USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume III > Part 9
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ELEANOR WHITNEY
ELEANOR WHITNEY, Hollywood dancer, who has also registered suc- cessfully in ingenue movie roles, was born at Cleveland, attended school at Cleveland Heights and perfected herself in dancing under Bill Robinson.
She toured for a time with Rae Samuels, then went on the air under sponsorship of Rudy Vallee. She is regarded as among the best of the deb and dancing types now on the movie stage.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Women in Civic and Social Service
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
WOMEN IN SOCIAL WORK
By MARGRETTA STEELE CLAFLIN Publicity Director-Columbus Community Fund
Social work began in Ohio when the first settlers helped each other build their cabins. Down through the years, before social work became an organized profession-before huge hospitals were built in urban centers-before visiting nurses became a familiar sight on city streets -before day nurseries, free clinics and case working agencies were ever thought of-neighbors helped neighbors. When a woman fell sick, her neighbors came forward and took over her duties until she could be up and about again. They cleaned her house, they washed her clothes, they cooked her meals and they took care of her children. If money was needed to tide the family over an emergency, they took up a collection and provided it.
Gradually, however, as towns grew and flourished, a great part of the state's population found itself crowded into cities, and neighbor- liness on the scale that it had been practiced in the early days, became next to impossible. People were busy making a living. Distances to be traveled to and from the day's work were too great to leave much time or energy for worrying about their neighbors. Living expenses soared and the great mass of people found it difficult to meet their own emergencies. The population in neighborhoods shifted constantly -people did not have opportunities of getting acquainted.
Some of the city dwellers prospered and had a great deal more money than was needed for the necessities of life. Some made a com- fortable living. Others had barely enough to keep body and soul together and when sickness, accident or unemployment came upon them they had to be taken care of somehow. They were the "poor" and poor laws were enacted for their benefit. Poorhouses were built for the aged poor and the unemployables and the thought of ending
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up in one of these institutions struck terror to the hearts of self respecting persons and prompted the thriftiness of many housewives.
But all of the poor could not be taken care of through public funds. "Ladies Bountiful" supplemented to a great extent. The wife of a wealthy banker or manufacturer, noticing that her laundress was looking a little paler than usual, would pause to talk with her. Dis- covering that the poor dear was the mother of seven children-the little one barely a year old-and that her husband had been bedfast for six months, the wealthy woman was deeply touched. Immediately she would begin gathering up clothing that her children had outgrown and pack them into a sizable box. And when she saw the look of gratitude and worship on the poor woman's face as she received the gift, she would experience a warm glow of satisfaction. She was help- ing someone less fortunate than herself.
The contact with the laundress and her family led our Lady Bountiful into a section of the city that she had not dreamed existed. She saw about her, families in desperate circumstances, undernour- ished, half clothed children playing in the streets; mothers with blank hopelessness in their eyes waiting for the birth of another baby and wondering if the gray soup on the stove would last for another day. Everywhere was poverty, hopelessness and despair. There was so much to be done and she could not do it alone. So she called together some of her friends and together they organized a Benevolent Society. The laundress had told her that none of the mothers had any clothes for their new-born babes, so the women went to work with feverish earnestness and made layettes. Now and then it came to their ears that an unfortunate girl was going to have a baby and was desperately in need of clothes for it-but to these appeals they turned deafened and definitely pinkish ears. "No layettes shall be provided to fallen girls" the women wrote into their constitution.
As time went on the poor seemed to increase in numbers and as the complexity of city life increased so did their needs. The wealthy women began to realize that the work that they were doing was but a drop in the bucket. They began to realize that when the poor were ill they could not afford medical attention or proper care. They saw
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the children growing up in the crowded congested streets, forming gangs and breaking into school buildings and stores.
They saw disease spread from neighborhood to neighborhood, threatening and then invading their own because there was no pre- ventive work being done in tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. And so it wasn't long before free clinics, settlement houses, nursing services and family counseling bureaus began to spring up-all backed by civic minded and often wealthy women. Men were brought onto the boards of these agencies later, but in most cases it was the women who had the vision and the determination to better conditions. The men were busy making the money and contributing it at the insistance of their wives.
