Kirk, Clara Marburg, 1898-1976

Dates

• Existence: 1898 - 1976

Biography

Clara Marburg Kirk (1898-1976) received her doctorate degree from University of Chicago after developing an extensive background in 17th and 18th century literature. She taught at such prestigious schools as Bryn Mawr, Vassar, and Rutgers. She also studied abroad, at the University of Brussels for one year as Fulbright Research Scholar, and in England tracking down and studying the letters of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn (which she later turned into a book) under a grant from the American Learned Societies. After an extended stay at Rutgers, Kirk moved to San Marcos in 1963 with her husband, fellow Rutgers English professor Rudolf Kirk (1898-1989) when he accepted a teaching position at Southwest Texas State College. He retired in 1967. Kirk served as President for the League of Women Voters from 1967-1968. Kirk later accepted a position as head librarian for Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and oversaw the Moncure Conway Collection housed there.

Some of her published works include: Mr. Pepys and Mr. Evelyn, Types of English Poetry, William Dean Howells, Charlotte, Temple, Howells and the Art of his Time, and Oliver Goldsmith. She, along with her husband, also published numerous essays on poetry and worked often with William Dean Howells. They wrote introductions for several of his works, including Traveler from Altruria, and created their own collection of his materials. The Kirk-Howells collection, now housed at the Van Pelt library at the University of Pennsylvania, contains over 200 books, five scrapbooks, and photos, clippings, and magazine articles about Howells.

Clara married Rudolf Kirk on 1930 September 8 and they had two children, Susanne and Donald.

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