Ruth Suckow Memorial Society

New picture of Ruth

2011-06-10T17:29:00.002-06:00

This picture was taken in 1931.

Announcing our new website

2011-06-10T17:24:00.004-06:00

We've done a major revamp of the Ruth Suckow website, and I think you will like it!

Please check it out: http://www.ruthsuckow.org/

It's a whole new look, with a lot of new content and numerous photos not included on the older website, which went back to 2006 and was the result of a lot of hard work by Michael Dargan. The new website has the same URL, so if someone found us a couple of years ago, we haven't "moved."

We now have pages for the Birthplace, Earlville, and Ferner Nuhn, among other things.

We will do a formal introduction of the new website at our Annual meeting tomorrow, Saturday, June 11, 2011. Please join us: we start the day at the Cedar Falls Library and then move to the Hearst Center.

Ruth Suckow's legacy

2011-04-14T16:08:00.002-06:00

I was pondering Suckow's legacy as I looked over some dates, and realized that her first short story was published 90 years ago ("Uprooted," Feb. 1921). Our book selection for the 2011 annual meeting, Country People, was published in 1924.

It has been 51 years since her death, 119 years since her birth, and 22 years since Ferner's death. Our Association was formed 45 years ago.

And yet, each semester as I teach my Introduction to Literature class, I continue to find that my students understand her story "A Rural Community," and can relate with Ralph, the main character, who finds his home town changed and yet unchanged. Suckow's gift for the description of the midwestern small town streets, fields, and characters resonates with them.

Join us for our 2011 Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 11th

2011-04-14T16:04:00.002-06:00

Ruth Suckow’s The Folks

The public is invited to a discussion of Cedar Falls writer Ruth Suckow’s most famous novel, The Folks, Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m. at the Hearst Center for the Arts.

Barbara Lounsberry, University of Northern Iowa emeritus professor of English, will lead the discussion of this 1934 Iowa novel set in Belmond (which means “beautiful world” in French). The novel follows Fred and Annie Ferguson, “the folks” of the title, and their children, from their start on an Iowa farm and as they branch out in the early twentieth century.

“The Folks has been called Suckow’s masterpiece,” Lounsberry explains. “Suckow captures with searing realism the joys and sorrows each generation meets, the challenges of leaving and returning, and the abiding Iowa earth.”

Copies of the novel are available in the “Iowa Section” of the Cedar Falls Public Library.

For further information, contact Lounsberry (Lounsberry@gmail.com).

Annual Meeting Highlights

2010-06-12T21:03:00.000-06:00

Even though a few of our faithful members were unable to join us today, due to weather or other commitments, we had a great time together. We enjoyed a tasty box lunch and great conversation after our morning business meeting. Then, approximately seventeen people gathered to discuss the assigned book, The Kramer Girls, and Dr. George Day led our discussion. We had a lively time talking about the central characters and themes.

We also agreed that we need to work hard to help preserve Suckow's work, both in print and digital formats. We are greatly encouraged by the numbers of people finding our website and blog: Mike presented the statistics about usage over the past year.

The book for next year's meeting is The Folks. Our meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 11, 2011; we will meet at the Cedar Falls Public Library again, due to its central location.

Suckow Bookmarks for Sale

2010-06-12T20:39:00.000-06:00

In addition to the T-shirts, we now have laminated bookmarks for sale as well.

Again, the cost for members is just $2.00, while we are asking for $2.50 from non-members.

Suckow T-Shirts for Sale!

2010-06-12T20:35:00.012-06:00

We now have pictures of our Ruth Suckow T-shirts. They come in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large.

Members pay just $8.00

Non-members pay $10.00

They are a light brown color with a picture of a young Ruth (in a play at Grinnell College, around 1914, I think)

To purchase a shirt, please contact Barbara Lounsberry, at lounsberry@gmail.com

Looking for multiple copies of a Suckow title?

2010-06-12T09:40:00.009-06:00

Want to use a Suckow book for a book club, and need to locate multiple copies?

The Iowa Library Service Areas maintains a list of titles and the number of copies. Currently, they have three of Suckow's books listed on their website. You can search by title or author.

Suckow Ruth -- Suckow Ominbus (5 -- Cedar Falls Public Library)

Suckow Ruth -- The Folks -- (14 -- Cedar Falls Public Library)

Suckow Ruth -- The John Wood Case (12 copies -- -- Cedar Falls Public Library)

We will also shortly have several copies of a fourth book available: New Hope (1942).

Go to the following website, http://www.ilsa.lib.ia.us/ and click on multiple copies.

Agenda and Letter, Annual meeting 2010

2010-06-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

Ruth Suckow Memorial Association

Dear Suckow Association Members:

As Memorial Day approaches, I hope you are also remembering our annual Suckow meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 12 at 10 a.m., at the Cedar Falls Public Library. Coffee and rolls await you—not to mention new (free) Suckow bookmarks for you and for you to take back to your local library, school, or historical society.

