Mount Holyoke College - Llamarada Yearbook (South Hadley, MA)

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Clara Frances Stevens, Ph.1VI. J' HEN to any one has been given the brief vision of a signific- ant life, it is but shamefacedly, as a young thief caught in tl1e act, that he gives to the world such crudely arranged details as he has stolen when the artist's back was turned. He knows that it does not represent even in outline tl1e original life harmony, -yet it is only because of the lack of artist fingers. When the first infiuence of such a life is to inspire in tl1e thoughtless student that craving for reverence which urges to a search for the divine, there is especial regret that tl1e shadow picture should not too be a work of art, revealing no more than that which is tl1e world's due. The birthplace of Clara Frances Stevens is historic Newbury- port, set by tl1e sea, and kept beautiful by its guardian trees. Here her home has always been. O11 either side her ancestors were noted for loyal heroism a11d stalwart integrity, they were typical New Eng- land men and women. Her father, Cyrus Porter Stevens, was the son of a brave soldier who fought in the War of 1812, and earlier in tl1e family history are tl1e heroes of tl1e Revolution. Her mother, Harriet Newell Bartlett, may trace her relationship to Thomas Bart- lett, who pnt his name to tl1e Declaration of Independence. Tl1e lesson of obedience sl1e values as perhaps tl1e highest teach- ing of her New England home. The sea spoke to her very often and she loved it, but sl1e loved even better tl1e mountains. The old homestead, l1er mother's home, was in tl1e midst of mountains, and she counts a trip tothe Franconia Notch the red-letter day of her childhood. In all l1er work we see the breadth of vision, like tl1e sweep of ocean, and tl1e strength and upward reach of the hills. In tl1e fall of 1878 Miss Stevens entered the Junior lllldflle class at Mount Holyokeg before this she had spent fOlll' years teaching. Graduated in 1881, she was straightway called to be a teacher of Lati11 and Modern History i11 tl1e Seminary. I11 1884 she began to 15

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teach Rhetoric and Mathematics. In 1889 she taught Rhetoric alone, but the following year Logic was added and this she taught until 1893. The last term of 1893 and the year of ISQ3-,94 was spent at the University of Michigan, where she received the degree of Ph. M. for work in Rhetoric, English Literature and Aesthetics. Here she worked under the direction of Professor Scott and Professor Demmon of the English department, and Professor Dewey, now in the philos- ophy department at Chicago University. From Professor Blaisdell of Beloit she received some invaluable help, though she never studied directly with him. Perhaps first among the great masters who have been potent in influencing her thought and methods, she would place Plato, fol- lowing him the German idealists, and among modern writers, Carlyle, Browning, Dowden, Pater and Arnold. In 1886 she travelled widely in England, Scotland, Norway, Switzerland, France and Germanyg several of her summers have been spent in walking tours in the Adirondacks and the White Mountains. The strength and extent of our Rhetoric department is almost wholly due to the wise and untiring work of Miss Stevens in its be- half. Many new courses have been lately added by her, and are of especial helpfulness. The class in journalism is not similar to any course in another woman's college. Her class, planned especially for those who are to teach English, is extremely helpful. She con- ducts an enthusiastic class in the development of literary criticism. As a teacher, Miss Stevens has the rare combination of a system- atic harmony of plan and power of inspiration, which is the direct outgrowth of her reverent cultured nature. Many are those students who give voluntary tes-timony to an influence which has lifted life and tl1ought to a higher plane, and has given deeper insight into the realities of life. 16