During the past fifty years, thousands of private social agencies have been organized throughout the state-agencies serving the needs of the underprivileged which are not provided for under the Ohio poor laws or by the existing types of public aid-which are financed through voluntary contributions of "good neighbors."
The public agencies such as the local relief administrations, the W.P.A., P.W.A., N.Y.A., Blind Assistance, Aid to the Aged and Aid to Dependent Children have taken a tremendous responsibility from the shoulders of private philanthropy and have released its funds for more intensive and effective work in the field of health, child care, character building and family service. Public funds provide food, shelter and clothing-private funds provide the things without which life could not be endured.
On all of the boards of directors of the private agencies and on the advisory boards of the public agencies, women are serving-giving of their time and energy without compensation-women, whose ability, vision and wisdom have won for them recognition and respect.
The Ohio women whose services are outlined in this chapter rep- resent thousands more devoted to the same cause of human helpfulness. At the head of those here listed except in this one instance, alpha- betically, is placed the name of Mrs. Simon Kuhn, in special tribute to her unceasing efforts for advancement of human welfare.
SETTY SWARTS KUHN
At a city wide testimonial dinner given in Cincinnati in 1938 in honor of SETTY SWARTS KUHN (Mrs. Simon Kuhn) the main speaker, Mrs. W. E.
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Stilwell, reported a special search she had made through histories of Cincin- nati, to find what is on record there about women who have helped most to further the progress of their city.
Her report was brevity itself. She found nothing. That is nothing about women. Numerous excellent local histories and biographical collections are, it seems, full of the life stories of men who have helped to build and to develop the "City of the Seven Hills." But women were conspicuous only by their absence from these eulogistic pages.
So since in the lack of any record, there could exist no previous rating, the speaker, then and there, nominated Mrs. Simon Kuhn as "Public Citizen No. 1" among the many outstanding women of her native city.
Setty Swarts was born in Cincinnati June 18, 1868, the daughter of Joseph Louis and Caroline Stix Swarts. On both sides her family is Bavarian in descent. On both sides are forebears who worked for and won distinction in science, in the arts, in business and in professional life.
She was educated in public and private schools of Cincinnati and was married to the late Simon Kuhn, a far-visioned and successful Cincinnati business man. Their living children are Samuel Louis Kuhn, Mrs. Adolph S. Oko (Dorothy Kuhn) and Mrs. Ivan Fischer (Emma Kuhn).
More than 25 years ago, Mrs. Kuhn began to put into effective operation the desire for constructive service which is a basic factor of her character.
She followed no beaten path, confined her expenditure of time and thought and energy and money to no one movement. She used insight and judgment which are part and parcel of her rich natural endowment; her building was for the future as well as for the present, for humanity in the large, as well as for local and individual human needs. In the words of Mrs. Stillwell :
"The almost imperceptible change in the social point of view, which shades the meaning of humanitarian and philanthropic (as well as point of direction in their practice), marks the difference between Mrs. Kuhn's con- tribution of her time and that of many others. Not from the top down, but from the bottom up-not help but opportunity for self help-not blind direc- tion but education and training in ways leading to the discovery of an inde- pendent self. Not promiscuous giving, but thought-through plans, a scientific philanthropy, if you will, which increases one's self respect and deepens the sense of personal responsibility. In other words, an understanding of the basic needs of all the people,-good housing, good health, education, yes, and a feeling of security from day to day. This is her way and is in line with newer conception of benefits bestowed.
"There is, however, an inter related idea underlying Mrs. Kuhn's keen interests. For instance, the Geneva Scholarship Fund, the Foreign Policy Association, and the Peace League. The young Geneva fellows, chosen for their interest in foreign affairs, had their first adventure in world thinking at Geneva. They learned at first hand that in world politics, at least, truth is
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often more than two-sided, that a foreigner is not a foreigner in his own land. The F. P. A. has made our young people conscious of the fact that other nationals have ethical concepts, and that all righteousness does not bear the stamp 'Made in America.'
" 'The Helen Wooley Scholarship' and the 'Toscanini Fund' are basic- ally identical, inspired by generous impulse to recognize a form of genius that too often fades out, broken in heart and spirit. To discover, to hearten, to make permanent the aspirations of such as these has ever seemed a burning impulse with Mrs. Kuhn. Her love of youth is constant.
