Ella Boynton Kaiser Carruth (January 5, 1881 – March 13, 1974) was an American librarian and writer. She wrote the children's novel ''She Wanted To Read'' in 1966.

Early life

Carruth was born in 1881 in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

. She attended Flora Stone Mather College and

Western Reserve University Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

which are both in Ohio. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...

Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence and Leeds) was 29,571. Northampton is known as an acade ...

, in 1903. In 1907, Carruth married mathematics professor William M. Carruth, who taught at

Hamilton College Hamilton College is a private liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York. It was founded as Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and was chartered as Hamilton College in 1812 in honor of inaugural trustee Alexander Hamilton, following ...

in Clinton, New York. She worked for the Kirkland Library in Clinton as a part of the Board of Trustees and helped lead the creation of the library's Historical Room. She wrote for many publications including the ''Journal of Home Economics'' and ''

Yankee The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...

''. She sometimes wrote under the pen name Delane Heath. After her husband died in 1943, Carruth moved to

Winter Park, Florida Winter Park is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 30,183 according to the 2022 census population estimate. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Winter Park was fo ...

, in Alabama to live at a hotel. While in Winter Park, she worked as a part of the Winter Park Library and the Science Library at Rollins College.

Career and death

Carruth wrote the 1966 children's novel '' She Wanted To Read'' which is based on the life of American educator

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary Jane McLeod Bethune ( McLeod; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, Womanism, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established th ...

. The novel was published when Carruth was 85 years old. ''She Wanted To Read'' has been taught in American schools as part of the curriculum. She wrote for magazines including '' Table Talk'', ''Best Years'', and ''

Science Digest ''Science Digest'' was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1988. History ''Science Digest'' was first published in January 1937 in an 8 x 5 inch digest size format of about 100 pages. ...

''. Her planned second novel ''The Education of Zora Neale Hurston'' was rejected by publishers. Carruth died on March 13, 1974, and was buried in Clinton, New York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carruth, Ella Kaiser 1881 births 1974 deaths American women novelists Librarians from Ohio American women librarians 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers