Strong Women Honored at Hamden Hall

March is Women’s History Month, established in 1980 by then President Jimmy Carter to recognize and remember the role women had in shaping our history.  

marked the month this week by inviting three guests with ties to the school to speak.

For this year's Women's History Month, local communities, organization and institutions are encouraged to honor women in their own neighborhoods and share their personal narratives. This year’s theme is “Our History is Our Strength.”

At the event, held at Swain Library on the school’s campus, students gathered to hear stories of women. 

Doris Townshend's three daughters graduated from Hamden Hall, and her husband Henry also attended the school and was on the Board of Trustees from 1965 to 1969.

Townshend spoke about mother-in-law, Hannah Osgood Townshend, who left her mark on Connecticut history. Her mother-in-laws initials were H.O.T., she said, and that described her passion on women’s issues. The younger Townshend has penned her mother-in-law's story in the book, "Townshend Heritage."

Osgood- Townshend, along with Katherine Houghton Hepburn -- the mother of actress Katherine Hepburn-- became  active in women’s causes at an early age. Osgood-Townshend was the first women in to be elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1925. 

Lloyd Ayer, a 1947 Hamden Hall graduate, spoke about Marjorie Stewart, who taught English at Hamden Hall from 1940 - 1967. Stewart is the author of the book “Days Amanda Remembered," a look at the American Revolution through the eyes of a child.  

Carol Nutile Burke, another 1947 HHCDS graduate who grew up on a farm in North Haven, spoke about what choices women of her ear had after graduation. They were mostly limited  to becoming  a housewife, nurse, teacher or secretary, she said. Burke chose to go to college

“Going off to college for a female was not usual,” she told the student. She went on to a career in science.

Burke recounted a story of a family who relocated from Stamford to North Haven to run a farm. Because of their inexperience in farming, their finances were poor, she said, and the wife went to work for Winchester Repeating Arms while her husband ran the farm.

The wife had to travel two hours in each direction to get to and from work, she said. Eventually the family returned to Stamford when the farm failed.

The speakers kept the room of well behaved students interested and eager to learn about the women.