Mom Would Be Very Pleased!

Pearl Cleveland Wilson, 1882-1976

The lady in the picture is Pearl (Cleveland) Wilson. She was a "pen-pal" of mom's. I believe that the arrangement started before mom married and I believe that it happened through Christian Science - but am not sure. Later, I also exchanged letters with her. Mom, of course, saved them and they're readily recognizable in stacks because of the blue stationary that she used. A few days ago I was going through some of mom's things again and came across one of these letters written on Jan. 1, 1970. In it, she updated mom on a book she she was finishing about Socrates. I decided to look up the book on the internet, found it, and bought it! The title is "The Living Socrates, The Man Who Dared to Question, as Plate Knew Him". I knew a bit about her but not much so looked her up. She never married. She taught "the language and works of Homer, Plato, and the Greek tragedies" at Hunter College in New York City. She wrote several books including "Wagner's Dramas and Greek Tragedy", demonstrating a serious interest in opera as well. There is an article from the November 11, 1912 New York Times (Julie-please note) announcing a series of lectures on the opera in conjunction with the opening of the opera season including four lectures on the works in Wagner's Ring Cycle. Pearl was giving two of these. Another in the four pages of hits on Google list her as being treasurer of the American Philological Association. She's listed as Dr. Pearl Cleveland Wilson in this one. On another she is writing about Greek gods in Eastern Star (don't know if she was a member). She's listed in the Who's Who of American Women in the first, second,and tenth editions.

Pearl's book on Socrates was published five years after the letter in 1975. She died the following year. In the jacket notes it says that her former colleagues and students "admire her almost classical serenity, glowing warmth, and unflagging concern with humanity". Mom - I think I'll even read the book!