Title: Lyla Hoffine Papers, 1959-1962, 1973

ID: OGLMC464

Primary Creator: Hoffine, Lyla (1897-1984)

Extent: 0.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 02/08/1978

Subjects: Literary, University of North Dakota - Alumni, Women's History

Languages: English

Lyla Hoffine was born on February 11, 1897, in Highland, Wisconsin; she was the daughter of Frank and Isabelle (Smith) Hoffine. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1923 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Bachelor's Diploma in Teaching. After graduation, she acted as the principal in the Berwick, North Dakota school system, and also taught at both the Minot Senior High School and Minot Teacher's College in Minot, North Dakota. She returned to UND and graduated with a Master of Arts degree in 1941. Her thesis was entitled Cattle Country: a Story of the Development of Western North Dakota. She then taught at the University of Minnesota until 1942, when she joined the faculty of Minot State College. She was the Director of Verbal Communication from 1952 until her retirement in June 1967. She was also a member of the National Education Association, Author's Guild of America and Women's National Book Association. On the local level, she was active in the Yellowstone-Missouri Confluence, Fort Union Commission.

Lyla Hoffine was the author of several books, included in the Department’s North Dakota Book Collection. Wi Sapa, published in 1936, was her first book. This was followed by White Buffalo in 1939 and Running Elk in 1958. Jennie's Mandan Bowl was released in 1960 and The Eagle Feather Prize was published in 1962. She also wrote Carol Blue Wing in 1967. Sioux Trail Adventure, a reprint of Wi Sapa was published in 1956. A translation of Jennie's Mandan Bowl into German appeared in 1960. She also wrote numerous book reviews in national magazines for elementary school teachers.

In 1973, Hoffine received UND’s prestigious Sioux Award in May 1973. During that same year, she was named North Dakota's Outstanding Woman in Education.

Lyla Hoffine died on September 30, 1984, in Tucson, Arizona.

Literary
University of North Dakota - Alumni
Women's History

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Lyla Hoffine, Tucson, Arizona

Acquisition Method: Acc.#78-487

Related Publications:

The following books, all written by Lyla Hoffine, are available in the Department of Special Collections:

Carol Blue Wing, what is your pleasure? New York, D. McKay Co., 1967. Cattle country, a story of the development of western North Dakota.  M.A. Thesis, University of North Dakota, 1941.

The eagle feather prize. New York : David McKay, 1962.

Jennie's Mandan bowl. New York: Longmans, Green , 1960.

Running Elk.  Indianapolis : Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1957.

Sioux trail adventure (Wi Sapa: Black Moon).  Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1957.

White buffalo : a story of the Northwest fur trade.  New York : Longmans, Green and Co, 1939.

Wi Sapa: Black Moon; the story of a Sioux Indian boy. New York: American Book Co., 1936.

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Lyla Hoffine Papers.  OGLMC 464, Box #, Folder #.  Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in November 2013.