Lynn Poole
Lynn Poole was an influential American educator, author, and public relations professional, born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, in 1910. He pursued higher education at Western Reserve University, earning both a bachelor's and a master's degree by 1937. In 1938, he became the director of education at the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, where he began his career in the arts. His life took a significant turn when he served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, achieving the rank of major and handling public relations for the Twentieth Bomber Command after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
After returning from military service in 1946, Poole directed public relations for Johns Hopkins University and later became an assistant to the university's president. He also launched the "Johns Hopkins Science Review," a television show that highlighted scientific topics. Poole was a prolific writer, collaborating extensively with his wife, Gray Johnson, on numerous science-related books, including "Science Via Television" and "Carbon-14 and Other Science Methods That Date the Past." The couple also authored a biography and a historical novel, reflecting their diverse literary interests. Through his work, Poole contributed significantly to both science education and public understanding of scientific concepts.
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Lynn Poole
- Born: August 11, 1910
- Birthplace: Eagle Grove, Iowa
- Died: April 14, 1969
Biography
Lynn Poole was born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, in 1910. He attended Western Reserve University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1936. The following year, Poole earned his master’s degree, and in 1938 he became the director of education for the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland. He married Gray Johnson, a writer, in 1941.
In 1942, Poole joined the U.S. Air Force, where he earned the rank of major. He served as public relations officer for the Twentieth Bomber Command, handling press conferences after the bombing of Hiroshima. After his military service ended in 1946, Poole was appointed the director of public relations for Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He served in this capacity until 1965, when he became an assistant to the university’s president. In 1948, Poole launched his own network television show, Johns Hopkins Science Review.
Poole’s first book, Science Via Television, was released in 1950. He went on to write many more science-related books, the majority of them in collaboration with his wife. Some of his popular titles include Science, the Super Sleuth (1954), which he wrote by himself, and Balloons Fly High: Two Hundred Years of Adventure and Science (1961) and Carbon- 14 and Other Science Methods That Date the Past (1961), written with his wife. Aside from science books, the Pooles also wrote the biography One Passion, Two Loves: The Story of Heinrich and Sophia Schliemann, Discoverers of Troy (1966) and a novel, The Magnificent Traitor: A Novel of Alcibiades and the Golden Age of Pericles (1968).