"The Better Housing League was an early interest. 'Why better houses for more people,' then asked Mrs. Kuhn 'and poorer housewives in them to make homes?'-so the Visiting Housekeepers Association was started. These practiced home makers go about bringing common sense and easily understood aids in self-help where help is sorely needed.
"The Home School, (now the Foster Home) where both psychology and psychiatry were first used in Cincinnati, and the Convalescent Home-the former where little children can be helped back to normal, mental health, the latter, where children well enough to leave the hospital, but not well enough to take up the routine of living, may be helped back to health and happiness- represent social policies formed to meet particular human needs."
Did you ever know of a woman, who, needing a Country Club, went out and got one? Well, that's how the Losantiville Club came to be. Golf and outdoor activities were prescribed for Mr. Kuhn who was ill, so why not a country club ? asked Mrs. Kuhn. A country club it was and is, just as simple as that.
In 1903, the University School, Mrs. Kuhn's brilliant and far-reaching idea became a part of the educational, and cultural life of the city, objectifying the ideal she held in her imaginings. Dr. Bettman, president of the Alumnal Association, University of Cincinnati, at a dedication of the new building, said "Institutions are like men, alike and yet unlike. Men grow into maturity and pass to their decay. But for an institution whose purpose is noble, whose roots are not only in the soil of the earth, but also in the hearts and affections of men there is no death."
With all the achievements above listed, the record of service given by Mrs. Simon Kuhn to her fellow human beings, young and old, native or foreign, gifted or underprivileged, is still far from complete. Even so, it is a proud record-and, at last, a permanent one.
MRS. FRANCIS K. ALLEN
Ohio can lay no special claim to Betsy Ross but it can to a woman of today who might well be called her spiritual successor. This is MRS. FRANCIS K. ALLEN of Springfield, Ohio.
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Believing that the only hope of the world for future peace is the teaching of all children of all nations the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," Mrs. Allen has designed and distributed a universal emblem, which she has termed the Golden Rule Standard-symbolic of peace and unity.
The flag or "standard," as its designer prefers it to be termed, is in shape, four square. The background is white and against this background all the colors of the spectrum radiate from a seven-pointed star.
Mrs. Allen's flag has attracted attention, not only in this but also in other countries. She has received hundreds of letters from men and women of authority in the religious, educational and civic world. It is her purpose that each child not only in the United States, but of the entire world shall have a "Golden Rule Standard," in order that the brotherhood of man may finally become an actuality.
The idea of the standard came to Mrs. Allen quite suddenly. She was busy with her household duties. The children were at school. "I was wondering if the time would ever come," she said, "when there would be no more strife and no more wars. Like a flash-the thought of the Golden Rule Standard came to me. I saw it clearly-the symbolic flag, the ideals for which it stands. I at once drew a sketch of it. I wasted no time but sent to Washington for a copyright."
Like Betsy Ross, Mrs. Allen made with her own hands her first flag. It was fashioned from beautiful shades of ribbons, all colors of the spectrum. The designer's own nimble fingers made all of the tiny stitches and into each one was breathed a hope that the standard might fulfill its purpose.
Not only have the flags been distributed by Mrs. Allen by the hundreds, but she has had cards lithographed with the standard in colors and has dis- tributed them widely.
When she first designed her flag, the Betsy Ross of Springfield thought that the great powers of the earth might eventually adopt it. But now she realizes that the hope of world peace tomorrow lies with the children of today. In time Mrs. Allen hopes that every school house all over the world will have a chart of the "Golden Rule Standard."
MARGARET ST. JOHN ANDREWS
MARGARET ST. JOHN ANDREWS (Mrs. Wallace C. Andrews), who envisioned a vocational school for girls far in advance of her time, was born on the 10th day of February, 1846, at Willoughby, Ohio. The place of her birth, the St. John homestead, later became the first Andrews school building. At present, The Andrews School for Girls, augmented by many beautiful structures, is located on the Andrews estate, overlooking the Chagrin River, southeast of Willoughby, Ohio.
