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Sunday, November 4, 2018

Gertrude Cronk, Guilford College Class of '18, Lost to Flu, 1918

“Gertrude Cronk, Class of ’18, Dies in Colorado,” from The Guilfordian, the newspaper of Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C., Nov. 6, 1918. There’s a good picture of Gertrude Cronk  online at

Loyal Guilfordian, Beloved by Many, Succumbs to Pneumonia

Wednesday, October 30th, the student body of Guilford College was saddened by the news that Gertrude Daren Cronk, ’18, had died in Leadville, Colorado, of influenza followed by pneumonia. In her death Guilford loses a graduate who has left a deep impression on the college.

Gertrude Cronk was born in Pickering, Ontario, in 1896. She was educated at the High School near her home and at Pickering College, Ontario, where she did splendid work. In the fall of the year 1915 she came to Guilford College. From that time she endeared herself to all who knew her and her memory is one of the bright spots and is a source of inspiration to the girls who came in personal contact with her.

Although handicapped by poor health she was able to accomplish four years work in three due to her thorough preparation before entrance and her high intellectual ability, and at the end of the third to stand second in her class; being chosen as alternate to receive the Bryn Mawr scholarship. Her greatest interest lay along biological and psychological lines. In these subjects her zeal never waned.
In the Zatasian Literary Society, of which she was always an enthusiastic member, her efforts and devotion were untiring and the society can boast of but few who are able to perform what she accomplished. When on the program she was ever ready with something full of interest and inspiration and her judgment of society business was always regarded as the best. Upon her leaving college the society lost one of its ablest and most beloved members. Her influence while here will ever be a source of inspiration to nobler things.

On account of her independence as a thinker and her sound judgment in all affairs, she was unanimously elected in her Senior year, president of the Young Women’s Student Government Association. As student government was still in its infancy her place was hard to fill, but being a natural leader and filled with enthusiasm for this work her aim was accomplished and the solid foundation on which Student Government is now placed is due to her untiring efforts. It has been said by those who are leaders of this work in other places that she was truly as able a president as had come under their observation.

When during her Senior year the Professor of Biology was called to military service, she took entire charge of the department. The classes in Biology as well as the laboratory and field work were conducted by her to the entire satisfaction of the college authorities and her pupils.

In her life the spiritual element was not lacking. While a student at Guilford she became a member of the Friends church.

After her graduation she did not go home but spent the summer among the mountains at Blue Ridge. At the beginning of September she said good bye to all the acquaintances of her college life and to all the habits and surroundings with which she was familiar and started West to Colorado, where she had received a position as teacher. It was here at Leadville after having spent only two novel and interest-filled months, that Spanish influenza and pneumonia claimed her as a victim after only a short illness.

Gertrude was a true friend. In her there was no deceit or falseness, but a frank and upright disposition. She was a modest, reserved, and dreamy sort of person and a strong believer in the fundamental things of life. She would unhesitatingly disregard the opinion of others if it was not based on goodness and wisdom.

Her friends feel her loss deeply. Gertrude was one of the most ambitious and strongest girls ever sent out from Guilford, so filled with high ideals. Gertrude has left us, but her memory will ever be held dear to all who knew her.

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