Suckow t-shirts and more elaborate (laminated) bookmarks will also be available for you to purchase (at very modest prices) for yourselves or for gifts for your favorite readers. So bring your checkbook or a bit of cash!

Attached is a draft of the agenda for our 10 a.m. Business Meeting. Don’t hesitate to send me other items that should be added. Directions to Cedar Falls and the Public Library are also included.

Read, too, Ruth’s fifth novel, The Kramer Girls (1929), which we will discuss in our inimitable fashion at 1 p.m. following lunch. George Day will lead us as he did so expertly last year in Earlville.

In the meantime, there is only 1 more thing to do: Contact me (via e-mail, phone, postcard, letter) if you wish to reserve a lunch for June 12 We need your reservation by Sunday, June 6, so enough food can be prepared. Lunches will be $10 and you can pay for it that day. As you’ll see on the next page, 3 lunch choices are available, so let me know your choice. If you’d prefer to stretch your legs for lunch, several restaurants await you on the Cedar Falls parkade just outside the Library door.

If you are unable to come to this year’s meeting, do send your annual membership dues to our Treasurer, Joanne Laxson. A year’s membership is $15 and you should make out the check to the “Ruth Suckow Memorial Association.” Mail your check to Joanne Laxson, PO Box 129; Earlville, IA 52041. (All others can renew their memberships that day—so bring cash or your checkbooks!)

Until Saturday, June 12—happy reading!

Barbara Lounsberry
President
E-mail: Lounsberry@gmail.com
Phone: 319-268-0502
Address: 2120 Tremont; Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Directions for those entering Cedar Falls from Highway 20 (east or west):

1) If you are driving west on Highway 20 (say from Earlville or Dubuque), take the first Cedar Falls exit. It will say “Highway 58” and “Industrial Park” and “George Wyth State Park.” This exit is to your right. Turn to your right off it, and stay on this road (Highway 58) for about 4 miles. You will go thru 3 stoplights (the first as you cross Ridgeway Ave.; the second as you cross Viking Road; and the third as you cross Greenhill Ave.). Look for the “18th Street Exit.” Exit there and at the end of the exit ramp turn left onto 18th Street. Continue on 18th Street (heading west) for about 2 blocks, and turn right on Main Street. Continue on Main Street for 12 blocks and you will see the Cedar Falls Public Library on your right (524 Main Street). You’ll see the parking lot in front. The library’s Conference Room is on the second floor. (You can take an elevator to the second floor if you wish.) Restrooms are also on the second floor.

2) If you are driving east on Highway 20 (from Des Moines, Hawarden, etc.), take the third (and last) Cedar Falls exit—saying “Highway 58,” “George Wyth State Park,” etc.—turn left at the end of the exit ramp; then follow the directions above.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lunch Order
(for those who wish to lunch at the Cedar Falls Library following our Business Meeting)

Three Choices

_____ Roast Beef Wrap, potato chips, baby carrots, chocolate chip cookie & beverage. $10

_____ Chicken Salad Sandwich on Homemade Kaiser Role, sun chips, seasonal fresh fruit,
chocolate chip cookie & beverage $10

_____ Smoked Turkey on a Pretzel Roll Sandwich, creamy potato salad, fruit cup,
chocolate chip cookie, & beverage. $10

Send Sandwich Preference to Barbara Lounsberry by Sunday, June 6 (the Caterer’s deadline). Payment can be made June 12 on site—cash or checks to “Barbara Lounsberry”.

E-mail: Lounsberry@gmail.com

Mail: 2120 Tremont
Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3939

Phone: 319-268-0502

Ruth Suckow Memorial Association

Annual Meeting

June 12, 2010

10:00 – Noon

Cedar Falls Public Library

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Agenda

I. Call to Order & Welcome

II. Approval of Minutes from the Previous Meeting – Sara McAlprin

III. Treasurer’s Report –Joanne Laxson

IV. New Suckow Merchandise: bookmarks & t-shirts

V. Newsletter Report – Bob McCown

VI. Birthplace Report – Mary Helgevold

VII. Suckow Park at Earlville – Terry Walters

VIII. Suckow Gravesite in Cedar Falls – Cherie Dargan

IX. Suckow Website – Cherie & Mike Dargan

X. Suckow Blog – Cherie Dargan

XI. Old Business
A. Current Board of Directors
B. Need to increase membership
C. Increasing Suckow visibility

XII. New Business
A. Next year’s meeting date (and text?)
B. Election of Officers
C. Other?

Noon: Luncheon

1:00 The Kramer Girls, Ruth’s fifth novel (1929): A Discussion led by Dr. George Day

2010 Hawarden Birthplace Report - Mary Helgevold

The Suckow House received a “Sneak Preview” during Hawarden’s 2009 Labor Day weekend celebration. It was a last minute decision to open the house to the public for a peak at our work thus far. The Earlville collection of Ruth’s belongings were on display plus a book collection and household items donated by the public. The visitors were bedazzled by the magnificent wood floors and the size of the house. Much more work needs to be done on woodwork, doors, etc., so it is an ongoing project.

