USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume III > Part 14
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In her memory the Cincinnati Bryn Mawr Club of which she was former president, also district counselor, raised $2,000 as an endowment at Bryn Mawr of the "Louise Hyman Pollak Book Fund."
MRS. F. F. PRENTISS
MRS. F. F. PRENTISS was the first woman to be honored with a distin- guished public service medal by the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
The specific reasons for so honoring her, in 1928, designated Mrs. Prentiss as a "Patroness of Cleveland's humanitarian ideals, of music, art, medicine and floriculture," and as a "thoughtful and discerning giver of munificent charities."
A fine cultural and educational tradition was the birthright of Elizabeth Prentiss, who in her girlhood was Elizabeth Severance, the daughter of the late Lewis and Fannie Benedict Severance. Her first husband was the late Dr. Dudley P. Allen, distinguished surgeon; her brother is John Long Severance, president of the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Orchestra Company.
Mrs. Prentiss gave the Dudley Peter Allen memorial building to Oberlin College and the Dudley P. Allen Division to St. Luke's Hospital in memory of her first husband.
One of the social service organizations to which Mrs. Prentiss has devoted much time and energy, as well as money, is the Cleveland Y. W. C. A. When Mr. Prentiss died, in 1937, leaving to his widow a fortune estimated at more than $8,000,000, Mrs. Prentiss succeded to a number of his civic responsibilities. She is now a member of the board of trustees of the Cleveland Art Museum and president of St. Luke's Hospital Association Board. Her time is divided between Cleveland and Pasadena, Calif., where she has a winter home.
DOROTHY PRITZ
DOROTHY PRITZ (Mrs. Walter Pritz), president of the Cincinnati League of Women Voters, is one of the able and energetic younger mem- bers of the local group of prominent civic leaders. For three years she was
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chairman of the Rockdale Center Forum, bringing many distinguished national speakers to Cincinnati; for three years she taught a class in current topics at the Young Women's Christian Association. She was assistant purchasing agent for Hamilton County Welfare Department from 1930-32; manager of clothing distribution in 1933; a supervisor in the same department in 1933-34. She was editor of the "Ohio Woman Voter" and has acted on the board of the following organizations : Jewish Council, University School, Foreign Policy Association, WPA Advisory Council for Hamilton County.
One of her many claims to distinction are the clever and amusing political satires which she has, from time to time, written for production by the local League of Women Voters, and which, have been judged and acclaimed as equalling if not surpassing professional efforts along this line. Her book reviews have appeared in newspapers. Her dramatic skill, the smoothness of her tech- nique, her clear grasp of the intricacies of public affairs, her gay wit, delight her audiences and raise her as a playwright head and shoulders above the crowd.
HARRIET WOODFORD RITTER
HARRIET WOODFORD RITTER was one of the founders and promoters of the Foster Opportunity Home for Girls and that she is still actively concerned as to its welfare is shown in the fact that she is now first vice president. Her interest has always been along humanitarian lines and in behalf of constructive and progressive measures and her aid and influence in these particulars have been far-reaching.
Mrs. Ritter has been almost a lifelong resident of Ohio. Born in Poland, this state, on the 13th of May, 1873, she is a daughter of Samuel Bradley and Susan (Bartlett) Woodford, the father a native of Vienna, Ohio, while the mother was of English birth. They removed with their family to the vicinity of Pittsburgh and Mrs. Ritter attended school in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In 1893 she returned to Ohio and on the 7th of February, 1894, she became the wife of J. F. William Ritter of Youngstown, a real estate dealer. They had one son, Woodford Tod Ritter, who died March 22, 1903.
Mrs. Ritter has devoted a goodly portion of her time to public service, including club work, and her prominence and capability in that field are manifest in the fact that she was president of the Federation of Woman's Clubs from 1920 to 1924. It was during this time that she was active in establishing the Foster Opportunity Home for Girls, which she has since sponsored and aided in every possible way, the Home proving a great boon to girls who need assist- ance. She is also a member of the Garden Club of Youngstown and she has always been deeply interested in the civic conditions of the city and had much to do with the creation and adoption of the home rule charter under which the city still operates. She is a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church and is serving on the board of the Young Women's Christian Association. All
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upbuilding forces make strong appeal to her and she has always strongly felt the truth which Abraham Lincoln expressed in the words, "There is something better than making a living-Making a Life."
