Helen Gray Cone (March 8, 1859 – January 31, 1934) was a poet and professor of English literature. She spent her entire career at Hunter College in New York City.
Cone was born in New York and attended the Normal College of the City of New York, later renamed Hunter College. She graduated in 1876 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and became an instructor in the Normal College English department.[1] In the 1880s she served as president of the Associate Alumnae of the Normal College.[2]
Career and writings
The Ride to the Lady and Other Poems (1891)
Her first book, Oberon and Puck: Verses Grave and Gay was published by Cassell, New York, in 1885. The New York Times received it well, saying, "Miss Cone has the rare talent of compression and the wit not to attempt too high a flight at first."[3] The book was reprinted by Houghton Mifflin in 1893, after that press released her The Ride to the Lady in 1891. She wrote fiction as well in this period, publishing a short story in Harper's Magazine in 1886.[4]
In 1899, she was elected to the Professorship in English after the death of her predecessor in the position. Though the Normal College admitted only female students at the time, Cone was the first woman to hold a professorship there.[5] As sole holder of the title, she was considered department head, a title she retained as the department grew.[6]
Her Soldiers of the Light was published by Richard G. Badger of Boston in 1910. Stephenson Browne commented in the New York Times: "Miss Cone refrains so steadfastly from the arts of the self-advertiser that only those who read all the magazines know how large is the volume of genuine poetry she annually presents in the best of them."[7] A poem from the book, "The Common Street," was published in the Times the following year; it praises the sunset which bursts suddenly into the New York landscape, turning the common street and its denizens, "Each with his sordid burden trudging by," into "A golden highway into golden heaven, / With the dark shapes of men ascending still."[8] Poetry collections A Chant of Love for England (New York: Dutton, 1915) and The Coat Without a Seam (New York: Dutton, 1919) followed.
In addition to poetry and fiction, she wrote literary criticism (her 1890 history of American literature was republished in a 2000 anthology[9]), co-edited Pen-Portraits of Literary Women with Jeanette L. Gilder (New York: Cassell, 1887) and provided notes for Houghton Mifflin's Riverside editions of Shakespeare's Macbeth (1897), Hamlet (1897), Merchant of Venice (1900), and Twelfth Night (1901). A volume of her selected poems was published as Harvest Home (New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1930). She was awarded honorary degrees by New York University in 1908 and Hunter in 1920.[1]
Legacy at Hunter
Cone was frequently called upon to read occasional poems at college functions, from her student days into her retirement.[1][10] She wrote the college's alma mater.[11]
She retired in 1926, replaced as department head by fiction writer Blanche Colton Williams.[12] In 1927 a fellowship was created in Cone's honor, through donations from students, faculty, and alumni.[13] As of 2020, the Helen Gray Cone Fellowship is still awarded.[14]
References
^ abc"Dr. Helen Cone Dies, Hunter Professor". New York Times. February 1, 1934.
^"Normal College Alumnae Reunion". New York Times.
^Cone, Helen Gray (October 1886). "The River Floweth On". Harper's Magazine.
^"Young Women Graduated". New York Times. June 23, 1899.
^"Two At Hunter Win Riess Scholarships". New York Times. March 8, 1939.
^Browne, Stephenson (October 15, 1910). "Literary Notes from Boston". New York Times.
^Cone, Helen Gray (May 28, 1911). "The Common Street". New York Times.
^Americans on Fiction, 1776-1900, ed. Peter Rawlings (London: Pickering and Chatto, 2000); reviewed by Beth A. Fisher, Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association 38:2 (2005), 121-26.
^"William Wood's Memory Honored". New York Times. October 2, 1894.
^"Hunter Graduates 203 New Teachers". New York Times. June 23, 1916.
^"Faculty Changes at Hunter College". New York Times. May 23, 1926.
^"Wins Hunter Fellowship". New York Times. June 1, 1932.
