Marion Dickerman (April 11, 1890 – May 16, 1983) was an American

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

, educator, vice-principal of the Todhunter School, and a close friend of

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

Birth and early life

Born in

Westfield, New York Westfield is a town in the western part of Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 4,513 at the 2020 census. Westfield is also the name of a village within the town, containing 65% of the town's population. This unique to ...

, she studied for two years at

Wellesley College Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial ...

before transferring to

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

where she was an avid supporter of women's suffrage."Marion Dickerman (1890-1983)", Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
/ref> She graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1911 and a graduate degree in education in 1912.

Career

Eleanor Roosevelt, Marion Dickerman, and Nancy Cook on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada in June 1926

She taught first at

Canisteo, New York Canisteo () is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2020 census. The name was taken from a former Native American village located there, and is Iroquoian in origin. The Town of Canisteo is in the ...

, and in 1913 moved to Fulton, New York, where she taught

American history The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many saw transformations in the 16th century away from more densel ...

at Fulton High School, eventually becoming head of the department. It was here that she met Syracuse classmate

Nancy Cook Nancy may refer to: Places France * Nancy, France, a city in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle and formerly the capital of the duchy of Lorraine ** Arrondissement of Nancy, surrounding and including the city of Nancy ...

, who taught arts and handicrafts at the same school. These two women become lifelong partners, spending almost their entire adult lives together, sharing a life dedicated to politics, education, and progressive reform."Marion Dickerman", National Park Service
/ref> Her respect for

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

's vision overcame her strong antiwar sentiments and she and Cook both became active in the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. As Dickerman later recounted, she "really believed this was a war to end wars and make the world safe for

democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose g ...

." In 1918, they both traveled to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

to assist the women-staffed

Endell Street Military Hospital Endell Street Military Hospital was a First World War military hospital located on Endell Street in Covent Garden, central London. The hospital was substantially staffed by suffragists (women who supported the introduction of votes for women) ...

. After their return she briefly entertained political aspirations but accepted the position of dean at the

Trenton State College The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is a public university in Ewing Township, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. Established in 1855 as the New Jersey State Normal School, TCNJ was the first normal school, or ...

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.State Democratic Committee would travel together with her in 1922 to Hyde Park where they would meet Eleanor Roosevelt. Franklin Roosevelt offered the three women a lifetime lease on some property near Vall-Kill Creek to build a cottage. A small handicraft workshop was also built, which became known as Vall-Kill Industries."Papers of Marion Dickerman 1918-1975", FDR Library
/ref> In 1927, Dickerman, Roosevelt, and Cook purchased the Todhunter School, with Dickermn becoming principal. Eleanor spent some time there as a teacher. Todhunter later became affiliated with the

Dalton School The Dalton School, originally the Children's University School, is a private, coeducational college preparatory school in New York City and a member of both the Ivy Preparatory School League and the New York Interschool. The school is located i ...

. In 1929 Dickerman, Cook and Eleanor Roosevelt visited Europe. Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook House, New Caanan, CT

Lorena Hickok Lorena Alice "Hick" Hickok (March 7, 1893 – May 1, 1968) was a pioneering American journalist and devoted friend and mentor to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After an unhappy and unsettled childhood, Hickok found success as a reporter for the ...

took an active dislike to her and this started to unravel the relationship between the three. By 1936 Val-Kill Industries was disbanded. Dickerman and Cook continued to live in Stone Cottage until after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in 1945. They sold all interest in the Val-Kill property to Eleanor in 1947 when they moved to

New Canaan New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bounde ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

, where Dickerman became the educational programming director for the Marine Historical Association, which later became Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea. She served as the museum's Director of Education, a post she held from 1946 until 1962. Dickerman was active in numerous organizations, including the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 ...

as president of the New York State Division. She died in 1993 at the age of 96 at the Crossroads retirement home in

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Kennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over 500 million pounds of mushrooms a year, totaling half of the United ...

, and is buried next to Nancy Cook at Westfield Cemetery,

References

Sources

* Cook, Blanche Wiesen. ''Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume One, 1884-1933''. New York: Viking Press, 1993 * Cook, Blanche Wiesen. ''Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume Two, 1933-1938''. New York: Viking Press, 1999 *Davis, Kenneth. ''Invincible Summer: An Intimate Portrait of the Roosevelts Based on the Recollections of Marion Dickerman''. New York: Atheneum Press, 1974

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dickerman, Marion 1890 births 1983 deaths American educational theorists 20th-century American educators American women's rights activists People from Westfield, New York People from Fulton, Oswego County, New York People from Hyde Park, New York Activists from New York (state)