Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver (also known as Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson) (1896–1985) was a social worker and activist who spent over 40 years as an organizer and community service worker for the YWCA. She began as a community organizer and worked her way up to the labor division, finally becoming head of the Industrial Division from 1937 to 1947. At the end of World War II, when women were phased out of the labor market, she was briefly dismissed, but then hired back to organize support for the communities springing up around the defense industry.
Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver was born on June 15, 1896, in Marion, Virginia to Laura Lu (née Scherer) and Bascom Eugene Copenhaver. Both of Copenhaver's parents taught at the school her grandfather Scherer had founded, Marion Female College. She spent her childhood at the family home, "Rosemont", which also housed Rosemont Industries, an organization established by her mother, which marketed local handicrafts.[1] After completing her primary education at the public schools of Marion, Copenhaver began her university studies at Marion College before she transferred in 1914 to Westhampton College in Richmond, Virginia.[2] She completed her B.A. in English in 1917[1] and returned that same year to Marion to teach. In 1918, she enrolled in social work classes at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and in 1919 worked in a settlement camp for New York City women during the summer. She completed her degree[2] in 1920 earning a certificate in social economy.[1]
Careeredit
In September 1920, Copenhaver became a Field Secretary on the national staff of the YWCA covering the south and central region. From 1920 to 1923 she was a rural community organizer. In addition to introducing the programs of the YWCA to local communities and churches,[1] Copenhaver participated in seminars and retreats like one held in 1922,[3] which explored the tenets of internationalism that had sprung up after the first World War. The YWCA believed that if women used their moral and professional authority, they would reshape the world.[4] Copenhaver participated in the "Conference at the Lake" and after their presentation on relationships with Syrian and Japanese women, and the Bible study, she directed a play, which she had written with her mother. The basic theme was modernity and the enlightenment of women who could draw upon the past, their spirituality and their ability to work and use their intelligence.[3] In 1923 she switched to industrial community activism then in 1925 became the National Industrial Secretary working out of New York.[1] Her political beliefs became increasingly radical during her many visits to factories to counsel and organize working women. During one of these visits in 1928, she made a side trip to her family and met the writer Sherwood Anderson.[2] Coperhaver returned to New York and enrolled in a master's program at Columbia University. She completed the degree in political economy in 1933[1] and later that same year, married Anderson.[2]
Coperhaver-Anderson continued working as a labor organizer. In 1937, she was promoted to head the Industrial Programs of the YWCA.[1] Her work entailed investigating working and educational conditions, submitting reports for action and providing support for labor unions.[5] She continued to travel with her job[1] and the couple also traveled to visit Sherwood's artist and writer friends all over the world. On one of these trips, taken in 1941 after the death of her mother, the couple were en route to Valparaiso, Chile aboard the SS Santa Lucia. Sherwood became ill with peritonitis, the couple disembarked, but he died at a hospital in Colón, Panama. After bringing him back to Virginia for burial, Anderson returned to work.[2] She continued as the executive of the Y's industrial division and resumed her travels, going across the country,[6] until the Industrial Department was phased out soon after the end of World War II.[7] When that happened, in 1947, Anderson took a two-year assignment with the international YWCA in Italy to help with relief efforts. At the end of her assignment, she returned from Italy and was terminated by the Y due to their elimination of women's employment programs.[1] She spent most of 1950 organizing Sherwood's papers and preparing them for donation to the Newberry Library in Chicago.[2] The following year, she was rehired by the YWCA working on their United Community Defense Services, which was a program aimed at providing "health, welfare, and recreation services" to communities supporting the defense industry. She remained with the YWCA until her retirement in 1961.[1]
After her retirement, she served as Sherwood's literary executor as well as the overseer of his property at "Ripshin"[2] and her mother's legacy at "Rosemont". Anderson died on September 12, 1985, in Marion, Virginia.[1] Copenhaver's papers are located at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Many of the records can be found on-line as part of the Five College Finding Aids Access Project, which was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijk"Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson Papers, 1901-1993 (bulk 1922-55)". Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts: Five College Archives & Manuscript Collections. 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
^ abcdefg"Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver". Marion, Virginia: Sherwood Anderson Festival. September–November 2006. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
^ ab"YWCA Conference at the Lake". Waynesville, North Carolina: The Carolina Mountaineer–Courier. 6 July 1922. p. 8. Retrieved 30 November 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^Littell-Lamb, Elizabeth (2011). "Caught in the Crossfire Women's Internationalism and the YWCA Child Labor Campaign in Shanghai, 1921–1925". Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 32 (3). Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press: 134–166. doi:10.5250/fronjwomestud.32.3.0134. JSTOR 10.5250/fronjwomestud.32.3.0134. PMID 22299195. S2CID 41260044.
^"About Five College Archives & Manuscript Collections". Five College Archives & Manuscript Collections. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
Sourcesedit
Klotter, James C. (1 January 2005). The Human Tradition in the New South. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN978-0-7425-4476-5.
External linksedit
Anderson, Eleanor Copenhaver Papers, 1896-1985, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College.
