Marquis W. Childs (1903 -- 1990) was born in Clinton, Iowa. He received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin in 1923. After graduation he briefly worked for United Press in New York, Chicago, and other cities. Returning to school, he attended the University of Iowa and completed his M.A. in 1925. Childs was with the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch after 1926. He started as a feature writer but also worked as a foreign correspondent, chief Washington correspondent, and a columnist. With the exception of a few leaves of absence, Childs spent his entire career with the Post-Dispatch. In 1970 he was awarded the Pulizer Prize for journalism. Childs also wrote many books on political and economic matters as well as novels. According to his obituary in the New York Times, July 2, 1990, his first name was pronounced MARK-us.