The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1945-05-10
NOtes From
Bacon Library
By Helen vi. BOothe
TINE FOR PULITZER PRIZES!

TIME FOR PULITZER PRIZES!
At this time each year there is
an intriguing question in the minds
of all those who read: Who are to
win this years Pulitzer Prizes? For
the men and women who write, that
query is an even more exciting and
personal one. We should know the
winners soon. The announcement
of the Pulitzer Awards, while la
ter than usual this year, may be
made any day now. Perhaps they
will have been published even be-
fore this column reaches the press
If so. you will still be interested in
the Pulitzer Prize nominations made
by the nations book reviewers.
Predictions that either did or did
not come true are always fun to
consider afterwards; and, of course,
predictions, as such, have long been
a favorite national sport. They
appeal to the Americans fondness
for betting on almost anything,
and are a challenge to his mental
aStlteneSS.
The Pulitzer Prizes, you un-
doubleday remember, were eStab-
liShed by a fund of half million
dollars left in 1911 to Columbia
University by Joseph Pulitzer, the
Hungarian immigrant who even
tually became owner of the New
York World and Evening World
and, hence, Americas greatest and
wealthiest journalist. Mr.. Pulitzer's
VIII, which also made possible the
establishment OF the Columbia
School of Journalism, states that
the income from this specific fund
is to be spent for prizes or schol-
arShips for the encouragement of
public service, public morals, Amer
lean literature, and the advance
ment of education"
The awards are named by a COM
mittee of eleven journalists, with
the assistance of permanent
twelfth member, the President of
Columbia University, for many years
now Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler.
Literary critics have long felt that
journalists are not SO well equipped
to judge the excellent of works of
literature as they are to select the
best newspaper correspondence
Accordingly, in 1893, the Saturday
Review of Literature, began its an
nual Pulitzer Prize poll. Each year
the leading book reviewers of the
nation are asked to name their
selections for the best book of fic-
ton, biography, history and poetry.
Among these reviewers are Clyde
Beck of the Detroit News and
Helen Bower Of the Detroit Free
Press. Their individual nominations
and the summary of all was given
in last weeks issue of the S. r. OF
L.
Who are to be awarded these
four Pulitzer Prizes (fiction, biog-
raphy, history and poetry when
they are announced soon? Here are
the choices of the book reviewers
Fiction: A BELL FOR ADANO
by John Hersey and BOSTON AID
VENTURE by Jean Stafford were
tied for first place g votes each)
with STRANGE FRUIT by Lillian
Smith a close runner-up e votes)
Biography: YANKEE FROM
OLYMPUS by Catherine DrinkeI
Bowen received an overwhelming
vote GA out of $50. Next were
GEORGE BANCROFT: BRAHMIN
REBEL by Russell B. Nye; and
SAMUEL JOHNSON by Joseph
Wood Krutch G. votes eachD.
History: LEES LIEUTENANTs
by Douglas Southall Freeman &c
votes: followed by THE WORLD
OF WASHINGTON IRVING b
Van Wyck Brooks q votes) and
THE BASIC HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES by Charles anc
Mary Beard Is votes).
Continued On paoe Ky