Life History

Early Life

Born on the 14 of January, 1862 in Clarenceville, Québec, Carrie Derick received her early education at the local school, Clarenceville Academy (Sarazin and Birker 2018). Derick was an extraordinary student, and began teaching at Clarenceville at just 15 years old, and later moved to McGill Normal School in Montréal to train as a teacher (Haideri 2021). Upon her graduation from the program at 19, she was awarded the J.C. Weston Prize for exceptional academic achievement, and the Prince of Wales Gold Medal (Haideri 2021). After graduating Carrie Derick returned to Clarenceville Academy as a school principal, and later went to teach in Montréal (Haideri 2021).

Clarenceville Academy

Herbert Derick. Clarenceville Academy, Clarenceville, Que., 190-?. CA ETRC P058-010-05-001-002, Eastern Townships Resource Centre

Carrie Derick in 1890

Wm. Notman & Son. Miss Carrie M. Derick, Montreal, QC, 1890. II-91932, McCord Stewart Museum

Further Education

In 1887 at 25 years old, Carrie Derick enrolled at the McGill University Faculty of Arts, where she went on to graduate in 1890 with the highest GPA of the year (Sarazin and Birker 2018). Her academic achievements were further highlighted with prizes in classics, zoology, botany, and the Logan Gold Medal in Natural Sciences (Gillett 1991). For the first year after graduating, Derick went on to teach at the Trafalgar Institute for Girls. Whilst teaching at the girls school, Professor David Penhallow of McGill’s botany department, invited Derick to become a part-time demonstrator of botany at McGill, making her the university’s first female instructional staff member (Gillett 1991; Sarazin and Birker 2018). At this same time, she went on to complete a Master’s degree in Botany under Professor Penhallow in 1896, whilst working both teaching positions (Sarazin and Birker 2018).

After graduating from her masters program, Professor Penhallow recommended her for a position as full-time lecturer, but the Board of Governors did not accept this recommendation, and instead offered Derick the lower rank position of full-time demonstrator (Sarazin and Birker 2018; Haideri 2021). Carrie Derick accepted this position with the help of Lord Strathcona, Donald A. Smith, an advocate of women's education, and thus was appointed as Lecturer in Botany and Demonstrator in the Botanical Laboratory (Sarazin and Birker 2018). In 1901-1902 she took a leave of absence from McGill to study at the Universities of Munich, Berlin, and Bonn in Germany. Despite having completed all the necessary research of a Ph.D, she was not awarded her degree because the University of Bonn did not grant such degrees to women (Sarazin and Birker 2018).

Life After Graduation

Following Derek's return from Germany, she continued to lecture and assist Penhallow for another 8 years, without any signs of promotion or pay increase. In 1904 she was promoted to assistant professor at McGill with a tenure track (Sarazin and Birker 2018). Later in 1909 when Professor Penhallow became ill, Derick was entrusted with the temporary position as Chair of the Botany Department, until McGill replaced her three years later (Sarazin and Birker 2018). Due to the overwhelming support she received during her time as Chair, she was promoted to professor of Morphological Botany. Making her the first Canadian woman to become a full titled professor (Haideri 2021).

Carrie Derick retired from McGill in 1929, where she was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus, in recognition of her accomplishments. She later died in 1941, and will be remembered in Canadian history as a trailblazer for fellow women in science.

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