Mary Harriott Norris (March 16, 1848 – September 14, 1918) was an American author and educator. Born in

Boonton, New Jersey Boonton is a Town (New Jersey), town in Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 8,815, an increase of 468 (+5.6%) from the 2010 United States census, 20 ...

to Charles Bryan Norris and Mary Lyon Kerr, she was educated at

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...

, where she graduated with honor, receiving an A.B. degree in 1870. Two years later in 1872 she was invited back to deliver the annual commencement address to the college. She became a writer of short stories, novels, and educational articles; she edited several works and gave a number of lectures. Norris was a regular contributor to the ''

Boston Journal of Education Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development is the school of education within Boston University. It is located on the University's Charles River Campus in Boston, Massachusetts in the former Lahey Clinic building. BU Wheel ...

''. In 1879, she became principal of a private school she founded in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, serving at that post until 1891. From 1898–9, she served as Dean of Women at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

, being the first regularly elected representative to hold that post. Three times she travelled to Europe, visiting Great Britain, Italy, the Scandinavian countries, Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Bibliography

Her published works include the following: * ''Fräulein Mina'' (1872) * ''School-life of Ben and Bentie'' (1884) * ''Dorothy Delafield'' (1886) * ''A Damsel of the Eighteenth Century'' (1889) * ''Phoebe'' (1890) * ''Silas Marner'' (1890), editor * ''Marmion'' (1891), editor * ''Afterward'' (1893) * ''The Nine Blessings'' (1893) * ''John Applegate, Surgeon'' (1894) * ''Lakewood'' (1895) * ''Evangeline'' (1897), editor * ''Kenilworth'' (1898), editor * ''The Gray House of the Quarries'' (1898) * ''Quentin Duward'' (1899), editor * ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1901) * ''The Story of Christina'' (1907) * ''The Veil'' (1907) * ''The Golden Age of Vassar'' (1915)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Norris, Mary Harriott 1848 births 1918 deaths People from Boonton, New Jersey American women short story writers Vassar College alumni American women novelists 19th-century American novelists 19th-century American women writers 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers Educators from New Jersey Novelists from New Jersey Northwestern University faculty 19th-century American short story writers 20th-century American short story writers Novelists from Illinois American women academics