Isabelle Anna Bronk (December 4, 1858 – January 10, 1943) was an American college professor and head of the Romance Languages department at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...

from 1901 to 1927.

Early life and education

Isabelle Bronk was born in

Duanesburg, New York Duanesburg is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Schenectady County, New York, Schenectady County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 6,122 at the 2010 census. Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who h ...

, the daughter of Abram Bronk and Cynthia Brewster Bronk. She trained as a teacher at the state normal school in Brockport, earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1893, and a PhD from the University of Chicago in 1900. She pursued further studies at

Wellesley College Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...

and in Europe, at universities in Paris, Leipzig, Madrid, and Grenoble.

Career

Bronk taught French at a private boarding school in New York City for three years, and at the University of Chicago from 1900 to 1901. She was head of the Romance Languages department at Swarthmore College from 1901 to 1927. She was an active member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 ...

(AAUW), the

Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association of America, often referred to as the Modern Language Association (MLA), is widely considered the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature. The MLA aims to "st ...

, and the

Colonial Dames of America The Colonial Dames of America (CDA) is an American organization composed of women who are descended from an ancestor who lived in British America from 1607 to 1775, and was of service to the colonies by either holding public office, being in th ...

, among many other organizations. She attended the second conference of the International Federation of Women, held in Paris in 1922. Her memoir ''Paris Memories'' (1927), presented "a telling picture of that side of Paris which is not gay and heedless but concerned with the graver aspects of living, and with tranquillity", according to one reviewer.

Publications

* ''Poésies Diverses of

Antoine Furetière Antoine Furetière (28 December 161914 May 1688) was a French scholar, writer, and lexicographer, known best for his satirical novel ''Scarron's City Romance''. He was expelled from the Académie Française for seeking to publish his own French ...

'' (1908, edited and introduced by Bronk) * ''"''Notes on Méré" (1915) * "Attainable Aims in Modern Language Teaching in Colleges, or, What May We Safely Hope to Accomplish in Modern Language Courses in College" (1921) * ''Paris Memories'' (1927)

Personal life

Bronk died in 1943, at a convalescent home in Media, Pennsylvania, at the age of 84. Scientist and college president

Detlev Bronk Detlev Wulf Bronk (August 13, 1897 – November 17, 1975) was a prominent American scientist, educator, and administrator. He is credited with establishing biophysics as a recognized discipline. Bronk served as president of Johns Hopkins Universi ...

was her nephew. Her niece was a university librarian, also named Isabelle Bronk (1903–1955).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bronk, Isabelle 1858 births 1943 deaths People from Duanesburg, New York University of Chicago alumni Swarthmore College faculty Illinois Wesleyan University alumni