Henry Meade Bland

Henry Meade Bland (April 21, 1863 – April 30, 1931) was a California educator and poet, who became California Poet Laureate^[1] in 1929 after succeeding California's first Poet Laureate, Ina Coolbrith.

Bland was born on April 21, 1863 in Fairfield in Solano County, California. He earned undergraduate degrees from the University of the Pacific and an M.A. degree in 1895 and a Ph.D. in 1890 from Stanford.^[2] He worked as a teacher and principal for 15 years at schools in Los Gatos, Santa Clara, and San Jose before joining the San Jose Normal School in 1899 to teach English. He remained at San Jose State Teachers College until his death.^[3]

Poet

During the early years of the twentieth century, Bland penned reviews of the works of California writers for Town and Country. He was the friend of Joaquin Miller (his daughter married Miller's grandson), Jack London, John Muir, Edwin Markham, and other California literary figures. His verse was published in Sierran Pan & Other Poems (1924) and six other volumes. His prose writings include Stevenson's California (1924) and Prose & Poetry for Children (1914). Edwin Markham wrote of Bland's poetry that it contained "lines of true beauty and mystic music."^[4]

Poet Laureate

On March 22, 1929, a Joint Resolution was passed in the California legislature to name Dr. Bland the Poet Laureate. The title given was The Laurel Crowned Poet of California (Statutes of 1929, Resolution Chapter 23). California began the practice of having a poet laureate in 1915.^[2]

Death

Bland died after two years while serving a life-term appointment as California's Poet Laureate.^[2]

References