Gratia Alta Countryman (pronounced gray-sha) (November 29, 1866 – July 26, 1953) was a nationally-known librarian who led the Minneapolis Public Library from 1904 to 1936. She was the daughter of immigrant farmers Alta and Levi Countryman.[1] She pioneered many ways to make the library more accessible and user-friendly to all of the city's residents, regardless of age or economic position.[2] Countryman was called the "first lady of Minneapolis" and the "Jane Addams of the libraries".[3]
Countryman graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1889 and started work at the Minneapolis Public Library under James Kendall Hosmer.[4] She was the nation's first female head librarian at the Minneapolis Public Library from 1904 to 1936. When she accepted this job she knew that she would be making one third less than her predecessor, $2000.00 per year.[3]
Due to her philosophy of outreach, collections and reading rooms were established in Minneapolis fire halls, factories, hospitals, and an open-air reading area in Gateway Park.[5] Countryman was a capable leader who, over her 32 years as head librarian, helped increase the library’s scope and reach exponentially. She oversaw the building of 12 branches and a mobile library truck, she and her staff added over 500,000 volumes to the already substantial catalog, the programs she developed encouraged children to read, adolescents and young adults to continue their education, and helped adults find and hold jobs during times of war, recession and depression.
She was very active in the Minnesota Library Association and served as MLA president in 1904 and 1905.[6] She established The Minnesota Library Commission and remained recording secretary of that group until 1918.[7] From 1912 to 1914, Countryman organized and was president of the Foreign Policy Association Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. She also served on the National Liberty and War Service Committee and the Woman's Warfare League.[8]
In 1931, she was awarded the Civic Service Honor Medal by the Inter-Racial Service Council of Minneapolis for Outstanding Civic Service for work with immigrants.[8] In 1932, she was awarded an honorary MA degree from the University of Minnesota for Distinguished Public Service;[9] this was "only the fourth honorary degree conferred by the university and the first received by a woman."[3]
Countryman never married but lived with her longtime partner, Marie Todd, for thirty eight years.[12][13] In May 1917, they took in a homeless boy named Wellington Wilson, and Countryman later was awarded guardianship of him.[14] Wellington Wilson later changed his name to Wellington Countryman. He eventually married and had a daughter whom he named Alta Countryman after his adoptive mother. The Countrymans lived in Chicago, Illinois, and Wellington died in 1997.
Gratia Countryman's eulogy summed up her life perfectly, "In her youth a library was a sacred precinct for guarding the treasures of thought, to be entered only by the scholar and the student... Her crusading zeal carried the book to every part of her city and county, to the little child, the factory worker, the farmer, the businessman, the hospital patient, the blind and the old."[15]
Referencesedit
^Gratia A. Countryman: an inventory of the Gratia A. Countryman and family papers at the Minnesota Historical Society
^Benidt, Bruce Weir. The Library Book: Centennial History of the Minneapolis Public Library. Minneapolis: Minneapolis Public Library, 1984. (ISBN0-9613716-0-9)
^ abcdStuhler, Barbara & Krueter, Gretchen. Women of Minnesota: selected biographical essays. Rev ed. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Press, 1998, page 178. ISBN978-0873513678
^National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume E, 1937–1938
^"Past Presidents. Minnesota Library Association". Retrieved 7 August 2015.
^People in History Volume 1: A–M An Index to U.S. and Canadian Biographies in History Journals and Dissertations ABC Clio Press ISBN0-87436-494-9 page 124
^ abAmerican Women 1935–1940 A Composite Biographical Dictionary Volume A–L. Gale Research Company, 1981, page 194
^"Gratia Countryman" www.mnhs.org. 1994. Minneapolis Historical Society. 19 Mar. 2009.
^Kramer, Amanda. "Gratia Alta Countryman." Library History Timeline. 15 May 2008. 19 Mar. 2009
^Meir, Peg (March 1, 2003). "Madame Librarian: The new Minneapolis Public Library could bear the name of Gratia Countryman, its former director". Star Tribune – via Newspapers.com. Continued on page E3
^Brandt, Steve (November 26, 2000). "A vote for Countryman". Star Tribune. p. 35. Retrieved December 29, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
Further readingedit
Countryman, Gratia. Library Work as a Profession. (Published by Woman's Occupational Bureau 1930)
Countryman, Gratia; Shaw, Robert Macgregor; Shaw, Virginia Buffington. "Gratia Countryman's letters to the family twenty three letters written by Gratia Countryman describing a European Bicycle trip in the summer of 1896"
Countryman, Gratia. Culture and Reform: The Women and the Work of the Women's Club of Minnesota 1907–1914
Countryman, Gratia. The Privilege for Which We Struggled; Leaders of the Woman's Suffrage Movement in Minnesota
Countryman, Gratia. Traveling Libraries and a First Step in Developing Libraries, (Boston 1905)
Countryman, Gratia. Vocations Open to College Women, (The University of Minnesota 1913)
Kendall, James Hosmer; Countryman, Gratia. '"Our Frontispiece" Bulletin of Bibliography. 13. 1929. (Worldcat OCLC 27)
Roberts, Kate, Minnesota 150: The People and the Places that Shape Our State (2007)
Pejsa, Jane. Gratia Countryman: Her life, her loves, and her library. (Nodin Press, 1995) ISBN1-931714-66-5
Peterson, Penny A. Gratia Countryman, more than an ordinary woman. (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Hess, Roise and Co. 2006)
Archivesedit
Gratia A. Countryman and family papers 2018-01-18 at the Wayback Machine. Minnesota Historical Society, 1861-1953. 6 boxes.