RUTH SUCKOW PARK REPORT FOR 2010

THE PARK IS IN GOOD SHAPE FOR IT AGE. THE CITY OF EARLVILLE IS DOING A GOOD JOB OF MOWING AND TRIMMING THE SHRUBS. THE CITY WAS LOOKING JOBS FOR THERE PEOPLE THAT HAD TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE SO WE HAD THEM PAINT THE TABLES IN THE SHELTER. WE PURCHASED TWO BURING BUSH SHRUBS TO REPLACE THE EVERGREENS AND HAD THEM PLANTED AS WILL.
WE ARE NOT ABLE TO KEEP FLYERS IN THE DISPLAY HOLDER BECAUSE OF THE KIDS AT PLAY. OTHER THEN THAT THE PARK LOOKS GOOD.

suckow birthplace 2009

2010-06-12T08:56:00.000-06:00

Suckow Birthplace Report

2010-06-12T08:24:00.000-06:00

2010 Hawarden Birthplace Report - Mary Helgevold

The Suckow House received a “Sneak Preview” during Hawarden’s 2009 Labor Day weekend celebration. It was a last minute decision to open the house to the public for a peak at our work thus far. The Earlville collection of Ruth’s belongings were on display plus a book collection and household items donated by the public. The visitors were bedazzled by the magnificent wood floors and the size of the house. Much more work needs to be done on woodwork, doors, etc., so it is an ongoing project.

Cherie's slide show from June 2010 trip to Hawarden

2010-06-11T22:39:00.002-06:00

Peeking in the Windows of the Suckow Birth place

2010-06-11T21:59:00.005-06:00

Mike and Cherie visit Hawarden

2010-06-11T21:46:00.003-06:00

On our recent trip to the Black Hills, we decided to take a quick sidetrip to visit Ruth Suckow's birthplace, which is located in a little historic area called Calliope Village. We were only able to peek in the windows; it was not possible to contact our Ruth Suckow members in the area on such short notice. We walked around and took some photos, drove around the town, and found the library--and their collection of Suckow books.

Visit to Hawarden Public Library

2010-06-11T21:33:00.016-06:00

Web Site Usage Stats

2010-06-11T20:53:00.002-06:00

Recent visit to Suckow Birth Place

2010-06-11T20:36:00.000-06:00

Picture of Ruth Suckow

2010-06-01T15:04:00.004-06:00

Ruth Suckow, Grinnell College, 1914

This is Barbara's favorite picture of Ruth, because she says it makes Ruth look so ethereal. I am going to update our blog and use this picture now.

Decorating the Three Graves -- May 26, 2010

2010-06-01T14:26:00.005-06:00

In what has become an annual ritual, President Barbara Lounsberry, Vice President Mike Dargan, and Webmaster Cherie Dargan visited the Suckow family graves. It was wonderful to now see Ferner's headstone in place, thanks to their niece Barbara Camamo. Finally, the mystery is solved. Ruth lies beween the two important men in her life: her father and her husband.

Suckow T Shirts and Bookmarks for sale!

2010-05-23T15:18:00.002-06:00

We discussed the idea of getting some T shirts and bookmarks made to help promote the Ruth Suckow Memorial Society. They will be available the day of the Annual Meeting: as soon as possible, I will post more details here, in terms of prices, colors, and sizes.

We will also have some free Suckow bookmarks.

How to Join the Ruth Suckow Memorial Society

2010-05-22T21:49:00.003-06:00

As we approach our annual meeting, we sometimes have guests join us for the afternoon discussion of our book. As noted, you are welcome to reserve a lunch and join us for socializing over lunch. However, you MUST contact Barbara Lounsberry, our group's President

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Society, you can do so by bringing a check for $15 (the amount of our annual membership fees), made out to the "Ruth Suckow Memorial Association." Our treasurer, Joanne Laxson, will be there for the annual meeting.

If you are unable to attend, but want to become a member or renew your membership, send your check to Joanne Laxson
P. O. Box 129
Earlville, IA 52041

The Kramer Girls

2010-05-22T21:41:00.002-06:00

In case you haven't read the book, the Kramer Girls is about three sisters--Georgie, Annie and Rose--living in a small town in Iowa. Their mother is an invalid, their father is busy with his business and almost absent for much of the book, and the two oldest daughters have cared for the house and raised Rose since she was a young girl. Rose, the baby, is a pretty girl with brown eyes and hair, a little on the plump side: she is an intelligent girl and has many hopes and dreams. Her older sisters are protective of her, and do their best to see that she has the opportunities they were denied, due to their mother's illness.

