USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume I > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
Much of the progress of the Cleveland schools is attributed to this great teacher and executive. Men and women who are foremost citizens of the city today still regard Ellen Reveley as the most potent influence in their life. They say that she was the embodiment of every precept she inculcated, the practician of every principle she presented. But when they declare that
93
WOMEN OF OHIO
Ellen devoted her life, absolutely and literally, to the cause of popular education, it is never with any expression of regret. It is, on the contrary, with conscious pride. As if they asked to what better cause could she have been devoted?
Crawford County schools were established as soon as a sufficient number of children warranted building a school. In 1822, SALLIE DAVIS, was a Bucyrus teacher; JANE HOGAN taught in Sandusky township in 1826-27. ELIZABETH BEAR taught the first school in Whetstone township in 1828 and ELIZABETH THOMPSON the first school in Chatfield township in 1834.
TEACHERS OF YESTERDAY
The high type of service given by many women educators of Ohio approximately 50 years ago and continued in some instances until quite recent years is indicated by the following list of teachers in various parts of the state, who won more than local recognition.
DRUZILLA ANDERSON
DRUZILLA ANDERSON, who taught the first grade of Linwood Cin- cinnati public school for 39 years was born at Stockdale, Pike County, the daughter of Calvin and Amanda Booth Anderson.
She attended elementary and high schools of Lucasville, Ohio and com- pleted her education through external courses of the University of Cincinnati.
Miss Anderson began her long career as a teacher in Stockdale and continued her work in various schools until 1910 when she was appointed to the Linwood School staff.
The entire period of her teaching service covered half a century at the time of her retirement in 1935.
During her 50 years in the schoolroom, Druzilla Anderson helped to develop the minds and characters of thousands of children-many of whom became leading citizens.
Even after her retirement her contacts with Linwood School continued to be a vital force in the educational progress of the community. Her place in the affections of her former pupils is demonstrated frequently by gatherings in her honor and on these occasions Miss Anderson contrasts the primitive schools in which she began her profession with the public educational centers of today.
But she holds no brief for the little red school house. She believes that the public school has progressed immeasurably-and that it must continue to advance.
94
WOMEN OF OHIO
LIDA F. BALDWIN
LIDA F. BALDWIN, mathematician, writer and teacher for 34 years in the Rayen School of Youngstown, O., will, most present and former stu- dents of the school believe, be remembered long after many educators now enjoying world wide fame are quite forgotten. This was indicated, as far as Youngstown is concerned, at the time of Miss Baldwin's funeral in October, 1938. She was 83 years old when she died but even so, nobody seemed to think her time had come. Had not Miss Lida learned to drive a car when she was past 70? Had she not, at 76, made a trip into almost im- penetrable areas of Pymatuming Swamp, wearing out and leaving behind the youngsters who started out with her? Why, Miss Lida was past 60 before she even broke into the Atlantic Monthly. She did not retire from school until eight years ago.
After that she devoted herself more than ever to nature study, in which field her research won her scholastic recognition for many years.
Miss Baldwin was born in 1855, at Leavittsburg, O. She was the daughter of George Baldwin, a descendant of pioneers who came to Ohio in covered wagons from Connecticut. She was graduated from Lebanon Normal School and taught 19 years before coming to Youngstown, making her teaching service total 53 years.
Former pupils of Miss Baldwin who had scattered to various parts of the world, made a habit of calling on her whenever they visited their home town. Students who had gone on to college came back to show their grades in entrance exams. Some of these could show 100%. One of them, in writing his thesis for his doctor's degree at John's Hopkins, preceded it with a tribute to Miss Baldwin.
These are some of the reasons why Youngstown believes Miss Baldwin will never be forgotten. They certainly seem good reasons.
DORCAS BEER
DORCAS BEER of Bucyrus, Ohio, was a teacher in Yonkers, New York for 10 years before returning to her home town to teach for 30 years in Bucyrus High School.
It was after the awful shirtwaist factory fire in the east that Dorcas returned to Ohio to join her sister, KATHRYN BEER in a speaking engage- ment in 10 counties of the state. Their father was Judge Thomas Beer.
In 1917, Miss Dorcas Beer was sent as a delegate to a suffrage meeting in Washington, D. C.
She was one of the organizers of the Red Cross and spoke over Crawford County in its behalf. She organized the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1911 and was the first regent of Hannah Crawford Chapter, D. A. R. in Bucyrus.
