Sophie Kerr

Sophie Kerr (1880-1965) was an author who wrote 23 novels and many poems and short stories.

Life and career

Kerr grew up in Caroline County, Maryland, and lived much of her adult life in New York City. She was educated at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, and at the University of Vermont. She began to write stories at 18 years of age and did newspaper work in Pittsburgh, Pa., for a few years, and then moved on to New York City, where she was managing editor of the "Woman's Home Companion". [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_International_Encyclopedia] She contributed stories to practically all the major magazines in the United States.

The Sophie Kerr House still stands in her hometown of Denton, Maryland.

Philanthropy

In her will, she bequeathed half a million dollars to Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, to fund one promising graduating writer each year. Investing the money the past forty years has allowed the "Sophie Kerr Prize" to grow to over $60,000 a year making it the largest undergraduate literature prize in the country. [ [http://english.washcoll.edu/sophiekerr.php Sophie Kerr Prize homepage] ] It also allows the college to bring in the nation's top writers for student workshops.

elected works

* "Love at Large", 1916
* "Blue Envelope", 1917
* "The Golden Block", 1918
* "The See-Saw", 1919
* "Painted Meadows", 1920
* "One Thing is Certain", 1922
* "Mareea-Maria", 1929
* "Tigers Is Only Cats", 1929
* "In For a Penny", 1931
* "Girl Into Woman", 1932
* "Stay Out of My Life", 1934
* "Miss J. Looks On", 1935
* "There's Only One", 1936
* "Fine to Look At", 1937
* "Adventure With Women", 1938
* "Curtain Going Up", 1940
* "The Beautiful Woman", 1941
* "Michaels's Girls", 1942
* "Jenny Devlin", 1943
* "Love Story Incidental", 1946
* "Wife's Eye View", 1947
* "As Tall As Pride", 1949
* "The Man Who Knew the Date", 1951

References

External links

* [http://english.washcoll.edu/sophiekerr.php Sophie Kerr Prize]
* [http://lithouse.washcoll.edu/ The Rose O'Neill Literary House at Washington College]
* [http://www.washcoll.edu Washington College Home Page]