Many of the themes seen in other Suckow stories are seen in this book as well. Join us for a lively discussion of the book, led by retired UNI Professor Dr. George Day.

Directions to the Cedar Falls Library

2010-05-22T21:34:00.003-06:00

1) If you are driving WEST on Highway 20, take the first Cedar Falls exit (it will say Highway 58 and Industrial Park and George Wyth State Park). This exit is to your right. Turn to your right off the exit and stay on this road (Highway 58) for about 4 miles. You will go through 3 stoplights (the first as you corss Ridgeway Ave., the second as you cross Viking Road, and the third as you cross Greenhill Road).

Look for the 18th Street exit. Exit there and turn left from the exit onto 18th Street. Continue on 18th Street (heading west) for about 2 blocks, and turn right on Main Street. Continue on Main Street for 12 blocks and you will see the Cedar Falls Public Library on your right (524 Main Street). You will see the parking lot in front. The library's Conference room is on the second floor; there is an elevator located near the Circulation Desk, which is right inside the front door. Restrooms are located on both the first and second floors.

2) If you are driving EAST on Highway 20 (from Des Moines Hawarden, etc.), take the third (and last) Cedar Falls exit--saying Highway 58, George Wyth State Park. Turn left at the exit and follow the directions above.

Announcement: Annual Meeting June 12, Cedar Falls Library

2010-05-22T20:16:00.004-06:00

The annual meeting of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association is scheduled for Saturday, June 12, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Cedar Falls Public Library.

Here is an overview of the Agenda for the day. There will be a business meeting from 10:00 to 12:00.

At noon, we will have our lunch.

At 1:00 we will discuss the book for this year: The Kramer Girls (1929). This is Ruth's fifth book. Dr. George Day will lead our discussion.

If you are interested in joining us for the day, and would like to eat lunch, here are your choices:

1) Roast beef wrap, potato chips, baby carrots, chocolate chip cookie and beverage, $10

2) Chicken salad sandwhich on homemade Kaiser roll, sun chips, seasonal fresh fruit, chocolate chip cookie and beverage, $10

3) Smoked turkey on a Pretzel roll sandwhich, creamy potato salad, fruit cup, chocolate chip cookie and beverage, $10

Payment can be made that day; however, you need to get your order made by Sunday, June 6 (the deadline for the caterer).
Email: lounsberry@gmail.com
Phone: 319-268-0502

You can also mail a check to Barbara Lounsberry, our Suckow Society President
2120 Tremont
Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3939

Or, you may submit your request on line and either mail your check or pay at the meeting.

Loading...

Reflecting on Ruth's legacy

2010-02-08T20:22:00.003-06:00

My Community College literature class just finished reading and discussing Suckow's short story, A Rural Community, last week. In spite of all of the changes to our society from the 1920s, when this was written, I find that my students can still relate to the characters in the story.

Ruth Suckow Website Updated

2009-07-07T09:28:00.002-06:00

Hi all,

With some help from Mike, I have added a few updates to the official Suckow website.

Some pesky pictures on the gravesite page now show up correctly! There is also a new section at the bottom, honoring Ferner Nuhn. We were able to go to the cemetary with Barbara and took some photos of Ferner's stone, just installed this Spring. It matches that of Ruth and her father beautifully. It brought all of us such a sense of satisfaction to see those three stones in a row, and FINALLY know that Ruth is buried between the two men who were so important to her in life: her father and her husband.

Notice too several updates on the home page:

First, we realized that the link for Country People was too big to download very efficiently. So, I broke it down into four parts, matching the organization of Suckow's book. The links are now posted.

Second, there is a link to Mike's new Wikipedia entry on Suckow under the Resource page link.

I will undoubtedly do a better job of posting on the blog and not make as many changes to the official website; however, it is wonderful to hear from people who discover our organization through both! I would like to think that Ruth--who was both pragmatic and a woman of her times--would approve.

Who was Ferner Nuhn?

2009-07-02T16:28:00.004-06:00

Most of our members know Ferner as Ruth Suckow's husband. However, he was also a scholar, artist, teacher, writer and Cedar Falls native. I was intrigued to learn more about him when George Day loaned me a small booklet by Nuhn that included a two page biography. I knew that Ferner had been one of the founders of the Supper Club that Mike and I attend; he was good friends of James Hearst, and it turns out that Ferner also helped to found the Cedar Falls Art Association.

I found it rather romantic that he and Ruth met in 1926, after he read something she wrote. He visited her in Earlville, where she was taking care of her bees, earning money so that she could spend time writing. Both of them were writers and had stories or articles accepted by H. L. Mencken, the editor of The American Mercury. After a courtship of three years, Ferner and Ruth were married in California in 1929. They did a lot of traveling and lived in several areas of the country,including Washington, D. C., Cedar Falls, Arizona and California. They were heavily involved with the Quakers.

