miller, arrived cleverly packaged in a cardboard house in 1920.  The company employed women to sell volumes door-to-door, a unique job opportunity for women at the time. 

My Bookhouse In the Nursery and Up one Pair of Stairs were published in 1920.  Miller autographed this first edition of In the Nursery for her daughter Virginia. 

Woman Entrepreneur in the Roaring Twenties

Gifted by Virginia Read

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