THE LATE LIDA F. BALDWIN former teacher, Youngstown
97
WOMEN OF OHIO
During the World War the chapter organized first aid classes and was directed to establish a hospital in the State Armory. During the "flu" epi- demic it served as a base for the patients.
Miss Beer and her sister Kathryn reside in the Beer homestead in Bucyrus with a brother Thomas Beer.
OPHELIA NESBIT BELL
OPHELIA NESBIT BELL, early teacher, of the Cincinnati public schools, was born in North Carolina on Feb. 12, 1848, and died in Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. 22, 1936.
She spent the greater part of her life in Cincinnati and graduated from Oberlin College.
She married Charles W. Bell, teacher of penmanship in Cincinnati Public Schools, and had six children. One of her daughters, Alma, operated a beauty shop in the old Commercial Building, Walnut St. for twenty years. Two others, Erminie and Margaret Eloise taught in Covington, Ky. for a great number of years. There are four grandchildren, two of whom are also teachers. She taught in Gaines High School located on Court Street where the Business Department of the Cincinnati Board of Education building now stands, and was a Dramatic reader and actress, once playing the leading role in Shake- speare's Macbeth, given at Robinson's Opera House at Ninth and Plum Streets.
She was the first bride married in Union Baptist Church, Mound St., Cincinnati, and in later years, became a member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mrs. Bell has two nieces who are engaged in education work in Cin- cinnati, Mrs. Paul Coffey (Alma Hatfield), elementary teacher at Jackson school since 1929, and her sister, Miss Marjorie Hatfield, primary teacher at Woodlawn since 1931. Both Mrs. Coffey and Miss Hatfield were graduates of the University of Cincinnati, the former graduating in 1927 and the latter in 1929. Mrs. Coffey has B.A. and B.E. degrees and Miss Hatfield, a B.S. degree. Both were born in Cincinnati.
HARRIETT E. BANCROFT
HARRIETT E. BANCROFT was graduated from the Central High School of Columbus, Ohio, in 1877, began to teach at the Second Avenue School of that city and after eleven years was appointed Principal of Doug- lass School. Later Miss Bancroft was made Principal of Fair Avenue School, and filled this position as she did all others with distinction.
ELECTA P. BRADBURY
For more than 30 years ELECTA P. BRADBURY was one of the most highly regarded teachers, personally and professionally, of the Cleveland
98
WOMEN OF OHIO
Public Schools. She was born in Gallia County, the daughter of an attorney, attended the county schools and in 1873 was graduated from the Worthington Normal School. The same year she was assigned, with the rank of principal, to the Kinsman building. This was then a one woman school-there were no other teachers. Gradually her district grew, she was given an assistant, then other staff members. Finally, Kinsman School became one of the largest in Cleveland, with more than 30 faculty members and about 15,000 pupils.
SARAH BUCKINGHAM
Another pioneer woman, of Muskingum County, who is noted in history, was likewise named Sarah and her father was another Ebenezer. SARAH BUCKINGHAM, daughter of Ebenezer Buckingham, was the original founder of the Putnam Female Seminary. Opened in 1835 it continued to be a leading institution for female education until the year of its closing in 1902. Sarah Buckingham later married a brother of Dr. Henry Ward Beecher. She, her husband and her two sisters were vitally instrumental in the success of this fine school, noted for its cultural background and collegiate standing. Daugh- ters of Zanesville's best families were graduated from this splendid school and boarding pupils came from all over the United States. So high a rating was given it among the schools of the country, that to have been a graduate of Putnam Seminary-the "Female" was dropped in later days-established a young woman as having had all requisite training in education, the arts and graces.
LOUISE L. CAMPBELL
A progressive point of view on public education, result of training, travel and extensive observation, marked the career of LOUISE L. CAMP- BELL, principal for many years of the Orchard Street School, Cleveland.
She was born near Wellsville, O., attended school at Youngstown and then was graduated from the Cleveland Normal School. She was appointed a teacher in the Mayflower School, where she remained 15 years, then was transferred to the Outhwaite School and later to the Fremont building. For three years Miss Campbell served as assistant principal of the Gordon School, then was made principal of that building. In 1905 she was made principal of Orchard Street, where her services had no small part in the development of the entire Cleveland system.