After Ruth's death in 1960, Ferner worked to ensure her memory,and her literary work, would endure. He helped to found the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association. In 1965 he remarried--his wife, Georgeanna Washburn Dafoe, was a cousin of Ruth Suckow. They lived in Claremont, CA for many years. I am looking for more informatin about their marriage, as well as about Georgeanna. All I know now is that Ferner died on April 15, 1989 at the age of 85. He was living in a retirement facility for the last three years of his life. Since nothing is mentioned of Georgeanna, I am assuming she preceded him in death. If anyone knows more, I would appreciate your help, because Mike and I are working on a wikipedia entry for Ferner.

I came across a reference to a book that Ferner wrote and ordered it online: The Wind Blew from the East was written in 1940 and published by Harper and Brothers. The subtitle is "A Study in the Orientation of American Culture." He meant it to be the first of three books, but I don't think the others were ever written. Once I've finished it, I will be sure to post a brief summary/review.

More Pictures of the Suckow Graves, Greenwood Cemetary

2009-07-02T16:07:00.002-06:00

Michael took a series of pictures of the three tomb stones: Ferner's was just installed this spring and matches those of Ruth and her father.

To see his Picasa web album, click here.

Ruth Suckow Wikipedia entry is up!

2009-06-26T11:12:00.003-06:00

If you're a wikipedia enthusiast, you will be excited to know that Michael has completed work on the Ruth Suckow entry for Wikipedia.

Ferner Nuhn Tombstone

2009-06-15T12:58:00.004-06:00

We've solved a mystery, folks! For several years I have been puzzled about where Ferner Nuhn is buried. Now we know, and I can't wait until my foot heals up enough to take a trip to Greenwood Cemetary so that we can take pictures of Ferner Nuhn's recently installed tombstone, thanks to his niece Barbara Comano.

As a fairly new member to the RMSA I didn't realize at first that Ruth was buried in Cedar Falls; once I did, I thought those of us who lived locally should be putting flowers on her grave each year on Memorial Day, so Barbara Lounsberry (President) and my husband Michael and I made it a tradition. However, Ruth is buried next to her father, but there was no sign of Ferner. There was an empty space next to Ruth

I knew that Ferner had remarried after Ruth's death, and assumed that he might be buried out in California. Then Mike found Ferner's obituary, revealing that he died in Claremont, CA on April 15, 1989, at age 85. He was living in a retirement facility at the time. He had been active in the Claremont Religious Society of Friends. After a service in California, his body was taken to Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

So, after TWENTY YEARS,now we know -- Ferner has been beside Ruth, his first wife, in an unmarked grave. For whatever reason, no one ever took steps to get a tombstone put in place. After Barbara Lounsberry contacted her about it, Ruth's niece took the matters into her own hands and offered to pay for the tombstone, which matches the existing stones for Ruth and her father.

Annual Meeting -- Sat., June 12, 2010

2009-06-15T12:55:00.003-06:00

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010'S ANNUAL MEETING

Next year's meeting will be at the Cedar Falls Public Library; we will meet at 10 am on Saturday, June 12th, 2010. The next book to discuss will be The Kramer Girls; from my preliminary investigation, there are not a lot of copies for sale, so you will probably want to use interlibrary loan.

If you want to find out which libraries have copies of the Kramer Girls, go to the Waterloo Reference Department blog and find the icon for world cat

Annual Meeting Follow up

2009-06-15T12:42:00.004-06:00

We had a great time on Saturday in Earlville, with 15-20 people from all across the state joining us for our discussion of Cora. President Barbara Lounsberry presided over the business meeting in the morning; we discussed ways to promote the RSMA as well as Ruth Suckow's writings, as well as other matters. After lunch, George Day led us in a lively discussion of Cora.

George found a wonderful quote about the main character of Cora: "Cora deserves to be numbered among the notable women in American fiction, for she is sharply realized in all her seeming contradictions. She is strong, but she has moments of weakness. She is capable and efficient, yet she can let herself be carried away by desire. Completely recognizable as a complex, modern woman, she is a vivid, compelling figure."

Country People to be added to site soon!

2009-06-08T11:14:00.005-06:00

I had foot surgery a few weeks ago, and have been catching up on photo albums, reading, and family history projects. Michael found a great software package (Cute PDF) that lets you scan in a muliple page document as all one PDF. So I have been using it to archive some of my mother's old stories about the family. Then I found out that Barbara has been given permission for us to post Suckow's Country People, and she and I have been working on that project.