ANNIE ROELKER
The Woman's Exchange, one of Cincinnati's first projects in social serv- ice, owes its existence to the inspiration of a small group of women, who, about forty years ago, when opportunities for women to earn money were much more limited than now, organized a shop, not for profit, where other women, skilled in producing delicious home-made edibles and fine handmade articles could send their wares for display and sale.
One of this group of farsighted, energetic women was ANNIE ROELKER, a native Cincinnatian, daughter of Dr. Frederick Roelker, well known phy- sician, and Mrs. Catherine Greene Roelker, who, as president of the board of directors of the Woman's Exchange for thirty-eight years saw the small experiment grow, under her guiding hand, to an important and successful institution, and one of the most popular in the city. She centered all her interest for many years on this favorite enterprise, remaining active as the head of the managing group until the time of her death in 1938, at the age of eighty-two.
JOSEPHINE FREUD ROLLMAN
JOSEPHINE FREUD ROLLMAN (Mrs. Justin A. Rollman), department chairman of the Woman's Committee, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, first vice president of the Republican Women's Club of Hamilton County, vice president of Camp Fire Girls, director and active member of many other important groups working for social and civic progress, comes from a notable family, more than one member of which has won world wide distinction.
She was born at Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Leopold and Hannah Sittig Freud. Her paternal grandfather, Marcus Leopold Freud, was a political leader in Austria and owner of one of the largest dye works of middle Europe. After coming to this country he assisted in the development of the Calumet and Hecla copper mines and established the family home in Detroit. He was kinsman of Dr. Sigmund Freud, famous psycho-analist. James Anthony Froude, British historian, was a shining light of the English branch of the family, and Victor Herbert, gifted composer, was related to the American branch. Hannah Sittig Freud, mother of Mrs. Rollman, was the daughter of Judah Sittig, owner of one of Detroit's largest department stores in the early '80s. Mrs. Freud was deeply interested in cultural, educational and welfare activities. She was for a number of years president of the Widows and Orphans Society. She helped to found the Symphony Orchestra of Detroit, to promote and develop the Travelers Aid and the Fresh Air Farm for under privileged children.
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Josephine attended the Detroit Central High School before entering the Armitage School at Wayne, Connecticut. Gifted with a fine voice, she studied music at the Vocal School of the University of Michigan and, at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She also took courses at the Detroit Institute of Fine Arts and at the University of Cincinnati School of Applied Arts. Character- istic thoroughness applied to her work at the Detroit School of Mechanics during the World War won her a diploma and certification of her ability to drive an ambulance.
In 1920 Josephine Freud was married to Justin A. Rollman, son of a Cin- cinnati family widely known in the world of business and finance, as well as in that of Philanthropy. They have two children, Henry Rollman, 2nd, graduated in 1939 from Northwestern Military Academy, registered for entrance in the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University, and Joan Freud Rollman, student at the Lotspeich School.
Practical service in movements that make for permanent progress has absorbed much of the time and energy of Mrs. Rollman ever since she came to Cincinnati. She is a director of the Catherine Booth Home and Hospital of the Salvation Army, permanent section chairman for the Red Cross Drive, a member of the Boy Scouts Advisory Board, of the Advisory Board of the National Cancer Society, a board member of the Cincinnati Association of Blind Guides, Inc., a member of the League of Women Voters, Women's League of the Community Chest, the Woman's City Club, the Home Garden Club, American Legion Auxiliary, Cincinnati Art Museum and Cincinnati Symphony Club. In 1939 Mrs. Rollman carried through, with notable success, the many responsibilities of the chairmanship of the Mayor's Charity Ball and was also general chairman of the Women's Division of the Boy Scout Drive.
Rollridge Farm, one of the show places of Hamilton County, reflects with its well-tilled acres, wonderful gardens, stables and paddocks the love of its owners for out-of-door life, as does their ranch, Hacienda Hermosa, at Tuscon, Arizona. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rollman are highly skilled in horsemanship, an ability enthusiastically shared by their two children.
HARRIET ROOT
HARRIET ROOT is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Orville Root and the descendant of a long line of pioneers and leaders.
Her family settled in Sheffield, Mass., in Colonial times. It was from there that her great-grandfather, Aaron, brought his family hundreds of miles on a hazardous journey to the shore of Lake Erie in 1816.
