Clara Louise Thompson

Clara Louise Thompson (1884–?) was an American educator, Latinist, activist, feminist, and suffragist. She is the only woman to be awarded the American Fellowship at the American School of Classical Studies in Rome (now, American Academy in Rome).

Biography Thompson grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, along with a sister, Alice. She studied at Washington University in St. Louis (Bachelor's degree, 1906), University of Pennsylvania (Master's degree, 1908), American School of Classical Studies (Fellowship; now American Academy in Rome), and University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D, 1911). She was active in the suffrage movement. She served as field secretary for the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League in 1913. She served as President of Latin at Rockford College (now Rockford University, and also taught at the University of Pennsylvania.

Personal life Thompson made her home in Rome, Georgia and Saint Louis, Missouri. She had a romantic relationship spanning decades with Jeannette Howard Foster, a librarian, professor, poet, and researcher.