Miriam Mason Swain, Indiana - Epsilon, Woman of the Year 1966

Miriam Mason Swain was one of the Mason women who had the gift of writing. Like her sisters, Grace Mason Lundy and Rachel Mason Peden, her life’s work revolved around the written word. Miriam’s interest was in writing children’s books and she was an unqualified success. Few authors have been able to write so successfully for the beginning reader. Her knowledge of the mechanics of reading, combined with a deep understanding of children and their interests, made her books both useful and popular. She always intended to be a writer and worked for some time in associated fields including advertising, teaching, editorial work and magazine publicity. The American Library Association cites Miriam as the “children’s author most widely recognized nationally and one of those who has brought the greatest amount of literary honor to Indiana.”