“Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young. “
–Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Herbert Gehr—Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

Ask any Vermont writer of the twentieth century about Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and you are bound to hear an earful.

Born on February 17, 1879 to an educator and a writer, Canfield Fisher spent her early years in the Midwest. It was her love of Vermont, where she lived as an adult on the farm passed down from her grandfather, which most inspired her writing.

The author was not one to avoid difficult topics, and her writing includes works about war, personal freedoms, and the Montessori method of education, which at that time was considered radical and very controversial. It was Canfield Fisher’s work with Maria Montessori which prompted the author to introduce the Montessori method in the United States, where the now nationally-recognized movement in education was previously unknown.

My mother was fortunate to have had an enduring friendship with Canfield Fisher, and I grew up hearing stories about their fascinating and often humorous conversations.  In addition to being a woman of letters and a great humanitarian, Canfield Fisher had a wonderful sense of humor, and always spoke her mind.

Eleanor Roosevelt named Canfield Fisher as one of the ten most influential women in the United States, yet she never lost her humility. She continued to be active both as a writer and advocate for humanitarian causes well into her seventies.  Dorothy Canfield Fisher died on the family farm in Arlington, Vermont on November 9, 1958.

For more about Canfield Fisher and a listing of her works:

http://cdi.uvm.edu/findingaids/collection/fisherdc.ead.xml