^"2010 English Department Prizes and Awards" (PDF). Hunter College English Department. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
External links
Finding Aid for Helen Gray Cone Collection, 1859-1934, Hunter College
Works by Helen Gray Cone at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
January 12, 2023
helen, gray, cone, march, 1859, january, 1934, poet, professor, english, literature, spent, entire, career, hunter, college, york, city, contents, early, life, education, career, writings, legacy, hunter, references, external, linksearly, life, education, edit. Helen Gray Cone March 8 1859 January 31 1934 was a poet and professor of English literature She spent her entire career at Hunter College in New York City Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career and writings 3 Legacy at Hunter 4 References 5 External linksEarly life and education EditCone was born in New York and attended the Normal College of the City of New York later renamed Hunter College She graduated in 1876 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and became an instructor in the Normal College English department 1 In the 1880s she served as president of the Associate Alumnae of the Normal College 2 Career and writings Edit The Ride to the Lady and Other Poems 1891 Her first book Oberon and Puck Verses Grave and Gay was published by Cassell New York in 1885 The New York Times received it well saying Miss Cone has the rare talent of compression and the wit not to attempt too high a flight at first 3 The book was reprinted by Houghton Mifflin in 1893 after that press released her The Ride to the Lady in 1891 She wrote fiction as well in this period publishing a short story in Harper s Magazine in 1886 4 In 1899 she was elected to the Professorship in English after the death of her predecessor in the position Though the Normal College admitted only female students at the time Cone was the first woman to hold a professorship there 5 As sole holder of the title she was considered department head a title she retained as the department grew 6 Her Soldiers of the Light was published by Richard G Badger of Boston in 1910 Stephenson Browne commented in the New York Times Miss Cone refrains so steadfastly from the arts of the self advertiser that only those who read all the magazines know how large is the volume of genuine poetry she annually presents in the best of them 7 A poem from the book The Common Street was published in the Times the following year it praises the sunset which bursts suddenly into the New York landscape turning the common street and its denizens Each with his sordid burden trudging by into A golden highway into golden heaven With the dark shapes of men ascending still 8 Poetry collections A Chant of Love for England New York Dutton 1915 and The Coat Without a Seam New York Dutton 1919 followed In addition to poetry and fiction she wrote literary criticism her 1890 history of American literature was republished in a 2000 anthology 9 co edited Pen Portraits of Literary Women with Jeanette L Gilder New York Cassell 1887 and provided notes for Houghton Mifflin s Riverside editions of Shakespeare s Macbeth 1897 Hamlet 1897 Merchant of Venice 1900 and Twelfth Night 1901 A volume of her selected poems was published as Harvest Home New York Knickerbocker Press 1930 She was awarded honorary degrees by New York University in 1908 and Hunter in 1920 1 Legacy at Hunter EditCone was frequently called upon to read occasional poems at college functions from her student days into her retirement 1 10 She wrote the college s alma mater 11 She retired in 1926 replaced as department head by fiction writer Blanche Colton Williams 12 In 1927 a fellowship was created in Cone s honor through donations from students faculty and alumni 13 As of 2020 the Helen Gray Cone Fellowship is still awarded 14 References Edit a b c Dr Helen Cone Dies Hunter Professor New York Times February 1 1934 Normal College Alumnae Reunion New York Times New Books New York Times April 11 1886 Cone Helen Gray October 1886 The River Floweth On Harper s Magazine Young Women Graduated New York Times June 23 1899 Two At Hunter Win Riess Scholarships New York Times March 8 1939 Browne Stephenson October 15 1910 Literary Notes from Boston New York Times Cone Helen Gray May 28 1911 The Common Street New York Times Americans on Fiction 1776 1900 ed Peter Rawlings London Pickering and Chatto 2000 reviewed by Beth A Fisher Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association 38 2 2005 121 26 William Wood s Memory Honored New York Times October 2 1894 Hunter Graduates 203 New Teachers New York Times June 23 1916 Faculty Changes at Hunter College New York Times May 23 1926 Wins Hunter Fellowship New York Times June 1 1932 2010 English Department Prizes and Awards PDF Hunter College English Department Retrieved 14 August 2010 External links EditFinding Aid for Helen Gray Cone Collection 1859 1934 Hunter College Works by Helen Gray Cone at Project Gutenberg The Ride to the Lady Works by or about Helen Gray Cone at Internet Archive Works by Helen Gray Cone at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helen Gray Cone amp oldid 1085703888, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
