Frederick Philip Grove, Fruits of the Earth

Frederick Philip Grove was born in Germany on 14 February 1879, as Felix Paul Greve. He studied at German schools, produced various literary works and, in 1909, departed for North America under mysterious circumstances. In 1912 he turned up in Winnipeg where the Manitoba Department of Education hired him. This was an excellent opportunity for a man who viewed himself as "the Artist struggling to awaken a rude society to its literary heritage..." Grove taught in rural schools until 1929 while continuing to write. He gained distinction for his realistic portrayals of life on the prairies during the years of rapid settlement. The stamp features a scene from one of his works, the novel "Fruits of the Earth", depicted in a wood engraving by Rosemary Kilbourne.