Ida Kruse McFarlane (1872-1940) was an English professor and head of the English department at the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1864, it has an enrollment of approximately 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. It is classified among "R1: D ...

. In 1931, she negotiated to have the

Central City Opera House The Central City Opera House is located in the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District in Central City, Colorado, United States. It was constructed in 1878. It has offered operatic and theatrical productions that drew prominent actors and perf ...

donated to the university.

Early life and education

Ida Kruse was born in Central City - Black Hawk area in 1872. Her parents were Frederick and Letta Kruse. She had a sister, Clara, and a brother named Frederick. Her father was the major of Central City, where she grew up and attended a convent school, St. Aloysius. McFarlane received her Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degrees from

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. The college be ...

and studied in Europe at various universities. She received an honorary Doctorate of Literature from the University of Denver in 1914.

Career

She began her work career as Ida Kruse and around 1907 she married Frederick McFarlane, a mining manufacturer who was born and educated in Central City. Between 1903 and 1907, McFarlane was Superintendent of schools for

Gilpin County, Colorado Gilpin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado, smallest in land area behind only the City and County of Broomfield. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,808. The county seat is Central City. The county was formed in ...

. She taught English during the 1905-1906 summer interim at the

and formally joined the university's English faculty in 1907. She taught English literature and served as head of the English Department until her death in 1940. She taught modern poetry, drama, the French language, Spanish literature, and phonetics. She was particularly interested in the works of

Ezra Pound Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an List of poets from the United States, American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Ita ...

Carl Sandburg Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor. He won three Pulitzer Prizes: two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. During his lifetime, Sandburg w ...

, and

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...

. She offered and taught courses in manners and, with a colleague, created seven courses on efficiency, called Scientific Management in 1914. The area of knowledge was led by the works of Frank and

Lillian Gilbreth Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth (; May 24, 1878 – January 2, 1972) was an American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator who was an early pioneer in applying psychology to time-and-motion studies. She was described in the 1940s ...

and

Frederick Winslow Taylor Frederick Winslow Taylor (March 20, 1856 – March 21, 1915) was an American mechanical engineer. He was widely known for his methods to improve industrial efficiency. He was one of the first management consulting, management consultants. In 190 ...

In 1931, she negotiated for the donation of the Central City Opera House to the University of Denver, with Peter McFarlane and the heirs of the opera house. It was a logical choice based upon the university's affiliation with the Civic Theater and its tax-exempt status. She had the support of philanthropist Anne Evans, the daughter of Governor John Evans. The building was renovated and opened in 1932 and began a tradition of the Central City Summer Festival. She gave public lecturers about literature and art by 1914. In 1919, she published Modern Culture, the Arts of the Theatre, a compilation of her lectures. With Melicent Van Riper, she co-authored ''The Glory that was Gold: The Central City Opera House''.

Personal life

In 1937, McFarlane and her husband bought the Georgian-style house (1898) built by railroad attorney Daniel W. Tears. It is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as the

Tears–McFarlane House Tears–McFarlane House is a historic house located in Denver, Colorado, that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 1976. With It was designed by Frederick Sterner. Railroad attorney Daniel W. Tears and his wife ...

. She died on June 18, 1940.

Legacy

* In 1944, a monument was built in Central City in her honor, at the initial suggestion of Anne Evans. A fund for the monument was raised by Clarence H. Adams, who at the time was the president of the International Trust Company. * Due to her dedication to the university, the Johnson-McFarlane Residential Hall was partially named after her.

Notes

References

External links

House once occupied by Ida Kruse McFarlane
Central City {{DEFAULTSORT:McFarlane, Ida Kruse 1872 births 1940 deaths Vassar College alumni University of Denver faculty Educators from Denver People from Central City, Colorado