DR. QUAESITA DRAKE
Dr.Quaesita Drake was a chemistry professor at the University of Delaware from 1917 to 1955. When Delaware College and the Women's College consolidated she became the Chair of the Department of Chemistry. When she had free time she enjoyed exploring the countryside around the campus.
Segments from an oral interview conducted in 1966
Why did you come to Delaware?
[I]t was a telephone call... from Miss Robinson asking if I would come as an instructor in chemistry at the fall of 1917.... Of course, the salary was not munificent... the war (WWI) had begun--and prices were rising and $1300 was not even then very munificent.
We collected chestnuts from what is now Robscott Manor--and I mean real chestnuts. I don't mean horse chestnuts. [...] [I]n the fall of 1918, when the College was closed for the flu epidemic, we walked to New Castle (Delaware). We were the talk of the town.
Source of information:
Drake, Quaesita. Interview by John H. Gauger, August 12, 1966. Delaware Oral History Collection, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library. Information compiled by students in Veness' Geography 315 class (Spring 2009).
Postcard of Warner Hall. Special Collections, University of Delaware Library. http://cdm.lib.udel.edu/u?/dpc,536
Additional materials:
University of Delaware Library, Special Collections website: http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/
