Dubose Heyward: An Unknown Children'S Treasure

Lillian Hart
Clemson University
Clemson, SC

Dubose Heyward entered the world during the aftermath of the Civil War on August 31, 1885. Although his parents were descended from Charleston aristocracy, the Charleston of the young DuBose did not know the wealth of his grandparents. The city and its citizens were proud, dignified, mannerly, vain, courageous, and poor. His proud family knew poverty and lived very modestly. When DuBose was a baby, his father worked at a rice mill. A year to the day after DuBose's birth, August 31, 1886, Charleston experienced a devastating earthquake. I remember an older cousin of my grandmother's telling me that as a young boy he was riding his horse across the fields near his home in Summerville when the ground began to shake. His horse threw him and galloped off. He was terrified. DuBose's father escaped death at this time, like my older cousin. Ironically Ned Heyward was spared, only to be killed in an accident in the rice mill on May 21, 1888, when his son was just two years old. His daughter, Jeannie, had just celebrated her first birthday. Thus, DuBose was raised in a house filled with women: his mother, his maternal grandmother, his sister, and the children's "Mauma" (nurse). His mother struggled to make ends meet by "taking in boarders, accepting sewing, and writing poetical advertisements for a local printing company" (Greene 191). Even as a child, DuBose took seriously the role of the male in the family and developed quite a knack for finding part-time jobs, giving his earnings to his mother (Greene 191).

His education began in a private school, then a public school. He was bright, but "absent minded and did poorly in his studies" (Greene 191). He was sick a great deal of the time also. No one objected when he left school at 14 years of age and worked full-time in a hardware store. A few years later he was stricken with infantile paralysis. Luckily, he was left-handed, for his right arm and hand were affected. He did not have complete use of them again. While working as a cotton checker for a steamship line, Heyward came in contact with the characters and lifestyles of his future literary works. Later, he and a friend bought an insurance business and were successful, although his health was uncertain (Greene 192).

The summer of 1914 brought World War I. The war changed Charleston. The naval base became quite active, the men of Charleston were enlisted, and tourists, who could no longer go to Europe, discovered Charleston. As Harlan Greene wrote, "Charleston belatedly entered the 20th century" (192). DuBose was unable to participate actively in World War I because of his right arm. However, he did make speeches for the war effort (Commire, ed. 67).

In 1917, DuBose began his summer sojourns in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in a small cottage called Orienta. Here he painted and wrote poetry (Letter to Miss Creighton, Heyward Collection). John Bennett, an adopted Southerner and established writer, lived in Charleston. Under his guidance, DuBose wrote seriously. He was a founding member of the Poetry Society of South Carolina. In 1921, DuBose made his first visit to the McDowell's Writing Colony in Peterboro, New Hampshire. It was here that he met Dorothy Kuhns, an aspiring playwright. On September 22, 1923, they were married in the Little Church Around The Corner in New York (Smith 135; Greene 192; Westcott 297; Commire, ed. 67).

In 1924, DuBose Heyward gave up the insurance business to devote his time to writing and lecturing. His goal was to earn enough money for the year in eight months so he could write for four months, usually in Peterboro or Hendersonville (Commire, ed. 67; Westcott 297). In the years that followed, novels, plays, and the first American folk opera written in collaboration with the Gershwins joined his books of poetry. The birth of his daughter, Jenifer, in 1930 (Greene 193), brought the joy of the bedtime story routine. DuBose would invent stories for his little daughter. She loved bunnies, so many of the stories were about rabbits. The Easter when Jenifer was five, her father invented a special bunny story. It was about a country bunny who was kind, good, wise, and swift. The Grandfather Bunny made her one of his five Easter Bunnies. She endured great hardships and was given a pair of golden shoes which were reserved for the bravest of bunnies. This was Jenifer's favorite story (Collier10-C, Heyward Collection). One wonders if DuBose had been told animal stories by his "Mauma" (nurse) when he was a little boy.

