Barr, Margaret Libby, 1904-1988

Margaret Libby Barr was born on September 8, 1904 in Harriman, Tennessee, the daughter of Dr. Orin G. Libby and Eva Cory Libby. Dr. Libby was chair of the History Department at the University of North Dakota from 1902 to 1945. Margaret graduated from UND with a B.S.degree in Commerce in 1926 and taught in the Bemidji, Minnesota, school system. She moved back to Grand Forks after marrying Paul E. Barr on June 8, 1932. Paul Barr was head of the art department at UND from 1928 to 1953. She assisted with the publication of his book, North Dakota Artists, in 1953. Paul Barr died on December 22, 1953. They had two children: Robert and Martha. After her husband's death, Margaret was an Associate Professor of Business and Vocational Education at UND from 1954 until 1975. She earned a M.S. degree in Education from UND in 1956. She co-authored the 1977 book University of North Dakota Pottery: the Cable Years, with her son Robert Barr and UND art professor Donald H. Miller. In 1987, she was presented with the Elwyn B. Robinson award for preservation of North Dakota history. She was active in several Grand Forks organizations: Chapter D of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Franklin Club, Round Table Club, Business and Professional Women, UND Faculty Wives, Alpha Phi and was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She was chair of the publications committee, which published Windows of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1880-1980. Margaret Libby Barr died on May 16, 1998, in Grand Forks.