If you have not read it, Country People is a very special book. Answers.com describes the book as follows: "Country People. After being encouraged by H. L. Mencken, who helped publish her work in Smart Set and American Mercury, the Iowa native publishes her first novel, a realistic study of three generations of a German American family. Avoiding striking incidents, the novel is a restrained, documentary-like narrative that shows the writer's characteristic strengths of local color and psychological characterization."
(http://www.answers.com/topic/ruth-suckow)

As I have noted in other postings, I use one of Suckow's short stories in my Introduction to Literature class, and am always pleased to see that the majority of my students can identify with Suckow's characters and descriptions of small town life. This book includes many of the themes that Suckow is so well known for, with her depiction of life on the farm in the early part of the 1900s, the differences between the generations as children leave the farm and move to town, and the impact of the first World War on these German American farmers.

Ruth Suckow news

2009-05-26T09:24:00.001-06:00

As summer brings flowers and picnics,its arrival also signals that our annual meeting is getting closer--please check the announcement about our meeting in Earlville.

In the meantime, Barbara, Mike and are excited about our newest project--scanning in Suckow's Country People. We have received permision to post it on our official website. Since this is

The Ruth Suckow Society Annual Meeting

2009-03-02T20:22:00.001-06:00

SAVE THAT DATE -- JUNE 13, 2009 -- EARLVILLE, IOWA
The 2009 meeting will be Saturday, June 13 in Earlville.

The Business Meeting will start at 10 a.m.

Lunch will be held at noon, followed by a discussion of Suckow's fourth novel, "Cora."

The public is invited to attend any or all events.

Suckow Society Member Publishes a Poem

2009-03-02T20:13:00.003-06:00

Marsha Lehs wrote a poem about Ruth Suckow that was accepted for publication in Lyrical Iowa, 2008. This s the 63rd Annual Anthology of The Iowa Poetry Association.

Http://www.iowapoetry.com

With permission by the poet, here is her poem

TO RUTH SUCKOW, IOWA AUTHOR

Your Iowa-based novels sounded dated
until I read them.
You planted images of early Iowa German families,
small town lives, strong quiet farm workers
children forced to grow up fast,
characters torn between right and wrong.
You described native flowers, seasons,
crops, rural landscapes,
period events and timeless issues.
Though we were born fifty years apart
these are pages in my life, too
Your enduring images cycle
like a reseeding annual flower
from one native Iowan to another.
Thank you for sharing stories which forever
root me in this fertile Iowa loam.

Congratulations, Marsha!

The Website is updated!

2008-07-13T21:31:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone,

I had foot surgery earlier this summer, so had to miss our annual meeting. I heard that it was wonderful. In the meantime, Barbara and I have been working on the Suckow website; go check it out!

There are more pictures of the Suckow birthplace, additional details about our projects, and some tinkering with the pages to help you find the information you are looking for a little easier.

Cherie

Slideshow, Decorating Suckow grave 2008

2008-06-01T11:10:00.002-06:00

Using Suckow's "A Rural Community" in the classroom: my experience

2008-05-31T23:07:00.002-06:00

This past semester I incorporated one of Suckow’s stories into my Introduction to literature class at Hawkeye Community College; I used "A Rural Community," and posted a link to the copy posted on our Suckow website. I also made print copies. I selected the story for two reasons: first, because I had enjoyed reading it so much the previous fall, when Michael, Barbara and I had read excerpts from it at our presentation at the Iowa Library Association. However, I needed a story that was available online, since it was not included in our textbook.

I made a point of scheduling the story around the same time that we read one by Willa Cather—“A Wagner matinee,” so the following comments on our discussion board were made about both stories.

http://www.hawkeyecollege.edu/faculty/cpost/CD%20Intro%20Lit%20Sp08.htm – My Intro to Literature page

Here is my writing prompt for the discussion board:
Willa Cather (1873-1947) and Ruth Suckow (1892-1960) were both important writers with roots in the Midwest. Willa Cather lived in Nebraska for only part of her life; however, she drew from those experiences for much of her writing. Ruth Suckow grew up in Iowa, the daughter of a minister. She attended Grinnell college, supported herself as a beekeeper, and lived in various communities around the state.Both women's stories describe life in the Midwest--small towns and farms alike. WAIT UNTIL you have read the stories by both women to respond to this posting. Comment on their use of: --Description--Dialogue (including their use of slang or the informal language used at the time)--Writing styleIn addition, notice both stories mention the use of passenger trains, a journey to see family, and a sense of reflecting on the past.What kinds of messages did you get from reading these two stories?

A sampling of student responses:
· The thing that I noticed about these two stories is that while they are both about a journey "Wagner Matinee" is about a journey from the simple the the sophisticated and "A Rural Community" is a journey from the sophisticated to the simple, and each is written in a style appropriate to the end point of that journey. "Wagner Matinee" is formal, urbane and sophisticated, with very little dialogue, it's actually kind of cold and the nephew seems to see his aunt's life from only one point of view, his own. "A Rural Community" is much more informal, with a great deal of dialogue that reflects the country roots of the story. It is warmer and friendlier than Cather's story and leaves you wondering who has the right point of view, Ralph who wants to leave and see the rest of the world, or his family who want to put down roots and build something out of the place where they are.

