By Moira Stockton, Research Assistant

An announcement about the success of the bronze bust campaign debuted today in Western Washington University’s Western Today digital newsletter. In case you missed it, see the picture and transcription below!

“Fundraising Campaign for Bust of PNW Author Ella Higginson a Success”

Western Washington University Professor of English Laura Laffrado has successfully completed her campaign to raise funds for a bronze bust of celebrated Pacific Northwest author, Ella Rhoads Higginson.
At the turn of the 20th century, Higginson was the most influential Pacific Northwest literary writer in the U.S. Among her many honors and awards, she was named the first Poet Laureate of Washington state in 1931.

That’s right! Ella Higginson has her own day! On May 24, 1916, the Washington State Normal School at Bellingham celebrated our Pacific Northwest poet with a school-wide assembly. The event was reported that evening in The Bellingham Herald:

“This was Ella Higginson day at the State Normal and it was observed in a way that must have brought great pleasure to the gifted authoress. In her honor the students gathered in the auditorium this morning and listened to or took part in a very entertaining program, which consisted of poems and songs which she has written. As Mrs. Higginson entered the auditorium she was cheered and at the close of the exercises all of them filed by and shook her hand. She sat on the stage throughout the hour devoted to the program. Selections of her poems were read by Miss Mason, a student, and Mrs. G.W. Nash sang some of Mrs. Higginson’s songs.”

Last week, your Ella Higginson Blog editor got a very special package in the mail. A beautiful first edition copy of Ella Higginson’s A Forest Orchid surfaced in California, but this book contained more than just prose. . .

Tucked inside the front cover was a slip of paper, a printed copy of “Yet am I Not for Pity” with writing on the backside.

The note reads: “For dearest Margaret, from her ill, but her very loving and loyal, friend.  E.H.” This is unmistakably Ella Higginson’s handwriting. For another sample here on the blog, see “The Rose” under “Love Poetry,” which feature that poem handwritten out by Higginson.

BREAKING NEWS: The campaign for a bronze life-size-and-a-half bust of Ella Higginson started by Western Washington University’s Dr. Laura Laffrado this past November has been a complete success!

The bust will now begin production and will unveil in ceremonial event come mid-fall. The bust will be placed in the Wilson Library entrance hallway, across from the portrait of the library’s first librarian, Mabel Zoe Wilson. We’ll keep you updated on when the bust will be unveiled when that decision is made in the coming months.