Aaron, and his son, William, Miss Root's grandfather, were prominent in the growing colony. William, and his son, Orville, Miss Root's father, both served long terms as county auditor.
Miss Root was graduated from the high school at Lorain in 1902 and continued her education at Oberlin college and at Wellesley where she was graduated.
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One of her early activities was that of a worker of the old Lorain Associated Charities, the first organized welfare organization in Lorain. She went to France during the World War with the Wellesley unit of the American Red Cross and for 18 months served at Bordeaux.
At the close of the war Miss Root returned to Lorain to become secre- tary of the Lorain chapter of the Red Cross. She has taken part in Red Cross relief work in six major disasters-the Mississippi flood, the St. Francis dam disaster in California, two hurricanes in Florida, the Lorain tornado and the Kentucky drought.
She now is with the United States information service in Washington, D. C. She went to Washington in 1932.
LUCILLE GAU ROSE
LUCILLE GAU ROSE (Mrs. Charles O. Rose), editor from 1933 to 1938 of "Women's News," official organ of the Catholic Women's Club of Cin- cinnati was born in that city, the daughter of the late Dr. H. F. Gau, promi- nent Cincinnati physician. Her mother is a director and past president of the Catholic Women's Association with which Lucille Gau has been identified as an efficient and unusually able worker on numerous civic and welfare projects. She is past president of the Ohio Branch, American Association of University Women, president of the Cincinnati branch, recording secretary and board member of the Adult Education Council, vice president, former director and secretary of the Regional Planning Council and president for two years of the Hyde Park Opera Club.
Marriage of Miss Gau to Charles O. Rose, former Cincinnati Councilman and a leader in the City Charter movement, took place in 1938.
During his incumbency in City Council, Mr. Rose made a particular study of the municipal finances and is regarded as an authority on this sub- ject. A short time ago he was chosen as a consultant by Harvard University for its new Graduate School of Public Administration.
MARIA MURPHY SAWKINS
MARIA MURPHY SAWKINS of Toledo is a daughter of James and Bridget (McGrath) Murphy, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Her father came to the new world with his parents, who settled in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, where James Murphy became a railroad man, remaining in Syracuse until he was transferred to Toledo. This occurred during the Civil War or in the early 1860s. In the meatime he had married and his daughter Mrs. Sawkins was born in Syracuse. She was one of a family of four children who reached adult age.
Mrs. Sawkins was young when the family came to Ohio and here she attended the grade schools of Toledo. After finishing her studies she re- mained at home, assisting her mother in the household tasks until 1883, when
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she was married in Toledo. She is the mother of four children, the eldest of whom, Arthur J. Sawkins entered the priesthood and is now the pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church of Toledo and with him his mother now makes her home. The others of the family are Marie Louise, who is the widow of Congressman Duffy and the mother of six children; John A., deceased; and Irene C., who is the wife of John Hackett of Toledo, where he is engaged in the practice of law.
Mrs. Sawkins has always been an earnest church worker and was the first president of the Altar Society of St. Francis de Sales Church and later became president of the Altar Society of St. Vincent de Sales Cathedral Chapel Parish. She belongs to the Toledo Council of Catholic Women and is widely known in church circles. She is also president of the Mercy Hos- pital Guild, was vice president of the War Mothers in 1917 and is now treas- urer of the League of Women Voters, which indicates her interest in civic and political affairs, in which connection she manifests an earnest effort to further public progress and improvement in the city which has so long been her home.
AGNES SENIOR SEASONGOOD
AGNES SENIOR SEASONGOOD (Mrs. Murray Seasongood), represents the third generation of a distinguished Ohio family. She was born in Cin- cinnati, a daughter of Edward Senior, native of Hillsboro, Ohio and of Laura Monheimer Senior, whose birthplace was also Cincinnati. Her maternal grandmother was born in Ohio.
After attending private schools, including the Clifton-Bartholomew School and that of Miss Nourse, Agnes Senior was graduated from Smith College. In 1912 she married Murray Seasongood, former mayor of Cincin- nati and a representative of another old Cincinnati family. The Seasongoods have one daughter, Janet Tippett (Mrs. Stanley Tippett) married and living in Indianapolis.
Agnes Seasongood has throughout her adult life been concerned with the welfare of her city and of her felow citizens. Her activities have been many and varied but always intelligently and effectively co-ordinated.