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Emanating from this dream school is the aura of the founder, Margaret St. John, the tall, flaxen-haired, blue-eyed, vivacious girl, beloved by all who knew her. Margaret's parents, Dr. and Mrs. Orson St. John, highly cultured people, watched her early training with every care. After her mother's death and the completion of a course at Willoughby College, Margaret continued her education at a finishing school in New York under the guidance of her aunt, Mrs. Sidway.
It was while she was helping to pack her luggage before going away to school that it occurred to her that young girls could be taught to create lovely garments from muslins, laces, cashmeres and challis, and could later be em- ployed doing art-needlework and fancy sewing. Upon her return to Willoughby she bravely faced the problem brought about by the inefficiency of their house- keepers. Often they were left without any servants, and it was then that Margaret had a chance to show her skill as a homemaker. Her theory that girls can be trained in household arts gained strength through this second experience.
While attending a social function in Cleveland, she met Wallace C. Andrews. He was deeply impressed by her remarkable beauty and pleasing personality. A year later, on the 7th of February, 1876, they were quietly married in the St. John homestead. From that time on they spent their sum- mers in Willoughby and their winters in New York, owing to the fact that Mr. Andrews' rapidly expanding business affairs demanded his presence there.
The city of New York afforded numerous case studies to add to Mrs. Andrews' knowledge of the injustice "that was the portion of young girls left alone and unprotected in the world, subject to the temptations of poverty." She felt that the only way to insure them a happy future was "to build a paladium against evil designers; to fortify the girls' own souls with the glorious feeling of independence." She realized that this condition could be attained only through training in some craft, art, or particular calling, by means of which girls might look after themselves rather than accept an unde- sirable offer of marriage.
Mr. Andrews was heartily in sympathy with his wife's theories as he, too, believed in the coming of women into the business world. It was their combined interest that led eventually to the founding of a school to render girls self-supporting.
The untimely death of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews in a fire which destroyed their palatial New York home April 6, 1891, left the establishing of the school to the executors of their wills. In a dedicatory address, Mr. G. C. St. John said of his sister, "She was firm in the right as she saw it; benevolent in opinions and action; a lover of the beautiful, the true and the good, accom- panied by personal charm and a pleasing personality."
Although she was not privileged to live to see the dawn of the twentieth century, still at a time when modern educators are just beginning to recognize
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the value of vocational education, Mrs. Andrews' dream of a school of applied arts for girls has reached fulfillment.
ISABEL BEARDSLEY
ISABEL BEARDSLEY, who is devoting her life to social service, is now head of the department of public assistance in Hamilton, in which position she is doing effective work. A native of Minnesota, she is a daughter of Dr. Edward M. Beardsley, who was born in Hamilton, but went to Minnesota to practice medicine. After remaining in that state for a few years, he re- turned to Ohio and continued his professional work in Hamilton.
His daughter Isabel was then but a small child, so that she pursued her education in the public schools here, passing through consecutive grades to the high school and afterward attending Wesleyan College. She then took a special course in the New York School of Social Work and during the ever memorable Dayton flood she was particularly active in her chosen calling, ren- dering a valuable service in that stricken city until the work of rehabilitation had been largely accomplished. From 1913 to 1918 she was a case worker in connection with the relief agency and during that time acted as supervisor of case workers and for two years was public director.
Miss Beardsley is a member of the Presbyterian church and she belongs to the Social Workers Club, to the National Honor Social Workers Club and to the Book Club. She is constantly studying along social service lines, gaining knowledge from her own and others' experiences, and prompted at all times by a deep human sympathy and understanding that finds expression in prac- tical effort for relief and assistance, her work at all times being far-reaching and resultant.
LUCILE KROGER BERNE
LUCILE KROGER BERNE (Mrs. Albert Berne), was one of the most effective and efficient as well as one of the dependable members of the Cin- cinnati League of Women Voters. She was the daughter of the late B. H. Kroger, nationally famous business man, who following her death gave $2,500 in her memory to establish a publication fund. Many pamphlets and leaflets of the national organization are now published under the "Lucile Kroger Berne Fund."
