Mary Belle McElwain (14 May 1874 – 23 February 1964) was an American

classical scholar Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

Biography

McElwain gained her BA from Wilson College in 1895. She subsequently taught Greek, English, and maths at the college until 1903. After teaching at a finishing school ('Miss Wright's School') at Bryn Mawr until 1908 McElwain gained a MA from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

in 1909 with a thesis titled "The Life of the Empress Livia Based on Latin and Greek Sources" and her PhD in 1910 on "The use of the imperative in Plautus". In 1936 she was awarded an honorary Litt. D. from Wilson College. From 1910 until her retirement in 1942, McElwain taught Latin and Greek at Smith College. She served as class dean three times and was made Professor Emeritus of Classical Languages and Literature. She returned to Wilson College after retirement and worked as the acting dean until 1946 and as the college historian. She had previously served on the board of trustees of Wilson College from 1929 to 1932 and 1938–56. McElwain was a member of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) in Rome. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History In 1893, a group of American architects, ...

, American Philological Association, and the American Association of University Women. McElwain is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Chambersburg. A

hall of residence A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...

at Wilson College is named after her.

Select publications

*McElwain, M. B. (ed) 1975. ''Stratagems. Aqueducts of Rome'' (Loeb Classical Library 174) *McElwain, M. B. 1939.
Further Reflections on the Forgotten Student
, ''The Classical Journal'' 34 (4), pp. 198–212 *McElwain, M. B. 1922.
In Memoriam: Charles Edwin Bennett, 1858-1921
, ''The Classical Journal'' 18 (1), pp. 23–25.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McElwain, Mary Belle 1874 births 1964 deaths Cornell University alumni People from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania American Association of University Women American women classical scholars American classical scholars