Ronald Salmon Crane (January 5, 1886 – July 12, 1967) was a literary critic, historian, bibliographer, and professor.
His essay titled “History Versus Criticism in the Study of Literature,” published in 1935, is considered the first publication of the Chicago School.
Other members of the early School included W. R. Keast, Richard McKeon, Norman Maclean, Elder Olson, and Bernard Weinberg.
Regardless, Aristotle's Poetics and the method of inquiry he created played an important and obvious role in their works: Crane emphasized Form and Matter in his writings as inseparable entities within poetry, and frequently referred to Aristotle's distinction between imitative and non-imitative poetry.
Crane held positions in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was a member of the London Bibliographical Society.