She is one of the founders and a past president of the Adult Education Council of Greater Cincinnati; a former trustee of the Hillsdale School; a vice president of the National Adult Education Council; a former director of the Public Health Federation of Cincinnati; former director of the Wom- an's City Club; former Deputy Commissioner of the Girl Scouts of America ; former director of the Foreign Policy Association; former president of the Smith College Club and a member of the Cincinnati Woman's Club.
NELL TAPLING SMITH
NELL TAPLING SMITH (Mrs. Frank M. Smith), was the first woman social worker in the Crawford county juvenile court. She has served on the
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finance committee of the Ohio Probation Association; has been secretary of the six-county juvenile court group, and was executive social secretary of Crawford County Red Cross and a trustee of the Salvation Army Board.
Mrs. Smith was one of four organizers of the Bucyrus Garden Club and chairman of two flower shows. She was also an organizer of the Bucyrus Business and Professional Women's Club and a member of its executive com- mittee.
At one time Mrs. Smith promoted on a budget plan through member- ships, a Girls' Community Club which had wide appeal because the town provided no community activities for girls. The club supplied physical education, basket-ball, dancing, bowling, community parties and downtown club headquarters.
She initiated Girl Scouting in Bucyrus; was a captain for three years. Conducted two Girl Scout summer camps along Lake Erie and took the initiative in developing auxiliary activities for girls in the Y. M. C. A.
For the past year she has lived in Youngstown.
ALEXINA CRAWFORD SPURLOCK
ALEXINA CRAWFORD SPURLOCK, probation officer of the Juvenile Court of Hamilton County, spent her early life in her home town, Ripley, Ohio. Here she attended the public schools and was graduated at an early age from the Ripley High School.
After coming to Cincinnati and engaging in a livelihood, she spent her spare time in improving her education, attended the night schools, and graduated from the Commercial School.
Mrs. Spurlock's interest turned to social work and she served as a volun- teer in the Juvenile Court under the training of her foster mother, Mrs. PHOEBE ALLEN, who was at that time the only colored probation officer in Hamilton County.
Mrs. Spurlock (then Miss Crawford) was appointed as division officer in the House of Refuge, then a municipal correctional institution, in 1912 and served until 1914. She was the first and only colored employee of that in- stitution, which at that time had been in existence for 60 years. She resigned her post to assist her foster mother, whose duties were strenuous.
Mrs. Spurlock worked as an assistant volunteer worker in the Juvenile Court for two years, when she was appointed as a regular officer, after the resignation of Mrs. Allen.
During her career, Mrs. Spurlock has seen this court grow from a small judiciary to a large institution with modern methods of handling children.
Realizing the value of sociological study, Mrs. Spurlock took advantage of the opportunities offered at the University of Cincinnati for courses on subjects pertinent to the field of social service.
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She was instrumental in creating a special course of training there for volunteer workers, which resulted in the organization of a group of counsel- lors, composed of teachers, and other professional men and women interested in child welfare. Mrs. Spurlock is still supervising this organization.
Aside from her duties at the court, Alexina Spurlock is affiliated with outstanding organizations in the field of child welfare and has addressed many meetings relevant to this particular field of service. She is superin- tendent of the department which deals with mother, home and child, of the Ohio State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs.
In her earlier years of service in the Court, Mrs. Spurlock handled all of the colored cases, boys and girls, working five departments at a time.
For several years past she has confined herself to the special work for the delinquent girls of Hamilton County. She meets with many difficulties because of the inadequate facilities for this particular field of service. She still finds herself seeking to open new avenues and to better situations in her efforts in adjusting the lives of underprivileged girls.
AVONELL STAMBAUGH
AVONELL STAMBAUGH (Mrs. George Stambaugh), contributed money and time to establish a public library in Ada and donated many books and the use of a building, rent free. She was a former member of the Ohioana Library Committee.
MRS. GEORGE STEVENS
MRS. GEORGE STEVENS, 218 East Ave., Elyria, gave money for erec- tion of Gates Home for Crippled Children in memory of her first husband, William N. Gates. She has served on Elyria Memorial Hospital auxiliary for many years and is a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Born in Buffalo, N. Y., Mrs. Stevens has five children, William of Cleveland, Goeffry and John, twins, both of New York City, Edward of Cleve- land, and David of Kansas City.
