Dutch teacher and school reformer and also a prophilic writer of regional novels and children’s books.
He was the eldest son of the grocer and blacksmith Hendrik Bruijn (10 October 1857, Wormerveer – 14 April 1943, Wormerveer )and Catharina Klinkenberg (4 November 1858, Wormerveer – 1 Februari 1924, Wormerveer). They married 13 Augustus 1882 and got ten children.
As his parents were relatively poor, he, as a bright child, could not follow higher education. Instead, he was elected to study for school teacher in Haarlem and got his first job at the by Jacob van Rees erected Humanitarian school “De Hum” in Laren (1903).
The professor in histology Jacob van Rees (16 April 1854, Amsterdam – 4 January 1927, Hilversum) was an idealistic Christian Anarchist, who was influenced by the ideas of Leo Tolstoy, who like the Dutch School reformist Jan Ligthart wanted radical social reforms without revolution, which in their opinion started with the autonomic learning “to think for yourself” education of children, that fitted the needs of children, instead of the grills of the ruling institutions. Excursions in the free nature and the stimulation of imagination with Jetses’ paintings, instead of pure book knowledge, characterised their approach (“Het volle leven”).
From 1906 till 1916 Cor Bruijn was head of the Humanitarian school in theosophic village of Laren. Thereafter, he became head of the Schoolvereniging in Hilversum. He was involved in the development of Jenaplan Schools in the Netherlands.
In 1942, he officially resigned for health reasons. But this could be an excuse, as it was wartime. He went on successfully writing books. A prize from the Kulturkammer was refused by him (1943). In 1955 he got the prize for the best children’s book (Lasse Länte). For adults he wrote social, historic and regional novels. His books were illustrated by J.H. Isings, Anton Pieck, Jos Ruting, Ger Sligte and his son-in-law Pieter Marinus Lafeber. His most famous book “Sil, the beachcomber” (1940) was edited in 1966 and 1973 for the stage and became in 1976 a successful series on Dutch television under director Willy van Hemert.
He died 16 November 1978 in Hilversum in his sleep. He was 95 years old.
Personal
On 18 September 1907 he married the school teacher Maartje de Vries (30 July 1888 – 15 Augustus 1960). They got at least three daughters. One is Catharina Johanna [Tine) Bruijn (23 March 1912, Blaricum – 17 January 2010, Laren). His daughter Johanna Bruijn (8 September 1914, Blaricum) married 15 June 1938 in Amsterdam the painter Pieter Marinus Lafeber (30 April 1914, Den Helder), who became the illustrator of several of his books, including “Sil, de standjutter”. His daughter, Margreet Bruijn (1916-2010) became a children’s book writer and translator using the pseudonym Inge Groeneveld. Margreet wrote after his death the biography “De man achter Sil: over Cor P. Bru?n als idealist, onderw?spionier en schr?ver.” that was published in 1984.

Link to Dutch Wikipedia