April 15, 2024
eleanor, gladys, copenhaver, also, known, eleanor, copenhaver, anderson, 1896, 1985, social, worker, activist, spent, over, years, organizer, community, service, worker, ywca, began, community, organizer, worked, labor, division, finally, becoming, head, indus. Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver also known as Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson 1896 1985 was a social worker and activist who spent over 40 years as an organizer and community service worker for the YWCA She began as a community organizer and worked her way up to the labor division finally becoming head of the Industrial Division from 1937 to 1947 At the end of World War II when women were phased out of the labor market she was briefly dismissed but then hired back to organize support for the communities springing up around the defense industry Eleanor Gladys Copenhavercirca 1930sBorn 1896 06 15 June 15 1896Marion VirginiaDiedSeptember 12 1985 1985 09 12 aged 89 Marion VirginiaNationalityAmericanOther namesEleanor Gladys Copenhaver Anderson Eleanor Anderson Eleanor Copenhaver AndersonAlma materMarion Female CollegeWesthampton CollegeColumbia UniversityOccupationsocial workerYears active1918 1961Known forYWCA labor executiveSpouseSherwood Anderson m 1933 Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 3 References 4 Sources 5 External linksBiography editEleanor Gladys Copenhaver was born on June 15 1896 in Marion Virginia to Laura Lu nee Scherer and Bascom Eugene Copenhaver Both of Copenhaver s parents taught at the school her grandfather Scherer had founded Marion Female College She spent her childhood at the family home Rosemont which also housed Rosemont Industries an organization established by her mother which marketed local handicrafts 1 After completing her primary education at the public schools of Marion Copenhaver began her university studies at Marion College before she transferred in 1914 to Westhampton College in Richmond Virginia 2 She completed her B A in English in 1917 1 and returned that same year to Marion to teach In 1918 she enrolled in social work classes at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and in 1919 worked in a settlement camp for New York City women during the summer She completed her degree 2 in 1920 earning a certificate in social economy 1 Career editIn September 1920 Copenhaver became a Field Secretary on the national staff of the YWCA covering the south and central region From 1920 to 1923 she was a rural community organizer In addition to introducing the programs of the YWCA to local communities and churches 1 Copenhaver participated in seminars and retreats like one held in 1922 3 which explored the tenets of internationalism that had sprung up after the first World War The YWCA believed that if women used their moral and professional authority they would reshape the world 4 Copenhaver participated in the Conference at the Lake and after their presentation on relationships with Syrian and Japanese women and the Bible study she directed a play which she had written with her mother The basic theme was modernity and the enlightenment of women who could draw upon the past their spirituality and their ability to work and use their intelligence 3 In 1923 she switched to industrial community activism then in 1925 became the National Industrial Secretary working out of New York 1 Her political beliefs became increasingly radical during her many visits to factories to counsel and organize working women During one of these visits in 1928 she made a side trip to her family and met the writer Sherwood Anderson 2 Coperhaver returned to New York and enrolled in a master s program at Columbia University She completed the degree in political economy in 1933 1 and later that same year married Anderson 2 Coperhaver Anderson continued working as a labor organizer In 1937 she was promoted to head the Industrial Programs of the YWCA 1 Her work entailed investigating working and educational conditions submitting reports for action and providing support for labor unions 5 She continued to travel with her job 1 and the couple also traveled to visit Sherwood s artist and writer friends all over the world On one of these trips taken in 1941 after the death of her mother the couple were en route to Valparaiso Chile aboard the SS Santa Lucia Sherwood became ill with peritonitis the couple disembarked but he died at a hospital in Colon Panama After bringing him back to Virginia for burial Anderson returned to work 2 She continued as the executive of the Y s industrial division and resumed her travels going across the country 6 until the Industrial Department was phased out soon after the end of World War II 7 When that happened in 1947 Anderson took a two year assignment with the international YWCA in Italy to help with relief efforts At the end of her assignment she returned from Italy and was terminated by the Y due to their elimination of women s employment programs 1 She spent most of 1950 organizing Sherwood s papers and preparing them for donation to the Newberry Library in Chicago 2 The following year she was rehired by the YWCA working on their United Community Defense Services which was a program aimed at providing health welfare and recreation services to communities supporting the defense industry She remained with the YWCA until her retirement in 1961 1 After her retirement she served as Sherwood s literary executor as well as the overseer of his property at Ripshin 2 and her mother s legacy at Rosemont Anderson died on September 12 1985 in Marion Virginia 1 Copenhaver s papers are located at Smith College in Northampton Massachusetts Many of the records can be found on line as part of the Five College Finding Aids Access Project which was funded by the Andrew W Mellon Foundation 8 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson Papers 1901 1993 bulk 1922 55 Sophia Smith Collection Smith College Northampton Massachusetts Five College Archives amp Manuscript Collections 2010 Retrieved 30 November 2015 a b c d e f g Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver Marion Virginia Sherwood Anderson Festival September November 2006 Retrieved 30 November 2015 a b YWCA Conference at the Lake Waynesville North Carolina The Carolina Mountaineer Courier 6 July 1922 p 8 Retrieved 30 November 2015 via Newspapers com nbsp Littell Lamb Elizabeth 2011 Caught in the Crossfire Women s Internationalism and the YWCA Child Labor Campaign in Shanghai 1921 1925 Frontiers A Journal of Women Studies 32 3 Lincoln Nebraska University of Nebraska Press 134 166 doi 10 5250 fronjwomestud 32 3 0134 JSTOR 10 5250 fronjwomestud 32 3 0134 PMID 22299195 S2CID 41260044 Klotter 2005 p 112 YWCA Leader Sets S L Meet Salt Lake City Utah The Salt Lake Tribune 3 March 1944 p 13 Retrieved 30 November 2015 via Newspapers com nbsp Klotter 2005 p 114 About Five College Archives amp Manuscript Collections Five College Archives amp Manuscript Collections Retrieved 1 December 2015 Sources editKlotter James C 1 January 2005 The Human Tradition in the New South Lanham Maryland Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 978 0 7425 4476 5 External links editAnderson Eleanor Copenhaver Papers 1896 1985 Sophia Smith Collection Smith College Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eleanor Gladys Copenhaver amp oldid 1187159899, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
