She studied American regional folk cultures, especially that of "Egypt", a local nickname of Southern Illinois.

She graduated from the University of Iowa in 1891, and earned a master's degree in German and Greek in 1921, with a thesis titled "The Characteristics of the Dorfnovelle".

[3][4] Smith taught Greek at the University of Iowa,[5] and held various other positions, while her husband was a mathematics professor there.

[2] She retired from the University of Iowa in 1938,[6] and in her later years studied the American regional stories, language, and songs, especially the distinct folklore of southern Illinois,[7] known as "Egypt" locally and in many of her publications.

[22] She also contributed dozens of entries to Funk & Wagnalls' Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend (1949–1950).