George Dennison
George Dennison was an American writer and educator born in 1925 in Ashburn, Georgia. He pursued higher education at notable institutions, including Columbia University and the New School for Social Research, ultimately earning a B.A. in 1952. Dennison's professional life included a role as associate editor of Arts magazine and teaching at an alternative school for underprivileged children in New York City. His bestselling book, *The Lives of Children: The Story of the First Street School*, published in 1969, was recognized as a classic in educational literature. Throughout his career, Dennison crafted various works of fiction, including the evocative novella *Shawno* and the 1985 novel *Luisa Domic*, which explores themes of isolation and moral choice in the face of a refugee’s plight. His collection *A Tale of Pierrot, and Other Stories* showcases his unique storytelling style, whereas his children's book *And Then a Harvest Feast* reflects themes of community and renewal. Dennison's narratives often delve into the lives of artistic individuals, portraying their struggles against societal norms.
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Subject Terms
George Dennison
Writer
- Born: September 10, 1925
- Birthplace: Ashburn, Georgia
- Died: October 8, 1987
- Place of death: Temple, Maine
Biography
George Harris Dennison was born in 1925 in Ashburn, Georgia, to George Harris and Gladys Pearl (Bass) Dennison. He attended Columbia University between 1944 and 1945, earned a B.A. from the New School for Social Research in 1952, and conducted graduate studies at New York University. He married Mabel Halliwell Chrystie, and the couple had three children.
Besides working as a writer, Dennison worked as the associate editor of Arts magazine for two years. He also taught at an alternative school for children living in poverty in New York City. The Lives of Children: The Story of the First Street School (1969), an account of his work at the school, quickly became a best seller and was named one of The New York Times’ Ten Best Books for 1969. The National Education Association regarded it as a classic in the study of education.
Dennison’s novella Shawno, which one reviewer called evocative and elegantly written, deals with the relationship between a New England man and his dog, from whom he learns much about nature. Dennison’s 1985 novel, Luisa Domic, is the story of a successful author who lives a somewhat withdrawn and isolated life until he is unexpectedly interrupted when two friends come to visit. One of the friends brings with him a mysterious Chilean woman named Luisa Domic. The author learns in time that she is a refugee seeking asylum, and he must decide whether to help her or to ignore her. Dennison’s A Tale of Pierrot, and Other Stories (1987), which took over twenty-five years to write, is a collection of seven stories. In the title story, set in a small town in years gone by, the narrator remembers his daredevil high jumper uncle who, after he finds he cannot jump any more, devotes his life to studying how birds fly. Dennison also wrote the children’s book And Then a Harvest Feast, about a group of sad, sickly animals who, tired of their highly mechanical city life, move to the country, start a cooperative farm, and rebuild an abandoned farmhouse.
Many of Dennison’s highly praised stories are thematically concerned with those who live lives as artists, poets, novelists, playwrights, and painters. His protagonists tend to be passionate characters who, because they are never satisfied with the status quo, oftentimes come into conflict with other values.