november june professor english white twice served english department chair woman professor university woman elected president president white wrote novels numerous books articles white raised boston roman catholic household kept faith rest life graduated girls high school college completing master degree taught years moving west study doctorate madison white loved city assistant professor completing taught courses including freshman english poetry graduate white students included writers august graduate students called purple goddess partly predominantly purple wardrobe exceptional height year career white received honorary medal medal achievement award honorary officer british_empire scholarship white united_states delegate events boards organizations death university built building houses university english department undergraduate library contains books white collection early life career born november connecticut parents mary née king children female male ran roman catholic household faith white maintained rest life parents chose settle new boston suburb city cultural opportunities white father left job new_york clerk civil servant white described mother father secretive beginning white attended performed school participated editor chief school paper senior year graduated received old south historical society prize time member massachusetts suffrage movement white started later year graduated cum years bachelor degree english white awarded beta key bachelor thesis prize graduation continued completed master degree sought teaching posts september white assistant smith college english department taught english years friends suggested pursue doctoral study west madison wisconsin proposition white accepted madison white arrived fall semester familiar wisconsin quickly came love madison university particularly people open spirit school pride new apartment longtime home white worked instructor english department university library worked doctorate graduate student held office hours saturday interested expense work white graduated assistant professor year professor woman letters science university taught classes including freshman english 17th century english literature poetry graduate course described white english writing famous white taught classes opened white classes emphasized writing honest feedback known reply mail white desk system apartment desk served specific function personal letters low priority book notes high priority work notable students august continued rely white editorial opinion careers established wrote white patience humor sympathy successful style white considered teaching worthwhile thing person white little time write academic obligations said belonging things disease profession white english department chair chair white recruited faculty members established universities fought recognition staff worked faculty members individually students wrote summers traveled aided white visited europe fellowship traveled italy studied oxford_university year abroad white wrote english literature inspired start novel watch night received second fellowship verify work england received grant university finish poets london white visiting scholar worked popular religious literature sixteenth century returned library white visiting professor visiting professor columbia_university summer strong interest poetry didn think highly white developed reputation frequently wearing purple clothes choice convenience white referred large woman purple english department students called purple goddess wrote goddess partly exceptional height feet white retired years teaching administration retirement white appointed university suffered heart attack health declined continued work university memorial library spring white sick died june siblings married memorial service held madison work recognition white published short story major project modified version published later wrote novels including watch night built hands end world dust king highway wrote novels highly praised historical settings views religion psychology white authored english literature victorian prose popular religious literature sixteenth century numerous articles religious works stemmed roman catholic reverence white described publishers kind publishing unpopular scholarly works profitable novels white female elected president served president including white received achievement award scholarly work international service served vice president president woman president white awarded medal medal honorary degrees places mount mary college honorary officer british_empire renown scholar 16th 17th century english literature elected fellow white commission represented united_states twice meetings second held mexico_city white additionally sat boards jews beta appointed president death named new building houses undergraduate library known college library sits edge campus near seven stories tall english department moved hall new building opened september library holds white donation books building houses philosophy department library school cooperative children book center wrote fitting monument eminent scholars built
Helen C. White