Ida Kruse McFarlane

Ida Kruse McFarlane (1872-1940) was an English professor and head of the English department at the University of Denver. In 1931, she negotiated to have the Central City Opera House donated to the university.

Early life and education Ida Kruse was born in Central City - Black Hawk area in 1872. (There are some sources that say that she was born in 1873, 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 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 Between 1903 and 1907, McFarlane was Superintendent of schools for Gilpin County, Colorado.

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

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 as the Tears–McFarlane House. Due to her dedication to the university, the Johnson-McFarlane Residential Hall was partially named after her.