Hively, Evelyn Helmick 1928–

PERSONAL: Born July 20, 1928, in McKeesport, PA; daughter of Samuel (an accountant) and Evelyn (a homemaker; maiden name, Descaunets) Thomas; married Robert W. Hively, 1971 (deceased, 2001); children: Jon S., Jennifer T., Melinda B. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Carnegie Mellon University, B.S., 1950; University of Miami, M.A., 1964, Ph.D., 1969. Politics: "Independent." Religion: Episcopalian. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, weaving, singing.

ADDRESSES: Home—1029 Harbor Town Dr., Venice, FL 34292. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Writer. University of Miami, professor of English and director of American studies program, 1964–77; Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC, academic dean, 1977–80; Western Montana College, academic vice president, 1980–85; American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC, academic vice president, 1985–90.

MEMBER: American Conference of Academic Deans (board of directors, 1979–82), National Humanities Alliance (executive committee, 1985–88), Higher Education Group of Washington (president, 1988–89), Association of Literary Scholars and Critics, Phi Kappa Phi (chapter president, 1973–74).

WRITINGS:

Sacred Fire: Willa Cather's Novel Cycle, University Press of America (Lanham, MD), 1994.

A Private Madness: The Genius of Elinor Wylie, Kent State University Press (Kent, OH), 2003.

(Editor) Selected Works of Elinor Wylie, Kent State University Press (Kent, OH), 2005.

Author of numerous scholarly articles. Contributor of book reviews to Miami Herald and Miami News.

WORK IN PROGRESS: The Benét Women in the 1920s.

SIDELIGHTS: Evelyn Helmick Hively told CA: "Although I published journal articles about authors Willa Cather and Elinor Wylie that then appeared in several books by others, I found time to write full-length studies only after I retired. I have returned to the study of the era and the writers that interested me in my early teaching. I enjoy travel for research and the structure that daily writing gives to my life in retirement.

"My current interest is in the American literature of the decades of the 1920s, interesting in itself and relevant to our own time. In particular I wish to remind readers of Elinor Wylie and the Benét family—Stephen Vincent, Rosemary, and William Rose—talented writers who should be recognized today."