May 21, 1863 - June 12, 1946
Anna Palmie was born in Brooklyn, New York. She received her undergraduate Ph.B. degree from Cornell University in 1890 and then remained at Cornell for a year as a graduate fellow in mathematics. After a brief time teaching high school mathematics and german at the Horace Mann School, she was hired in 1892 as an instructor of mathematics at Flora Stone Mather College, the women's college of Western Reserve University in Cleveland (later to become part of Case Western Reserve.) She was promoted to associate professor in 1893 and to professor in 1895, remaining at this institution until her retirement in 1928. Whitman quotes Palmie as saying at the time of her retirement:
"Teaching mathematics is a wonderful way to know and study youth. In the early days, every girl studied it. I did all the teaching of it. So I knew every girl. Living in the dormitory, with my youthful appearance—though I was really much older than any of them—made me fully one with them. I think the thing that makes it less hard for me to resign is that the growth of classes has lessened this intimate relation."
Palmie continued her studies in mathematics at the University of Chicago (1896) and the University of Göttingen (1898-1899). She joined the American Mathematical Society in 1897 and was an active member, attending meetings and giving a few talks.