· Both these stories were somewhat related. The both came from Midwestern states both in about the same time area. The one thing that really stuck out was that they both arrived on trains. The story I really liked was Ruth's, (because) I felt that she had the biggest connection to her story how she felt what was going threw her head. She really did get taken away from the place she lives the stuff she loves to move out to the Midwest with her husband but in her heart she never wanted to leave so when she comes back its like she is over taken with joy and sadness of being back to where she loved to live. Now days people wouldn't do that it would call for a divorce if both couples didn't agree on where they wanted to live.

· A Rural Community was one of my favorite stories that we have read. I could see and feel the way Ralph was. I think the author did a fabulous job describing all the details. Perhaps it's my favorite because due to my past I can relate. I think the message is you can always go home again no matter where home is and no matter who's there to greet you. Your only obstacle is yourself.

· I thoroughly enjoyed "A Rural Community". Brought up as a foster son in a rural, mid west town and then returning to visit after many years the only family that he had ever known. At first I as the reader wondered how he would be taken as he doesn't seem to have kept in contact with them. You could tell that they didn't know much about the world around them except for what they needed to know in their own environment and how it would affect them. Their inability to understand how he could be happy and having a good life without having a wife and family and home demonstrates the difference in generation, as well as his education and wanderlust. By the end of the story I got the impression that his visit with his family somehow revitalized him, and gave him the courage to continue with his life, knowing that he was loved and did indeed have a home.

· To me these stories did a great job at showing life and times in the 1900s. I think they related to each very well, both with their own small twists, but many similarities. Both stories really talked about the scenery, the setting, made you feel like you were in that time period. To characters in both, their ties to where they are from mean a lot so it's very important indeed to them. I also got the impression in both that the family members seem to only be focused on the farm, or their inner community, anything around it is new territory to them. I enjoyed both, helps you appreciate the times and where we've grown as a nation.

Cherie's concluding thoughts: I gave students an opportunity to discuss the story in small groups, and provided them with a list of questions to help them cover the story. I found that most of them really liked the story, found the description of the small town and characters to be believable, and liked the use of dialogue and description. We were also intrigued by the use of trains to transport people across the country and the contrast of city life versus country life.

I was very encouraged by the way that most of my students could relate to the story; while one or two teased me that it wasn’t all that “short” of a short story, a number of them selected Suckow’s story as one of their favorites on the Unit test, and commented on one of the aspects mentioned above. I am looking forward to using the story again in the fall.

Annual Meeting, Saturday June 7 -- Cedar Falls Public Library

2008-05-31T22:28:00.002-06:00

ANNOUNCEMENT: THE RUTH SUCKOW MEMORIAL SOCIETY'S ANNUAL MEETING, 2009

SAVE THAT DATE!

The 2009 meeting will be Saturday, June 13 in Earlville.

The Business Meeting will start at 10 a.m.

Lunch will be held at noon, followed by a discussion of Suckow's fourth novel, "Cora."

The public is invited to attend any or all events.

Experiment

2008-01-11T16:03:00.000-06:00

http://www.hawkeyecollege.edu/faculty/cpost/Intro%20Lit08%20terms.htm

List of Lit terms

Special Guest at 2007 Suckow Meeting

2007-10-19T18:57:00.000-06:00

Suckow Association members were excited to meet Karen Neubauer and her mother. Karen was our most recent Suckow Essay prize winner.

A Suckow scholar, she generously gave us permission to post several of her Suckow essays.

"Interupted Adventures of the Female Experience in Ruth Suckow's The Odyssey of a Nice Girl"

"Feminist Issues of Farm Women as Represented in Ruth Suckow's Country People"

Available at http://www.ruthsuckow.org/

ILA Presentation -- October 11th, 2007

2007-10-19T16:22:00.000-06:00

Iowa Library Association
(ILA) Conference

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cultivating Iowa Authors: Preserving, Planning, & Promotion
A Presentation for the Iowa Library Association--October 11, 2007

Here we are in Coralville last week -- Mike Dargan, Barbara Lounsberry, & Cherie Dargan (upper left) and here is a picture of part of our audience (upper right). Our presentation dealt with the topic of preserving Iowa authors and gave librarians a number of ideas to consider for what to do with books that have an Iowa connection. As part of the presentation, we did a brief reading from Ruth Suckow's short story, “A Rural Community.”

