Florence Frances Huberwald was an American singer, teacher,

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 vo ...

, and national leader of the women's movement. She was a charter member of the

Woman Suffrage Party The Woman Suffrage Party (WSP) was a New York City, New York city political organization dedicated to Women's suffrage in the United States, women's suffrage. It was founded in New York by Carrie Chapman Catt at the Convention of Disfranchised Wome ...

; and the co-founder and associate president of the New Orleans College of Music.

Early life and education

Florence Frances Huberwald was born in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

. Her maternal grandfather was from

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

and her grandmother was a Spanish native of

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Jacksonville, the city is on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spani ...

. Her father's family were of German descent. Her family was connected with the history of New Orleans for many years. Her aunt, Caroline Hubbard, was the most notable and progressive principal of the New Orleans High School, of her time. Huberwald was educated at the Sylvester-Larned Institute for Young Ladies. She studied vocal music in New York City; in Paris, under Anna La Grange, the vocalist; and in London.

Career

Huberwald's first employment was that of teacher in a public school. She made a success of this, and in 1894, went to the legislature to push the measure for the back pay of teachers. One of the social successes of her life was upon the occasion of her singing in a

drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name is derived from the 16th-century terms withdrawing room and withdrawing chamber, which remained in use through the 17th ce ...

in Paris. The

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

State concert was said to be the grandest concert given at the

Cotton States and International Exposition Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

(1895). Huberwald had entire charge of the vocal part of the program that reflected so much credit upon Louisiana. Her speech at the 1895

General Federation of Women's Clubs The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), founded in 1890 during the Progressive Movement, is a federation of approximately 2,300 women's clubs in the United States which promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Community Serv ...

convention was notable. She was the only singer who represented New Orleans at the Cotton States and International Exposition, and received a perfect ovation. Her

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

voice had a range of over two

octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...

s, her

enunciation Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone as well as the idea and practice of effective speech and its forms. It stems from the idea that while communication is symbolic, sounds are final and compel ...

was clear, and her method good. The volume of her voice was so great that it filled the largest hall or theatre. It was particularly fitted for star parts in grand opera, a heritage from her mother, a notable church singer of

. Besides being associate president of the New Orleans College of Music, founded by Mrs. Samuel and herself, she was vocal instructor at Sophie Wright's Institute. She believed in the Italian method of vocal culture, and was accounted the best ballad singer of New Orleans. Huberwald served as president of the Teachers' Benevolent Association; Portia (suffrage) Club; and Equal Rights Party, Louisiana. She was a prominent member of the Woman's Club, did active work for the furtherance of women's progress, and was a charter member of the

. An activist, she was the head of the local dress-reform movement in New Orleans.

References

Citations

Attribution

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Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Huberwald, Florence Frances American contraltos Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Singers from New Orleans American music educators American women music educators Suffragists from Louisiana Clubwomen Activists from New Orleans Educators from Louisiana