by George Longenecker

Frances Mary Frost (1905-1959) was one of Vermont’s most talented and prolific authors, yet she is little-known today. Frost, who was not related to Robert Frost, authored six books of poetry, 17 children’s books and two novels.  Born in Saint Albans, she graduated from Middlebury College and later taught at the University of Vermont, where she earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree.  

Biographical information about Frost is scant, compared to contemporaries such as Robert Frost and Elizabeth Bishop, about whom there are several biographies and films. For Frances Frost we have only her writing, none of which is in print today.

by George Longenecker

Arthur Wallace Peach (1886-1956), a native of Pawlet, VT, helped found The Poetry Society of Vermont and was its first president in 1947-1948. Our oldest poetry PSOV award is named for him. While Peach never achieved the literary acclaim of Robert Frost or Dorothy Canfield Fisher, he was instrumental not only as a founder of PSOV. His work as an editor preserved Vermont literature that might otherwise have been forgotten. He was a Norwich University English professor from 1913 until 1952, serving as chair of the English Department and football coach. He was an eclectic scholar and poet with a love of Vermont, its towns and its literature.  Besides founding PSOV, he was founder of the 251 Club of Vermont. While PSOV has guided its members to poetry, the 251 club has guided people to each of Vermont’s cities and towns.  

by Carol Milkuhn

Again, the days I spend doing research in Barre can have surprising results. Last summer I came across an article on the life of Arthur Wallace Peach, the first President of the PSOV. Written by Charles Morrissey for the Vermont Sunday Rutland Herald-Times Argus in 1986, the article focused on Peach’s legacy—a legacy we commemorate with the Arthur Wallace Peach award. 

The Arthur Wallace Peach award is our oldest, established in 1949 by another PSOV Charter member, Helen Hartness Flanders. Originally given to elementary school children in rural areas, the award has evolved, reflecting changes in the PSOV—specifically the founding of The Troubadour as poetry magazine in 1956. Now the Peach award is one of two Troubadour awards, awards given each year for poems published in the previous issue of The Troubadour.

by Carol Milkuhn

On a visit to our archives in Barre, I spent an afternoon browsing through scrapbooks, file folders, and old Troubadours. As I turned pages, I found many references to the history and origin of our Summer Contests. Since we are now focused on entering those contests, let me share some of what I learned.

William Halvosa

 A founder of the poetry journal we know as The Mountain Troubadour 

If you visit Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, you will discover an unusual monument—a monument composed of twin beds attached to an elaborately carved headboard. Sculpted out of Vermont granite, this memorial was designed in 1953 by William Halvosa, an early PSOV member, to express his undying devotion to his wife.