IPHIGENE MOLONY BETTMAN
IPHIGENE MOLONY BETTMAN (Mrs. Gilbert Bettman), was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of James and Helen Wise Molony.
Her father was descended from Irish and pre-Revolutionary American English. Her mother was descended from Bohemian stock.
Mrs. Bettman attended the Cincinnati Public Schools, the University of Cincinnati, where she received her A.B. degree, and did post-graduate work at the University of Chicago.
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On June 30, 1916 she married Gilbert Bettman, Attorney-General of Ohio from 1929-31. They have three children-Gilbert, Jr., born 1917 now a student at Harvard Law School; Carol born 1918, now at Vassar College, and Alfred II born 1922, now a student at Walnut Hills High School.
Mrs. Bettman has been especially active in educational and civic affairs in Cincinnati. She was a charter member of the Cincinnati League of Women Voters, of which she was vice president in 1938, and chairman of Education 1937-38. She has been president of the Womans Alumnal Association, Uni- versity of Cincinnati. She was president of the Republican Womens Club of Hamilton County 1935-36, has held the office of State Legislative Chairman of the American Association of University Women, and is an active mem- ber of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.
LUCIA J. BING
LUCIA J. BING, formerly head of the child placing department of the Cleveland Humane Society and then superintendent of state charities, Ohio Department of Public Welfare, has made notable contribution to work for civic and social betterment of her adopted state. She was born in North Amherst, Mass., graduated with A.B. degree from Smith College and in 1922 married Simeon H. Bing, of the Ohio University faculty. She is now occu- pied with lectures on social progress, civic affairs and citizenship before the Ohio University, schools of social work and varied organizations. Mrs. Bing's ability in her field of education is emphasized by the fact that she is national chairman for child welfare of the League of Women Voters and a trustee for Ohio on the national board of the League. During the World War she was executive secretary of the Women's Committee for National Defense.
ANNA McNAUGHTON SMITH BLACK
ANNA McNAUGHTON SMITH BLACK (Mrs. Robert Lounsbury Black), board member of the Children's Hospital and of the Children's Con- valescent Home of Cincinnati, was born in that city, the daughter of Judge Rufus B. and Edith Harrison Smith. Her father, of Scotch-American ancestry, was, literally and very definitely, a leading citizen of Cincinnati in that his ability, courage and shining honesty were enlisted in the improvement of civic conditions and in raising the standards of his own profession. The late Judge Smith was for years president of the board of directors of the University of Cincinnati, during which period this municipal educational institution made widely noted growth and progress.
On her mother's side Mrs. Black's family traces back to Joseph Wads- worth, born in Hartford, Conn., in 1648, who gave courageous service in King Philips War, who was a selectman of Hartford and a member of the general assembly.
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Mrs. Black was educated at the College Preparatory School for Girls in Cincinnati and at Rosemary Hall, Conn. She was married in 1916 to Robert Lounsbury Black, prominent Cincinnati attorney. They have three sons, Rob- ert Lounsbury Black, Jr., graduated in 1939 from Harvard Law School, Har- rison Black, junior at Princeton and Danied De Saine Black and a daughter, Frances Harrison Black.
Numerous social service organizations, cultural causes and educational movements have been aided by the efficient co-operation of Anna Smith Black but her outstanding interests have been the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the Children's Convalescent Home, to both of which she has given unstinted service. She is an active member of the Cincinnati Print and Drawing Circle, of the English Speaking Union, a patroness of Phi Beta Fraternity and presi- dent of the Chancel Guild of Christ Church.
BLANCHE FROHMAN BLOCH
BLANCHE FROHMAN BLOCH (Mrs. Jacob Bloch), whose assistance has contributed in many ways to the social and civic progress of her native city, was born in Cincinnati, the daughter of the late Louis and Fanny Frohman, both from Bavaria, Germany. Blanche was educated in the public schools, at Hughes High School and the University of Cincinnati and in 1893 was mar- ried to Jacob Bloch, Cincinnati industrialist whose invention of a cutting machine is said to have revolutionized, virtually, the clothing industry of the world. A daughter, Beatrice Bloch Kahn (Mrs. Elliott Kahn) and a son, L. John Bloch, were born to the union.
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