The third child of Russel and Emma Louise (Louie) [neé Parr], Elizabeth Smart was born on December 27, 1913, eight months after the death of her seven-month-old sister. Russel, an entrepreneurial lawyer and scientist, and Louie, a strong-willed housewife who set great store by formal etiquette, raised their family in moneyed comfort in Ottawa, Ontario.
Elizabeth Smart attended Elmwood School, modelled after English institutions and run with an emphasis on traditionalism. The school’s aim was to teach girls how to be graceful and of service to others, rather than to attain personal distinction. (Smart later called this attitude “ambition cast down”.) The young Elizabeth published some writing in the school’s magazine, Samara, but it was nothing remarkable; she did, though, begin
1427 words
Citation: Lesk, Andrew. "Elizabeth Smart". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 April 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4106, accessed 08 September 2024.]