Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
| Jessie Belle Rittenhouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
December 8, 1869 Mount Morris, New York |
| Died |
September 28, 1948 (aged 78) Detroit, Michigan |
| Nationality | U.S.A. |
| Education | Hon. Doctorate Rollins College |
| Alma mater | Genesee Wesleyan Seminary |
| Occupation | Lecturer, Literary Critic, Poet |
| Years active | 1894-1948 |
| Known for | Anthologies of Poetry |
| Spouse(s) | Clinton Scollard |
| Awards | Robert Frost Medal (1930) |
Jessie Belle Rittenhouse Scollard (1869–1948), daughter of John Edward and Mary (MacArthur) Rittenhouse,[1] was a literary critic, compiler of anthologies, and poet.
Life
After graduating in 1890 from Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, New York, Rittenhouse taught school in Cairo, Illinois and Grand Haven, Michigan. Her literary career began with book reviews in Buffalo and Rochester, New York, and led to a year as a reporter for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in 1894. In 1899 she moved to Boston to begin her literary career in earnest. From 1905 to 1915 Rittenhouse lived in New York City, where she was poetry reviewer for the New York Times Review of Books.[2] From 1914 to 1924 she conducted lecture tours. In 1914 Rittenhouse helped to found the Poetry Society of America, of which she was secretary for 10 years.[3]
Rittenhouse married fellow poet Clinton Scollard in 1924.
In the course of her career, Rittenhouse corresponded with numerous contemporary poets, such as John Myers O'Hara,[4] Margaret Widdemer, and Arthur Guiterman. Her poems were set to music by many composers, including Samuel Barber, Noble Cain, Alice Reber Fish, Ethel Glenn Hier, Kirke Mechem, Frederick W. Vanderpool, Wintter Watts, and especially David Wendel Guion.[5]
Late in her career, Rittenhouse moved to Winter Park, Florida, and became associated with Rollins College, where she was a lecturer in poetry.[6]
The Poetry Society of America presented Rittenhouse the first Robert Frost Medal in 1930.
Works
Anthologies
- The Lover's Rubáiyát (1904)
- Little Book of Modern Verse (1913)
- Little Book of American Poets (1915)
- Second Book of Modern Verse (1919)
- Little Book of Modern British Verse (1924)
- Third Book of Modern Verse (1927)
- The Singing Heart (1934) (Selected verses by Clinton Scollard)
Verse
- The Door of Dreams (1918)
- The Lifted Cup (1921)
- The Secret Bird (1930)
- Moving Tide: New and Selected Lyrics (1939)
Edited with Clinton Scollard
- The Bird-Lovers Anthology (1930)
- Patrician Rhymes (1932)
Autobiography
- My House of Life (1934)
References
- ↑ Moyer, Homer Edward (1935). Who's who and what to see in Florida: a standard biographical reference book of Florida. St. Petersburg, Florida: Current Historical Company of Florida. p. 379.
- ↑ See, e.g. Rittenhouse, Jessie B. (1905-12-23). "Bliss Carman's Prose" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 19 Dec 2010. This publication is described in a Wikipedia article under the name The New York Times Book Review
- ↑ McHenry, Robert (1983). Famous American women: a biographical dictionary from colonial times to the present. Courier Dover Publications. p. 482. ISBN 0-486-24523-3.
- ↑ "Inventory of the John Myers O'Hara Papers, 1908-1942". The Newberry Library. 2000. Retrieved 19 Dec 2010.
- ↑ "David Wendell Guion: An Inventory of His Collection in the Manuscript Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center". Harry Ransom Center. University of Texas at Austin. 2003. Retrieved 19 Dec 2010.
- ↑ "Memorial Services for Jessie Rittenhouse Scollard Saturday" (PDF). Winter Park Topics. Winter Park, Florida: Charles F. Hammond. 16 (2): 8. 14 Jan 1949. Retrieved 19 Dec 2010.
External links
- Works by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Jessie Belle Rittenhouse at Internet Archive
- Works by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- A guide to the Jessie Rittenhouse Collection at Rollins College
- "Jessie B(elle) Rittenhouse". Jiffynotes. 2000. Retrieved 19 Dec 2010.