LIDA CRICKARD
Teaching was a tradition for several generations in the family of LIDA CRICKARD, who was born at Marion, graduated in 1880 from Delaware High School and in 1884 assigned to a teaching position in the schools of that city. So marked was her efficiency that in a short time she was promoted to the principalship of the North School.
-
99
WOMEN OF OHIO
IDA M. DEIGHTON
The entire working life of IDA M. DEIGHTON of Cleveland, Ohio was devoted to the cause of popular education. She was born at Cleveland, the daughter of Thomas Deighton, was educated in Cleveland Public Schools, graduated from West High School in 1886 and from Normal School in 1887.
Her first teaching assignment was to the Waverly School where she remained two years. She then taught at the Gordon Street building and in 1896 was made principal of Willard Street School. A woman of high- intel- lectual attainment, she directed virtually all her energy to public education.
MARY DILL
Rarely indeed is the public school named in honor of a woman teacher. This distinction came, however, to MARY DILL, who for 49 years taught at what was formerly Carthage and is now Mary Dill School of Cincinnati.
Mary Dill was born October 13, 1840, began her career as educator while still in her teens, retired from her profession in 1916 and died in 1930. For years she was the recipient of various honors in recognition of the duration and the unusual excellence of her work.
These tributes culminated in the decision of the Board of Education, following a request of the school community, to give the fine name of Mary Dill to the school she served so long.
HELEN WOLCOTT DIMICK
HELEN WOLCOTT DIMICK, who was made supervising principal of the Segar School, Toledo, nearly 40 years ago, may be regarded as an exemplar of what was both finest and foremost in the public education of her day.
She was directly descended from old New England stock, was born at Windsor Locks, Conn., and was the daughter of Dr. Samuel W. Skinner, one of the best known physicians and surgeons of his time. Dr. Skinner had graduated from Yale College and from Bellevue Hospital. He was made surgeon in chief of the staff stationed at Arlington Heights during the Civil War, where he won great distinction.
His daughter attended private schools at Windsor Locks, then went to Mt. Holyoke College, Mass. She began her school work at Toledo, where she won the confidence of her pupils and the esteem of her co-workers in con- stantly increasing degree.
Despite her professional responsibilities, Mrs. Dimick found time and energy to work actively with various organizations, notably the Daughters of the American Revolution, Ursula Wolcott Chapter, of which she was the second regent. She was a direct descendant of that Ursula Wolcott, daughter of Roger Wolcott, governor of Connecticut, whose posterity included twelve governors, thirty-two judges, including a chief justice, a secretary of war,
100
WOMEN OF OHIO
a secretary of the treasury, a vice president of the United States and many senators, ministers, professors and officers of high rank.
BERTHA SEARS DORRANCE
BERTHA SEARS DORRANCE (Mrs. John Dorrance) was born in 1869 at Bucyrus, Ohio. She attended Mt. Holyoke College after graduating from Bucyrus High School. Her work as teacher began in Kamhama Girls' School in Honolulu. She is the wife of the Rev. John Dorrance and now resides in California.
LIDA EASTON
Lida Easton was one of the first two teachers appointed to Mt. Auburn School. then a 4 room building on the present site of the Taft School of Cincinnati, about 1860. Later she married and moved to Kansas. When President William H. Taft was campaigning the West, 40 years later, her picture was held up in the crowd by her husband and the President recog- nized it as his former teacher.
The other teacher was HANNAH R. COPE. Miss Cope graduated from Woodward in 1860 and was appointed as a teacher in what was then the 10th District School. She was the same year transferred to Mt. Auburn.
Miss Cope was instrumental in collecting dainties from Mt. Auburn families and distributing them to the sick and wounded soldier boys at Washington Park Military Hospital, located on the lot the Music Hall now occupies. She was given permission to enter and leave the hospital when the city was under martial law.
After five years of teaching, Miss Cope married Silas W. Plimpton of Providence, R. I., and together they went as pioneers into the newly opened West. Upon returning to Ohio later, Mrs. Plimpton became superintendent of the National Woman's Relief Corps Home at Madison, Ohio, which housed Civil War veterans and their dependents.
Mrs. Plimpton returned later to Mt. Auburn and ended her days in the shadow of Mt. Auburn School. Her daughter was a teacher for many years in Hughes High School.