If you want to see the materials from our presentation, they are posted on the Ruth Suckow website, http://www.ruthsuckow.org/ILA2007/

Cultivating Iowa Authors:
Preservation, Planning, & Promotion

Power point presentation (and notes in Word)

Ideas for Cultivating Iowa Authors

Projects for Library/School Partnerships

Iowa Collections: A Foundational List of 50 Texts

Anniversary Dates of Famous Iowa Authors & Books

Iowa Books Available in Multiple Copies (for book groups)

The “Iowa Time Slices” Humanities Iowa Reading/Discussion Series

A Message from Barbara, the Ruth Suckow Society President

2007-10-19T16:20:00.000-06:00

Dear Suckow Association Members:

Bill Douglas just sent me an exciting flyer. The State Historical Society and the Iowa Dept. of Cultural Affairs at the end of July started "a new book club with a historical twist."

The book club meets on the 4th Wednesday of every other month at 11:45 a.m.--1 p.m. in the west wing of the State Historical Buidling. 3rd floor. Classroom A.

Here's the reading list:

July 25, 2007: State Fair by Phil Stong
Sept. 26: Splendid Solution by Jeffrey Kluger (about Jonas Salk's discovery of the polio vaccine)
Nov. 28: "A Rural Community," short story by Ruth Suckow
Jan. 23: "In No Time at All," memoir by Carl Hamilton
Mar. 26: "A Son of the Middle Border" by Hamlin Garland
May 28: "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London

It's great to know that the State Historical Society and Iowa Dept. of Cultural Affairs knows about our ruthsuckow.org website and that they are using "A Rural Community" from it--I assume. Let's hope that other Iowa book groups follow suit. (Pass the word!)

We'll try to get all three Suckow stories listed on the Iowa Library web list of texts available for book discussions. If you haven't looked at this list, the website is: http://www.ilsa.lib.ia.us/bkdisc_author.htm

In the meantime, if the weather is nice Nov. 28--and why shouldn't it?--I plan to drive down to Des Moines for the discussion of "A Rural Community." I'll bring membership forms. Would anyone like to join me? My van seats 6.

Hope you are enjoying this glorious fall.

Barbara LounsberryPhone: 319-939-6513

Annual Meeting in Earlville Iowa

2007-06-12T15:48:00.000-06:00

Our annual meeting took place this past weekend in Earlville, Iowa. Sixteen people were in attendance. We started off at the Earlville Public Library, which is also known as the Ruth Suckow Memorial Library. One of the things that I love about this place is the back corner, which has a display of Ruth's books and photos. After our business meeting, we went over to a nearby church for lunch, where we discussed the book (Odyssey of a Nice Girl) and visited with our essay contest winner, Karen Neubauer.

Annual Meeting--June 9th 2007

2007-05-16T18:47:00.000-06:00

Please join us for the annual meeting Saturday, June 9 in Earville at the Suckow Memorial Library on Main Street. Business meeting begins at 10 a.m. Lunch at noon followed by discussion of Suckow's second novel "The Odyssey of a Nice Girl" led by Dr. George Day.

Who is Ruth Suckow?

2006-12-25T19:05:00.000-06:00

Ruth Suckow was a writer with Iowa roots who wrote a series of short stories and novels from the 1920s to 1960. She was a minister’s daughter and well educated, attending Grinnell college. However, she also supported herself by keeping bees and selling honey. She was recognized by such famous American writers as H. L. Mencken. Her stories capture the everyday life of midwesterners, especially farm families, and feature strong female characters.

Suckow was born in 1892 and died in 1960; she is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Several of her novels were reissued after her death (Country People and Iowa Interiors) in a series called Rediscovered Fiction by American Women. She was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 1978.

http://www.state.ia.us/government/dhr/sw/hall_fame/iafame/iafame-suckow.html
Iowa Commission on the Status of Women/Hall of Fame

Welcome to the Ruth Suckow blog!

2006-12-25T18:28:00.000-06:00

Here is a photo of Ruth Suckow's gravesite, in Greenwood Cemetery (Cedar Falls, Iowa), taken during the summer of 2006.

The books displayed represent some of Suckow's novels and collections of short stories. The members of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Society are in the process of collecting multiple copies (15 to 25) of the following titles, with the goal of making them available to book clubs and teachers wanting to use Suckow in the classroom:

The Folks (1934)
The John Wood Case (1959--The Book Club Edition)
A Memoir (1952)
A Ruth Suckow Omnibus (1988)

The Ruth Suckow Society President, Barbara Lounsberry, issued a challenge this past fall to other association members, asking them for donations of books, which can be ordered from various websites.

In the meantime, we are also looking for help developing a list of discussion questions and/or ideas for activities. If you have read one of these books and would be willing to help, please contact us.

If you buy copies of the books, please mail them to:

Professor Cherie Dargan
188 Woodstock Road
Waterloo, IA 50701
E-mail; cheriedargan@gmail.com