Winifred Margaretta Kirkland

Born in Columbia, Pennsylvania, on November 25, 1872, she studied at the Packer Institute in Brooklyn, earned an A.B. from Vassar College in 1897, and then continued graduate study at Bryn Mawr. For many years she taught English in private schools in Bryn Mawr and Baltimore before devoting herself more fully to writing.

Her work covered several kinds of books, including novels, religious and seasonal pieces, essays, and fiction for younger readers. Among the titles connected with her are The Christmas Bishop, The Joys of Being a Woman, and Other Papers, The View Vertical, The Boy Editor, and The Old Diller Place. She also collaborated with Frances Kirkland on books such as Girls Who Became Leaders and Girls Who Became Writers.

She died on May 14, 1943, in Sewanee, Tennessee. Although she is not widely known today, her writing still stands out for its approachable style and its interest in character, community, and the inner lives of women and children.