Separate Lives

Mary Rippon's life as a pioneering educator highlights the challenges faced by women in the 19th-century academic landscape. As the first female professor at the University of Colorado, she navigated the complexities of being a professional woman in a male-dominated field while also fulfilling the role of a mother. To maintain her position, she concealed her family life, creating a stark divide between her public persona and private existence. This narrative uncovers the tensions and sacrifices Rippon endured to balance her dual identities.