Mildred Benson

Mildred Wirt Benson
Born Mildred Augustine
(1905-07-10)July 10, 1905
Ladora, Iowa, United States
Died May 28, 2002(2002-05-28) (aged 96)
Toledo, Ohio, United States
Occupation Author
Genre Children's books
Spouses Asa Wirt (d.1947), George A. Benson (d.1959)
Children Peggy Wirt

Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson (July 10, 1905 – May 28, 2002) was an American journalist and author of children's books. She is best remembered for writing some of the earliest Nancy Drew mysteries and for creating the detective's adventurous personality.[1] Benson wrote under the Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name, Carolyn Keene, from 1929 to 1947 and contributed to 23 of the first 30 originally published Nancy Drew mysteries which became bestsellers.[2][3]

Personal life

Benson was born Mildred Augustine in Ladora, Iowa to Lillian and Dr. J. L. Augustine.[4] Benson earned her degree in English from the University of Iowa in 1925. She later returned to the University and in 1927, became the first student there to earn a master's degree in journalism. [4][5] She was married to Asa Wirt, who worked for the Associated Press.[6] The couple had a daughter together, Peggy Wirt, who was born in 1936. After Wirt's death in 1947,[7][8] she married George A. Benson, editor of the Toledo Blade newspaper of Toledo, Ohio.[9] He died in 1959.[7][10]

Benson worked for 58 years as a journalist, writing a weekly column for the Toledo Blade, and as a writer of many books. She continued to work full-time (mostly writing obituaries) until a few months before her death. She died from lung cancer in 2002 at the age of 96.[4][11]

Benson was a great adventurer, making numerous trips to Central America, traversing the jungle in a Jeep, canoeing down rivers, visiting Mayan sites, flying airplanes and witnessing archaeological excavations.[12][13]

Writing career

After receiving her undergraduate degree, Benson wrote for the society pages of the Clinton (Iowa) Herald. In the spring of 1926, Benson applied to an ad posted by the Stratemeyer Syndicate looking for ghostwriters. After getting the job, her first assignment was to write text for the book, "Ruth Fielding and Her Great Scenario" under the pseudonym of Alice B. Emerson.[6]

Benson's most famous project while working for the Syndicate was ghostwriting for the Nancy Drew series under the name "Carolyn Keene." In addition to the Nancy Drew mysteries, Benson also "wrote" The Dana Girls series using the same pseudonym.[14][15]

Later, Benson also wrote many other series, including the Penny Parker books which were published under her own name. She often told interviewers they were her favorites. [16][1] The books were about the adventures of a young newspaper reporter. Benson herself continued writing for newspapers until her death. She wrote under a dozen names and published more than 130 books. [17][18]

One unusual series was the cluster of four "Ruth Darrow" stories (1930-1931). Written as "Mildred Wirt," the books relate the adventures of an air-minded young woman of the era. Taking flying lessons and flying her own aircraft, Ruth wins a national cross-country race, lands on an aircraft carrier, helps the Forest Service in fighting forest fires, and alerts the Coast Guard of an immigrant-smuggling scheme. The aeronautical lore in the books is generally authentic, but the series' greatest strength is its consistent and outspoken advocacy of women's abilities and mechanical competence.[19][20]

Nancy Drew

While she wrote scores of books under her own and many other names, Benson is perhaps best known as one of 28 individuals who helped produce the Nancy Drew books. Edward Stratemeyer hired Mildred Benson in 1926 to assist in expanding his roughly drafted stories in order to satisfy increasing demand for his series.[21]

Published book rights for the Nancy Drew series were owned by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and are currently owned by Simon & Schuster. As with all syndicate ghostwriters, Benson was paid a flat fee of $125 to $250 for each Stratemeyer-outlined text, the equivalent of three months' pay for a newspaper reporter at that time. At Edward Stratemeyer's death, under the terms of his will, all Syndicate ghostwriters, including Benson, were sent one fifth of the equivalent of the royalties the Syndicate had received for each book series to which they had contributed.[22]

As with all Syndicate ghostwriters, under the terms of her contract, Benson signed away all rights to her texts and any claim to the Syndicate pen name, Carolyn Keene. She was, however, permitted to reveal that she wrote for the Syndicate. The Stratemeyers protected their Syndicate pen names to preserve series continuity as contributors to the series came and went. Simon & Schuster currently maintain the same system.