LOUISE DOWLING HORSLEY was born March 22, 1844 in New York City, the daughter of Burton and Theresa Dowling Horsley both of English descent. She graduated from Woodward and began teaching when 18 years old and taught continuously until she retired at age of 70, virtually all this time at Mt. Auburn. Many prominent people lived on Mt. Auburn at that time and numerous successful Cincinnati business men of today were her pupils. She, too, was a teacher of William Howard Taft by whom she was always remembered and esteemed. A very active member of 9th Baptist Church she taught Sunday-School for years. Miss Horsley was a great reader,
101
WOMEN OF OHIO
fond of travel, interested in local and national affairs and frequently attended summer schools to keep abreast of times.
She died in 1917 after a brief illness.
KATHARINE C. WELSCH born in 1856 of French descent. Forbears came with LaFayette to aid our struggling republic. Taught for 49 years in Cincinnati-the greater part of the time at Mt. Auburn.
She was a member of the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church. She retired in June of 1926 and died in August of 1927.
ALICE FASSIG
ALICE FASSIG former Principal of Michigan Avenue School, Columbus, Ohio, was born in that city, the daughter of Matthias and Eliza Fassig.
She was educated in the Columbus public schools, took a two years course in Normal School, and later special educational courses at Ohio State University. She began teaching in 1884 and continued her services in various schools at Columbus until her appointment in 1904 to the principalship of Michigan Avenue.
ANGELINE GRIMKE HARRIS
ANGELINE GRIMKE HARRIS, daughter of Thompson P. Harris and Sarah Brown Harris, was born at West Elkton, in 1842. She began her life's work as a teacher in the public schools at the age of sixteen years, and from that age until her retirement, in 1904, there was no intermission.
She was continuously employed as primary teacher in the Canden, Ohio Public Schools for a period of over thirty years, during which her fine char- acter and pleasing personality greatly endeared her to the entire community. She was devoid of enemies and of adverse criticism.
She died at Fountain City, Indiana, in 1931.
Time may obliterate, her friends and former pupils admit, the name of Angeline Harris. But the influence of her good life, they believe, will live forever.
CORA B. HAUGHEY
CORA B. HAUGHEY, former principal of Central School, Newark, Ohio, was born in that city, educated in its public schools and began teaching im- mediately after graduation from high school.
Her innate understanding of child life and of sound educational methods was a marked factor in her success as educator.
EVA HERBST
EVA HERBST was graduated from Hughes High School and from the Cincinnati Normal School and commenced her teaching in the old Eighth
102
WOMEN OF OHIO
District School in 1886, the next year she was transferred to what is now Fairmount School and in 1912 she came to the Avondale Public School where she remained until her retirement in 1937.
Miss Herbst was one of the outstanding primary teachers of the city. In her early career, she organized a class of First Grade teachers to study the most advanced methods of the time and later this class-under her direction- wrote a Course of Study for the first grade. She was the first primary teacher in Cincinnati to abandon the old-fashioned seats and desks and to introduce the little tables and chairs now in use in all up-to-date schoolrooms. She utilized many other suggestions received during her study at Teachers Col- lege, Columbia University.
A woman of great artistic ability, she had fine success in developing the histrionie talent of children and did wonderful work in dramatization. She was most original and both wrote and produced many outstanding plays, among which was "The Fantasy of the Muses," a presentation of creative expression, and "Ruth" an out of door religious pageant.
In poetry, music and art, probably lay her most ambitious effort. Her book, "Tales and Customs of the Ancient Hebrews," was adopted as a Sup- plementary Reader in the Cincinnati Schools.
Miss Herbst was a great lover of beauty, and her schoolroom was always gay with blooming plants.
In the treatment of her pupils, she was remarkably just and showed absolutely no favoritism. Probably her most outstanding trait was her ability to develop all that was in a child.
While she did remarkable work with the bright child, she was un- usually successful with backward pupils, and many whom others considered a failure achieved success under her wonderful direction.
KATE YOUNG HERRICK
In the entire period of her service to public education, the late KATE YOUNG HERRICK taught or supervised a total of 31 schools, leaving on every group of pupils with whom she came in contact, the impression of a fine personality, fine qualifications and fine scholarship.
