The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-06-21
AN IDAHO POET

(From the Idaho Falls Post)
Acting in response to requests ant
recommendations from the womel
CT Idaho, Governor C. c. Moore hal
appointed Mrs. Irene Welch Grissou
OF Idaho Falls as Idaho's Poet Laur
cate. This signal honor comes tt
Mrs. Grissom as a result of hel
beautiful work in exalting the won
derful west, which attracted the at
tention of various women's organiza
tions in the state.
| Endorsements of Mrs. Grissom's
J work and requests that she be named
Poet Laureate were sent to the gov
| Women's clubs, representing some
of the most prominent club women
in the state; the State Parent Teach
ers Association; the First District
Federation OF Women's Clubs, and
tributes from individual women in
the state who know of her work.
Idaho's poet laureate takes pride
in the fact that she is farm woman.
She first came to Idaho in 1907
and remained for two years. Dur
ing this period her husband was one
of the pioneer men to engage in the
shipping of potatoes. A year OF
falling prices, and heavy loss from
frost, caused him to return to the
Pacific coast and again take a posi-
ton as superintendent of a lumber
plant, his former work.
Idaho had cast spell upon both
Mrs. Grissom and her husband, and
in 1914 they returned to the state
and purchased forty acre tract one
mile from the town of Idaho Falls,
where they now live, and engaged
in farming. Part of the land was
still in sagebrush, there was much
grading to be done and all of the
work that goes in making a home
out of raw piece of land.
Here it was that she found the
inspiration for her Idaho poems that
deal with the important subject of
reclamation. 1t was a miracle, in
barren desert into green and fertile
fields through the magic touch of
water. 1t captivated her magma
ton as no other subject.
Mrs. Grissom is a western woman
by birth. Her parents were pioneers
in the Union Colony that settled the
famous Greeley district in Colorado
She has travelled the West from
Mexico to Canada, and through sew
eral of the Canadian provinces. She
has intimate knowledge of the coun-
try of which she writes.
She has written verse since child
hood. Her first ambitious effort was
a class prophecy, given when she was
graduated from the Colorado State
Teachers College. Her poems have
through period of years
in various western publications,
among them Outdoor Life, The New
West, The Westerner, The Lariat,
Denver Post, in publications of the |
Union Pacific System, in newspapers |
along the Pacific coast, and for the |
rast two years a poem each week |
has been featured in the Sunday is
sue of the Idaho Falls Daily Post.
While living in the state of Wash
;ngton she wrote two novels dealing
with the lumber industry, with which
she was in close touch through her
husbands work. The first novel,
The superintendent" with tenn
perance theme, published in 1910,
met with an enthusiastic reception
n Washington, where the scene was
aid. 1t received the distinction of
IN endorsement by the American
Library association, and friendly re-
views from the Boston Transcript,
0regonian and many other eastern
md western papers.
Her second novel, ga Daughter of
he Northwest" published in 1919,
S now selling in the second edition
II 10 10 |
rom reviewers. The theme, the ap-
LEGATION of practical forestry to
modern numbering, is carried thru
~ the means of a fascinating love
tory
1t was not until her residence in
IDAHO that Mrs. Grissom began SER
Gus work on her verse. She has
evoted much time and careful study
o the expression of the life of the
Vest as it has passed in review be-
ore her eyes. She has written over
ne hundred poems which have ap-
cared in print. These will be
laced in book form under the title
Far West" in the near future.
is hoped to have the volume ready
Dr. the trade by the first Of October. :
The publication of the verse in !
ook form was urged by the First :
istrict Federation of Women's clubs, =
hen Mrs. Grissom gave a recital for =
lem last October, at their meeting =
/ Idaho Falls. The club members :
ere so well pleased with the work :,
lat they passed resolution pledg-
g their support In the sale of the
)Ok. y
The Idaho State Federation of u
'omen's Clubs, and the State Par q
It and Teachers association, re- r.
rested Governor Moore to appoint "
RS. Grissom as poet laureate for a
Q state.
IL
CvDINaTNATC TNCANE ~