The character of Nancy Drew was conceived by Stratemeyer, who provided Benson with index card thumbnail sketches. However, she was the one who created Nancy's spunky, plucky personality, and her daring, adventurous spirit. Benson took the plots supplied by the Syndicate and created a character that is still loved today. Her texts were edited and rewritten as required, and the Syndicate published the books using the pseudonym, Carolyn Keene. Subsequent Nancy Drew stories (with some exceptions) that Benson wrote for, were all re-written by Edna Stratemeyer Squier and, primarily, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, after their father's death in 1930.[23]

Benson never anticipated that the books would be so popular but she knew, as she was writing them, that she was writing something that girls were going to like because the heroine was unusual for her time. [24] She said, "I always knew the series would be successful. I just never expected it to be the blockbuster that it has been. I'm glad that I had that much influence on people." [25]

However, in 1980, Benson's testimony, which she offered in a court case involving the publishers, revealed her identity to the public as a contributor to the Nancy Drew mystery stories. Since then, Benson has been acknowledged the creator of the original Nancy Drew fans remember and love. [26] [27] In 2001, Benson received a Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her contributions to the Nancy Drew series.[28]

Benson's favorite Nancy Drew story was The Hidden Staircase, the second mystery in the series. [29]

Books Written

Series

Nancy Drew (as Carolyn Keene)

Kay Tracey (as Frances K. Judd)

Penny Parker (as Mildred A. Wirt)

Dana Girls (as Carolyn Keene)

Penny Nichols (as Joan Clark)

Connie Carl (as Joan Clark)

Madge Sterling (as Ann Wirt)

Mildred A. Wirt

References

  1. 1 2 "Original Nancy Drew Ghostwriter Mildred Wirt Benson Was A Feminist Badass Who Deserves to Be Championed As Much As Her Famous Sleuth". www.bustle.com. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  2. ↑ Martin, Douglas (2002-05-30). "Mildred Benson Is Dead at 96; Wrote 23 Nancy Drew Books". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  3. ↑ "Nancy Drew and Friends Online Exhibit: The Mystery of Carolyn Keene". www.lib.umd.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nancy Drew's first author dies". USA Today. Toledo, Ohio: Gannett Company Inc. May 29, 2002. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ Martin, Douglas (2002-05-30). "Mildred Benson Is Dead at 96; Wrote 23 Nancy Drew Books". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  6. 1 2 "Mildred Wirt Benson | The Writing University". www.writinguniversity.org. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  7. 1 2 "Nancy Drew author dies". BBC News World Edition. May 29, 2002. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  8. ↑ Douglas Martin (May 30, 2002). "Mildred Benson, Author of Nancy Drew Mysteries, Dies at 96". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  9. ↑ Douglas Martin (May 30, 2002). "Mildred Benson Is Dead at 96; Wrote 23 Nancy Drew Books". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  10. ↑ Myrna Oliver (May 30, 2002). "Mildred Benson, 96; Author Gave Life to Nancy Drew". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  11. ↑ Visci, Marissa (2015-07-14). "The Original Ghostwriter Behind Nancy Drew Was One of The Most Interesting YA Writers of All Time". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  12. ↑ Visci, Marissa (2015-07-14). "The Original Ghostwriter Behind Nancy Drew Was One of The Most Interesting YA Writers of All Time". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  13. ↑ Visci, Marissa (2015-07-14). "The Original Ghostwriter Behind Nancy Drew Was One of The Most Interesting YA Writers of All Time". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  14. ↑ Fisher, Jennifer. "The Mildred A. Wirt Benson Website". www.nancydrewsleuth.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  15. ↑ "Nancy Drew and Friends Online Exhibit: The Mystery of Carolyn Keene". www.lib.umd.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  16. ↑ Visci, Marissa (2015-07-14). "The Original Ghostwriter Behind Nancy Drew Was One of The Most Interesting YA Writers of All Time". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  17. ↑ Fisher, Jennifer. "The Mildred A. Wirt Benson Website". www.nancydrewsleuth.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  18. ↑ OLIVER, MYRNA (2002-05-30). "Mildred Benson, 96; Author Gave Life to Nancy Drew". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  19. ↑ Erisman, Fred (2009). From Birdwomen to Skygirls: American Girls' Aviation Stories. Fort Worth, Texas: TCU Press. pp. 84–92. ISBN 978-0-87565-397-6.
  20. ↑ "Books at Iowa: The Ghost of Nancy Drew". digital.lib.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  21. ↑ Martin, Douglas (2002-05-30). "Mildred Benson Is Dead at 96; Wrote 23 Nancy Drew Books". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  22. ↑ Brown, Patricia Leigh (1993-05-09). "Conversations/Mildred Benson; A Ghostwriter and Her Sleuth: 63 Years of Smarts and Gumption". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  23. ↑ "Books at Iowa: The Ghost of Nancy Drew". digital.lib.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  24. ↑ "Storied Life of Millie Benson -". WGTE Public Media. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  25. ↑ OLIVER, MYRNA (2002-05-30). "Mildred Benson, 96; Author Gave Life to Nancy Drew". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  26. ↑ Benfer, Amy. "Who was Carolyn Keene?". Salon. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  27. ↑ "Mildred A. Wirt Benson Author Profile | Biography And Bibliography | NewReleaseToday". www.newreleasetoday.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  28. ↑ Visci, Marissa (2015-07-14). "The Original Ghostwriter Behind Nancy Drew Was One of The Most Interesting YA Writers of All Time". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  29. ↑ "Mildred A. Wirt Benson Author Profile | Biography And Bibliography | NewReleaseToday". www.newreleasetoday.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  30. ↑ The end of the manuscript of Connie Carl on Skis hints at another adventure for Connie when she wins the contest, which is a modeling job. No further information on the title is available.

External links

Mildred Benson at Find a Grave

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