She was born in New Philadelphia, O., the daughter of William and Alvina Young, and was a member in 1865 of the first class ever graduated from the high schools of that city. Kate Young was then 17 years old but began to teach at Trenton, O., and stayed there for three years. By this time her reputation was established both as a teacher and as administrator and she was appointed assistant principal of the Urichsville High School. Soon she was made principal, in charge of the grammar and junior high school grades, a position she held for 30 years. In 1873 Kate Young married Matson J. Herrick, who died six years later, leaving her with two children.
Fortunately she had not given up her career as teacher, which con- tinued until 1904. Two weeks from the day she fell sick-in her school room-
103
WOMEN OF OHIO
Kate Herrick died, on Feb. 21, 1904. So of her it may be said, almost literally, that she died at her post of service.
LAURA HIBBARD
For 49 years LAURA HIBBARD was a potent factor in the growth and development of the Avondale Public School, Cincinnati. She served this school as a teacher, a wise counselor and a friend. She began her work at Avondale in 1888 and retired in June, 1937, having given the entire period of her professional service to this one school, to the pupils and faculty of which she has been deeply attached.
Miss Hibbard was graduated from the University of Cincinnati. A woman of broad scholarship and unusual ability, of gracious personality and strong convictions, of fine ideals and generous altruism, she has been a power in developing character in her pupils.
She was devoted to children and took great joy in her work. Her in- fluence for good with young people was unsurpassed.
Loved alike by children, teachers and parents, her outstanding work at Avondale School will, it is believed, live for generations to come.
MARIE A. HIBBARD
MARIE A. HIBBARD, formerly principal for more than 30 years of Erie Street School, Toledo, O., came from several generations of teachers. Her father and her mother were teachers, her paternal grandfather and great grandfather. Three of her sisters and a brother, beside herself, followed in the ancestral footsteps.
Miss Hibbard was born at Fulton, O. She was descended from notable stock, four of her great grandfathers having participated in the Revolutionary War. She attended school in Fulton County, later at Wauseon, where she graduated from high school and completed the courses of the Wauseon Normal School. After teaching a year at Toledo, Miss Hibbard entered Hills- dale College for special work. When she recommenced teaching in Toledo it was at the Broadway School and before long she was appointed principal of St. Clair School and then of Erie School. She was regarded as one of the foremost educators of Toledo.
EMMA O. HOWARD
EMMA O. HOWARD taught in the second grade of the Avondale Public School for forty-eight years. Her services began in 1876 and ended in 1924, almost rounding out a half a century.
Miss Howard was a conscientious and painstaking teacher, and combined with these characteristics a keen sense of humor and a gayety of manner which endeared her to all who knew her.
104
WOMEN OF OHIO
MARY JANES BIGELOW INGHAM
The name of MARY JANES BIGELOW INGHAM cannot but carry reminders of outstanding achievement in education, social welfare, religion, civic and professional service to the credit of this daughter of Ohio, born more than a century ago, in 1832, who lived to be a power for progress through- out her native state.
She was born at Mansfield, the daughter of the Rev. John and Hannah Janes, educated by private teachers and at Western Reserve seminary, at Berea and Norwalk and later at the Woman's College, Delaware where she taught modern languages during the first four years of her professional career. Two years as assistant principal at Norwalk North Grammar School were followed by a similar position at the Rockwell School of Cleveland, where her teaching ability won wide recognition. In 1866, when the popular, as well as proficient, Miss Janes was married to W. A. Ingham, prominent publisher and business man of Cleveland, she retired from teaching and travelled ex- tensively for a period. But after awhile the Inghams settled in their hand- some home and very soon the former teacher was deep in new activities. She was among the founders of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and of the School of Art at Cleveland. She organized missionary societies and teachers associations, she led crusades and she launched civic celebrations. Besides all this, Mrs. Ingham made one more notable contribution to the contemporaneous achievements of her sex by recording these achievements. Her "History of Woman's Work in Cleveland," covering the period from 1830 to 1893, is regarded as a valuable addition to the history of her city and her state.
LOUISE HENRIETTA JOHN
For fifty-eight years LOUISE HENRIETTA JOHN gave her efforts un- tiring to the maintenance of high educational standards in the Ohio schools and Galion particularly was benefitted by her work for through thirty-seven years she was one of its ablest teachers, spending several years of that period as high school principal. She is still identified with the work as a member of the Galion board of education so that her wise counsel still proves an ele- ment in the successful conduct of the schools and out of the rich stores of her experience she is giving for the public welfare.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.