In the summer of 1938, Majorie Flack, another member of the Peterboro group, heard Heyward telling the story. She insisted that he write it down because she wanted to illustrate it. He wrote the story in two hours. Years later, Dorothy Heyward reminisced, "[T]he book had such a fine sale that he later said it was the most profitable two hours of his life" (Collier 10-C, Heyward Collection). She also added that little was changed except one passage. The passage in the original version shocked the New England publishers: "[T]he little girl Cottontail grew up to be a young lady Cottontail and then one day , much to her surprise, there were 21 Cottontail babies to take of." The publisher insisted that Heyward change it to say that by and by she had a husband and then there were 21 cottontail babies (Collier 10-C, Heyward Collection).

Majorie Flack , the illustrator, described the book as a very pink book. However, she knew that Jennifer would like it. She also bemoaned the cutting of another line or so of text to make it fit the page. "I am hoping you won't remember your story well enough to miss the beautiful words I threw away" (Flack letter to Dubose Heyward, Heyward Collection). The contract was typical for a juvenile book: an advance of five hundred dollars payable upon the signing and royalties to be ten percent of the retail price, twelve and a half percent after ten thousand copies. The author's representative wanted higher terms but said that "it is practically impossible to do so on a juvenile" (von Auw letter, Heyward Collection). The book initially sold for $1.50 (Thumbnail Selling Facts, Heyward Collection). Today, the hardback version sells for $15.00.

DuBose Heyward wrote to his daughter, Jenifer, from The Colony in New Hampshire to tell her about the publication of her Easter Bunny with pictures by the lady who wrote The Restless Robin (Flack). He also told Jennifer that "on the title page this will be written:

A dollar was enclosed so Jenifer and her grandmother could have a party to celebrate just as her Mother and Daddy did when they finished a book (Heyward letter to Jenifer, Heyward Collection). In March of 1939, Houghton Mifflin thanked Heyward for sending a snapshot of Jenifer and himself to be used on the bookcover (Kent letter, Heyward Collection). This was the picture that I remembered from the bookcover of my book, which was a 1939 edition. Jenifer received her own personal copy of the book with an inscription from her Daddy. Her copy also had an illustration of the Country Bunny giving her the book and an inscription by Majorie Flack: "For my second and very important collaborator and playmate named Jenifer" (Jenifer's copy of The Country Bunny, Heyward Collection). This children's book was Heyward's only one. His wife recalled years later that there had been a story about a circus bunny. However, DuBose would never write it or the others down, even though Majorie Flack "begged him to do so" (Collier 10-C, Heyward Collection).

In June of 1940, the Heywards returned to Dawn Hill, the house in Hendersonville. DuBose Heyward died that June of a massive heart attack. His death was unexpected by family and friends (Dorothy Heyward letter to family, Heyward Collection). Perhaps the person who least expected his death was his ten year old daughter. Ironically, Jenifer would grow up without her father, just as Dubose Heyward had done.

Years later, when on a brief holiday, Jenifer visited her mother at the Heyward Cottage on Folly Beach. There they were interviewed about The Country Bunny, "still very much in demand (at $2.75 from Houghton Mifflin)." Jenifer showed the picture of the Mother Cottontail, tired from her tumble down the mountain but holding on to the beautiful Easter egg that she had been selected to deliver to the sick child. She commented, "You know, I always liked that picture best of all. She looks so brave, and so tired" (Collier 10-C, Heyward Collection). The Country Bunny has become the young child's hero. She overcomes great adversity. Her story is one of perseverance, hope, and triumph. One wonders if this is what Jenifer felt whenever she looked at Country Bunny propped against the budding tree holding the beautiful Easter egg tightly, wondering how she would climb the icy mountain to bring joy to the little boy who had been ill for a whole year.

