Loraine Immen (, Pratt; August 3, 1840 – October 21, 1927) was an American philanthropist, elocutionist, author, and social leader. She was a life fellow of the Society of Science, Letters and Art. Immen was one of the most active and best known clubwomen in

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. She was the inspiring prime mover and first president of the

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

City Federation of Women's Clubs.

Early life and education

Loraine Pratt was born in

Mount Clemens, Michigan Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,697 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat, seat of government of Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County and part of the Metro Detroit, Det ...

, August 3, 1840. Her mother's maiden name was Cook, and her ancestors were related to Captain

James Cook Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...

. Her father, E. G. Pratt, was a native of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, who settled in

in the pioneer days, making his home in Mount Clemens. He was conspicuous in every movement that had for its object the development of the community and the State. The two daughters of the Pratt family enjoyed the advantages of a thorough education.

Career

Loraine became a teacher at the age of fourteen years, and she succeeded well in the arduous work of the schoolroom. She taught in Mount Clemens until 1860. In 1860, she married Frederick Immen. They had two sons, one dying at the age of 20, and the other while an infant. She continued her studies after marriage, and in 1880, she was graduated and received the first honor in a senior class contest of the

National School of Elocution and Oratory National School of Elocution and Oratory (later, Shoemaker School of Speech and Drama) was an American school for speech arts, focused on rhetoric and elocution. It was established by Jacob and Rachel H. Shoemaker in Philadelphia, 1873. Attentio ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. Returning to her home, she gave a public reading in the Mount Clemens opera house, giving the proceeds of the entertainment for the beginning of a fund to purchase a town clock. Appearing as a lecturer in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, her subject was "Paris," and the proceeds she gave to aid in erecting the soldier's monumental fountain in that city. Later, while in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, she gave readings and was made a life fellow of the Society of Science, Letters and Art. In Grand Rapids, Immen was the founder of the Shakespeare Club and was its president from the beginning. She was connected with the St. Cecilia Society and the Ladies' Literary Club since their institution, and in 1890, she was president of the latter club, a society that numbered over 500 members at the time. The Ladies' Literary Club, in Grand Rapids, was a monument to Immen's enthusiasm, industry, and executive ability. In 1887, she and the other leaders of the club purchased a site for a clubhouse, and a building was finished and dedicated in January 1888. It became the center of intellectual activity among the women of Grand Rapids, focused on art, literature, history, science and education. Immen served as a director of the National Association of Elocutionists (1895). That year, during the founding of the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs, Immen was elected corresponding secretary. In 1896, when the Grand Rapids City Federation of Women's Clubs was founded, Immen was elected as its first president. She was also made honorary president of The Alsbice Club. Besides her work in literary, elocutionary and social lines, she was an earnest worker in the Sunday school.

Death and legacy

In her lifetime, Immen presented several gifts to the city of Grand Rapids including a bust of

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and '' Evangeline''. He was the first American to comp ...

in Fulton Park and a bust of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

in Lincoln Place, as well as a

drinking fountain A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...

in Monument Park and one in Fulton Park. Loraine Pratt Immen died on October 21, 1927. The Loraine Pratt Immen collection is held by the

Grand Rapids Public Library The Grand Rapids Public Library located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares wat ...

's Grand Rapids History Center Repository.

Selected works

* ''Letters of Travel in California, in the Winter and Spring of 1896'', 189
(text)
* ''Timon of Athens'', 189
(text)
* ''Art's Tribute to Shakespeare'', 190
(text)
* ''Cordelia in Drama of King Lear'', 190
(text)
* ''Shakespeare: Casket Story (from Merchant of Venice)'', 191
(text)
* ''The Story of Park Congregational Church and Its Windows'', 191
(text)
* ''Shoemaker's Best Selections for Readings and Recitations, Issue 22'', 192
(text)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Immen, Loraine 1840 births 1927 deaths People from Mount Clemens, Michigan People from Grand Rapids, Michigan Philanthropists from Michigan Elocutionists Clubwomen 19th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 19th-century American women writers 20th-century American women writers Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century