Community Calendar

A Reader’s Theater performance of Suckow’s short story "A Great Mollie" will take place at the library on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 7 pm in the Community Room. The performance will feature GHS Curtain Club members and be directed by Jennie Flinspach, Grinnell High School English teacher. "A Great Mollie" follows the spirited Mollie Schumacher, an independent young woman ahead of her time, as she navigates the joys and limitations of small-town Iowa in the early 20th century.

 

2024 marked the 100th anniversary of Ruth Suckow’s novel "Country People", and Drake Community Library is honored to celebrate the life and legacy of this distinguished author. The performance coincides with the travelling exhibit created by the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association with support from Humanities Iowa. The exhibit will be on display until February 9th. Suckow, a proud alumna of Grinnell High School’s Class of 1910, made an indelible mark on American literature through her richly drawn portrayals of rural life which continues to captivate readers a century after its publication.

 

Ruth Suckow was an influential American author whose works continue to be studied and celebrated for their insight into rural life and the complexities of small-town communities. After graduating from Grinnell High School in 1910, she went on to study at Grinnell College, Boston’s Curry School of Expression, and the University of Denver, where she earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in English. 

 

Over the course of her career, Suckow wrote 12 novels and numerous short stories. Her literary achievements were recognized in 1978 with her induction into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Information about Suckow's life and work is available on the Grinnell Local History Resources website at https://grinnell.lib.ia.us/ruth-suckow/.

 

Drake Community Library is proud to celebrate Ruth Suckow’s enduring literary legacy with this special event. This event is free and open to the public, and we encourage everyone in the community to participate in the centenary celebration of this important Iowa author.  

 

For more information, please visit the Drake Community Library website or contact the library at (641) 236-2661.