Children through the years have loved The Country Bunny just as Jenifer did. Almost two years after Dubose Heyward's death, a letter was forwarded to the estate of DuBose Heyward. The envelope's return address was "Carleton School, Rm. 100, 4116 W. Silver Spring, Milwaukee, Wis." In it were letters from the first graders to Mr. Heyward. A little girl named Marion Weber wrote, "I loved the story of the Country Bunny. It was very good" (Carleton School letters, Heyward Collection).

I loved reading The Country Bunny to my first graders and stopping at Jenifer's favorite picture where Country Bunny looked so "brave and tired" after her fall down the mountain. Then I would ask my students to draw what they thought was going to happen and write about it under their picture. These would be placed on our bulletin board. The next day we would talk about our endings. Finally, I would finish reading the book and be greeted with excited statements such as, "See, I knew she could do it," or " I wish I had gold shoes so I could hop up a mountain," or "She's like Superman!" When my mother was ill, she had a sitter who made bunnies. I enlisted her help, and now I have a Country Bunny complete with pink dress, gold shoes, and a basket with a very special Easter egg that has a picture inside. This has become my favorite way of presenting this special story. My primary student teachers borrow Country Bunny, who travels in a blue cloth carry-on, and they, too, continue to inspire their students with the simple tale of hope, determination, and courage.

DuBose Heyward is still a part of his beloved Charleston. He and his wife and daughter are buried in St. Phillip's churchyard. Sadly, he never realized the popularity of his beautiful tale of the courageous and triumphant Mother Cottontail. His only children's book has never been out of print. It has become a classic—this gift to his daughter, Jenifer—and to the generations of children that followed. How fitting that the treasure I found was a story told by a father to his daughter.

Works Cited and Other References

Bennett, Martha Stiles. "Porgy and Bess Reminiscence." Stereo Review. 1 April 1976:70-75.

"Heyward, DuBose 1885-1940." Something About The Author. Ed. Anne Commire. Vol. 21. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1980.

Heyward, DuBose. The Country Bunny and The Little Gold Shoes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1939.

Flack, Majorie. The Restless Robin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1937.

Greene, Harlan. "DuBose Heyward." Dictionary of Literary Biography: American Poets, 1880-1945. Ed. Peter Quartermain. Vol. 45. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1986.

Smith, James F. Jr. "DuBose Heyward." Dictionary of Literary Biography American Novelists, 1910-1945. Ed. James J. Martine. Vol. 9. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1981.

Westcott, Holly Mims. "Dorothy Heyward (6 June 1890-19 November 1961) DuBose Heyward (31 August 1885-16 June 1940)." Dictionary of Literary Biography: Twentieth Century American Dramatists. Ed. John MacNicholas. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1981.

Newspaper Articles:

Collier, Bryan. "Tale of 'The Country Bunny' Was Made Just For Jennifer." The News and Courier (Charleston, S. C.) 10 April 1955:10C. Heyward Collection. S. C. Historical Society.

Death Notice for Jenifer H. Woods. The News and Courier (Charleston, S. C.) 29 March 1985:15A. Heyward Collection. S. C. Historical Society.

Papers:

DuBose and Dorothy Heyward's personal papers-manuscripts, letters, clippings, scrapbooks, pictures, and family records- are on deposit at the South Carolina Historical Society: (30-4 Heyward); (21-1 Heyward); (21-19-12 Heyward); (21-39-14 Dorothy Heyward); (21-33 Dorothy Heyward).

1. Letter to Miss Creighton 19 September 1931.
   
2. Marjorie Flack letter to DuBose Heyward no date.
   
3. von Auw letter to DuBose Heyward 9 September 1938.
   
4. Thumbnail Selling Facts (Houghton Mifflin Company) 5 April 1939.
   
5. DuBose Heyward letter to Jenifer no date.
   
6. Kent letter to DuBose Heyward 8 March 1939.
   
7. Jenifer's copy of The Country Bunny with inscriptions
   
8. Dorothy Heyward letter to family about DuBose's death 27 June 1940.
   
9. Letters from students at Carleton School,Milwaukee, Wis. 19 March 1942.