Dr. Elizabeth Harriet Denio (3 August 1842 – 23 December 1922) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

teacher who was the first woman to teach at the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

. She retired as

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

in 1917.

Life

Denio was born in Albion, New York, in 1842. In 1896, Wellesley College had a new president, who decided that Denio's method of teaching was archaic, and she lost her job. She traveled to Germany to obtain a doctorate in art history. She failed to qualify in Berlin and Leipzig. Leipzig was her favorite and she attended the lectures of ten different professors, despite the rule that women were not admitted. She led a group of Wellesley students to visit the university in 1889. She was successful in obtaining her doctorate at the

University of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

in October 1898. Her thesis was on the "Life and Works of Nicholas Pouissin". She returned to America where she was employed by the University of Rochester in 1902. This was the year after the first woman obtained a degree at Rochester.May, Arthur J. (1977) ''A History of the university of Rochester'', Princeton: Princeton University Denio was the first woman to teach and her wages were covered by

Emily Sibley Watson Emily Sibley Watson (May 10, 1855 – February 8, 1945) was a prominent Rochester, New York philanthropist and patron of the arts. Youngest child of Western Union founder Hiram Sibley and Elizabeth Tinker Sibley, she grew up in a family that value ...

. In 1910 she was promoted. She was mentioned by the university president, Benjamin Rush Rhees, in his annual report, in which he lauded Denio's teaching. She retired in 1917 with the title of Professor Emeritus. Denio died as the result of being hit by a car in Rochester.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Denio, Elizabeth 1842 births 1922 deaths People from New York (state) American women academics University of Rochester faculty