PREFACE

No other Minnesota woman has been so widely known and so universally loved as Maria Sanford. Her life was filled with self sacrificing labor for others, and with earnest endeavor to forward every good cause. She was constantly communicating, through her own vigorous personality, a zealous enthusiasm for education, for character-building, and for civic righteousness to all young people with whom she came in contact.

A great throng of those whom she has inspired will welcome a biography that will pass on to other young people a portion of her glowing spirit.

This story of her life has been written by one who was closely associated with Miss Sanford in the State University. The autobiography which was already begun, has been incorporated and much material has been furnished by friends and relatives.

The Regents of the University have encouraged the publication by personal assistance and have permitted the volume to be issued by the University Press.

The Alumni Association has appointed a special committee to further its wide distribution and sale. All proceeds are to be used for a Memorial for Miss Sanford.

The plan for the autobiography as well as the biography was conceived and has been successfully carried through by Mrs. David Simpson. Special thanks for accumulating material are due to Mrs. Simpson, and Mrs. Frederick Kenaston of Minneapolis, to Mrs. Frederic Tryon of Washington, to Miss Helen Wilder of Philadelphia, to the Minneapolis Journal for permission to reprint the copyrighted autobiography and to Mr. G. A. Hubner for permission to use the copyrighted frontispiece.

Assistance in revision and correction of manuscript has been rendered by Miss Elizabeth Lynskey and Mrs. Simpson. To all of these as well as to the author it has been a labor of love.

ALUMNI COMMITTEE.