Poet. She received recognition as the second Poet Laureate of South Dakota and the first female one, serving from 1958 to 1973. Born Adeline Miriam Jenney, she was the daughter of missionaries, who were living in Macedonia at the time of her birth. Her family returned to the United States in 1883. After receiving her bachelor's degree in English, she traveled to University of Munich and Oxford University in England to study. After placing first in the "Century" magazine short story contest, she received a fellowship for the University of Illinois, earning her master's degree in 1906. After earning her PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1915, she held various positions in the literary and educational fields, including teaching English at Yankton College, where she served as departmental head. She relocated to Valley Springs in 1917, where she taught school and was assistant principal. Her many accomplishments include serving as an editor in the manuscript department of "Good Housekeeping" magazine, reporter for the "Milwaukee News," contributor to the "Congregational" and for three decades, was the editor of the poetry journal "Pasque Petals." In 1933 she became the secretary of the South Dakota Poetry Society. She edited three anthologies of poetry published by the South Dakota Poetry Society, "Prairie Poets." She wrote the 1942 historical novel "They Were Able," which was about Scandinavian immigrants who first settled in Minnesota. In 1965, she received an honorary degree of Doctorate of Humane Letters from Yankton College. In 1994 a State of South Dakota historical marker was erected in Valley Springs honoring her.
Poet. She received recognition as the second Poet Laureate of South Dakota and the first female one, serving from 1958 to 1973. Born Adeline Miriam Jenney, she was the daughter of missionaries, who were living in Macedonia at the time of her birth. Her family returned to the United States in 1883. After receiving her bachelor's degree in English, she traveled to University of Munich and Oxford University in England to study. After placing first in the "Century" magazine short story contest, she received a fellowship for the University of Illinois, earning her master's degree in 1906. After earning her PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1915, she held various positions in the literary and educational fields, including teaching English at Yankton College, where she served as departmental head. She relocated to Valley Springs in 1917, where she taught school and was assistant principal. Her many accomplishments include serving as an editor in the manuscript department of "Good Housekeeping" magazine, reporter for the "Milwaukee News," contributor to the "Congregational" and for three decades, was the editor of the poetry journal "Pasque Petals." In 1933 she became the secretary of the South Dakota Poetry Society. She edited three anthologies of poetry published by the South Dakota Poetry Society, "Prairie Poets." She wrote the 1942 historical novel "They Were Able," which was about Scandinavian immigrants who first settled in Minnesota. In 1965, she received an honorary degree of Doctorate of Humane Letters from Yankton College. In 1994 a State of South Dakota historical marker was erected in Valley Springs honoring her.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Inscription
Poet Laureate of South Dakota
Family Members
Advertisement