KATHERINE FRANCIS STILLWELL
KATHERINE FRANCIS STILLWELL (Mrs. William Earle Stillwell), born in New York, of Irish descent, educated in the public schools of that city, was afterwards a student at Oswego (N. Y.) Normal School, Radcliffe College and at Columbia University. She married when quite young William Earle Stillwell, a Harvard Graduate, who, in 1902, brought his family to live in Cincinnati, Ohio, to become director of the newly established Uni- versity School, where he remained until his death a few years ago. The couple had three children, twin girls, Catherine and Helen, and William Earle, Jr.
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Katherine Stillwell shortly after establishing her home in Cincinnati, began a series of lectures before the various Parent Teacher Associations of the City on "The Feeding of School Children," which established her reputation as an able speaker and a trained educator. This popular course was continued for five years.
In 1917, as president of the Woman's City Club, she developed close re- lationship between that organization, and other pioneer groups dedicated to improving the political education of women. As leader of the club during the troubled war period, she worked successfully toward organizing the downtown districts for food conservation.
She is a member of the board of directors of the Bureau of Govern- mental Research; the Citizens School Committee; the Mother's Training Cen- ter Association ; the Woman's City Club; the Girl Scouts of America ; a mem- ber of the Adult Education Council ; the Federal Forum Council; League of Women Voters; American Association of University Women; the Women's League of the Community Chest; and has acted as chairman of the Com- pliance Board of the NRA, appointed from Washington.
As a member representing the public on the Minimum Wage Board, chosen by the governor of Ohio to decide on a minimum wage for the laundry workers, she filled her difficult position with clear judgment and trained observation.
Always a liberal, Katherine Stillwell believes in the objectives of Mod- ern Social legislation and presses her local politics through the medium of the City Charter Committee. As the candidate of that party for City Council she once made a brilliant but unsuccessful campaign.
To enumerate all these accomplishments, however, is but to deal super- ficially with the real significance of Katherine Stillwell. She has quick wit, subtle observation and eloquent speech. She has kept burning throughout her adult life a steady inner flame of inspired devotion to the finest conceptions of social justice and public good.
EVELYN FARROW STIRES
EVELYN FARROW STIRES, public relations and educational secretary of the Cleveland Humane Society, has had varied experience in social work, professional and volunteer, and is closely connected with educational, health and welfare activities.
She is a charter member of the Cleveland Women's Council for Pro- motion of Peace, a former director of the Red Cross Teaching Center, of the Cleveland Mouth Hygiene Association and of the Cuyahoga County Child Labor Commission. She is editor of a monthly bulletin issued by the Cleve- land Humane Society and author of many magazine articles and poems.
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ALICE WYLER STURM
ALICE WYLER STURM (Mrs. Samuel W. Sturm), former president and one of the founders of the Cincinnati Woman's City Club, was born in that city, the daughter of Louis and Sophie Swarts Wyler.
Her parents were of Bavarian ancestry. Their families came to the U. S. in response to the deep urge of their minds and hearts toward de- mocracy and human betterment.
Alice Wyler attended the public schools and the University of Cincin- nati and took special language courses at Amherst College.
She was married in 1903 to Samuel W. Sturm, widely known Cincin- nati business man. They have three children, Mrs. Kenneth Moore Brown of Park Ridge, N. J .; Madame Jean Huret of Paris, France and Louise Wyler Sturm.
Deep interest of Mrs. Sturm in the educational and civic progress of her home city motivated her services as a member of the board of trustees of the University School and as a leader in the Woman's City Club.
She was secretary of the Hamilton County Woman's Suffrage Associa- tion and again served as secretary of the Cincinnati League of Women Vot- ters when that organization for political education followed enfranchisement of women.
Mrs. Sturm is also very active in the Cincinnati Peace League; the Foreign Policy Association and is a charter member of the Alliance Fran- caise.
MARGARET CORE TANGEMAN
MARGARET CORE TANGEMAN, daughter of Mrs. Ellen B. Core and the late W. F. Core, though born in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, has been long and closely identified with Cincinnati through her education at the University of Cincinnati where she received her A.B. degree with Phi Beta Kappa honors, and through her marriage in 1920, to Walter W. Tangeman, vice president of the Cincinnati Milling Machine Company. They have two chil- dren, Donald Core, aged 17, and Ellen Core, aged 8.
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