Countryman, Gratia Alta, faculty and alumni papers. University of Minnesota Archives, 1889, 1923, 1951. 1 box.
External linksedit
Gratia Alta Countryman Digital Collection Hennepin County Library.
Interview with Jane Pejsa, author of Gratia Countryman: Her Life, Her Loves, Her Library, interviewed by Margot Siegel, NORTHERN LIGHTS Minnesota Author Interview TV Series #328 (1995)
gratia, countryman, gratia, alta, countryman, pronounced, gray, november, 1866, july, 1953, nationally, known, librarian, minneapolis, public, library, from, 1904, 1936, daughter, immigrant, farmers, alta, levi, countryman, pioneered, many, ways, make, library. Gratia Alta Countryman pronounced gray sha November 29 1866 July 26 1953 was a nationally known librarian who led the Minneapolis Public Library from 1904 to 1936 She was the daughter of immigrant farmers Alta and Levi Countryman 1 She pioneered many ways to make the library more accessible and user friendly to all of the city s residents regardless of age or economic position 2 Countryman was called the first lady of Minneapolis and the Jane Addams of the libraries 3 Gratia CountrymanCountryman in 1917President of the American Library AssociationIn office 1933 1934Preceded byHarry Miller LydenbergSucceeded byCharles H ComptonPersonal detailsBornGratia Alta Countryman 1866 11 29 November 29 1866Hastings Minnesota USDiedJuly 26 1953 1953 07 26 aged 86 Duluth Minnesota USEducationUniversity of MinnesotaOccupationLibrarian Contents 1 Professional life 2 Personal life 3 References 4 Further reading 4 1 Archives 5 External linksProfessional life editCountryman graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1889 and started work at the Minneapolis Public Library under James Kendall Hosmer 4 She was the nation s first female head librarian at the Minneapolis Public Library from 1904 to 1936 When she accepted this job she knew that she would be making one third less than her predecessor 2000 00 per year 3 Due to her philosophy of outreach collections and reading rooms were established in Minneapolis fire halls factories hospitals and an open air reading area in Gateway Park 5 Countryman was a capable leader who over her 32 years as head librarian helped increase the library s scope and reach exponentially She oversaw the building of 12 branches and a mobile library truck she and her staff added over 500 000 volumes to the already substantial catalog the programs she developed encouraged children to read adolescents and young adults to continue their education and helped adults find and hold jobs during times of war recession and depression She was very active in the Minnesota Library Association and served as MLA president in 1904 and 1905 6 She established The Minnesota Library Commission and remained recording secretary of that group until 1918 7 From 1912 to 1914 Countryman organized and was president of the Foreign Policy Association Women s International League for Peace and Freedom She also served on the National Liberty and War Service Committee and the Woman s Warfare League 8 In 1931 she was awarded the Civic Service Honor Medal by the Inter Racial Service Council of Minneapolis for Outstanding Civic Service for work with immigrants 8 In 1932 she was awarded an honorary MA degree from the University of Minnesota for Distinguished Public Service 9 this was only the fourth honorary degree conferred by the university and the first received by a woman 3 In 1934 Countryman served as president of the American Library Association 10 11 She was forced into retirement at age 70 in 1936 3 Personal life editCountryman never married but lived with her longtime partner Marie Todd for thirty eight years 12 13 In May 1917 they took in a homeless boy named Wellington Wilson and Countryman later was awarded guardianship of him 14 Wellington Wilson later changed his name to Wellington Countryman He eventually married and had a daughter whom he named Alta Countryman after his adoptive mother The Countrymans lived in Chicago Illinois and Wellington died in 1997 Gratia Countryman s eulogy summed up her life perfectly In her youth a library was a sacred precinct for guarding the treasures of thought to be entered only by the scholar and the student Her crusading zeal carried the book to every part of her city and county to the little child the factory worker the farmer the businessman the hospital patient the blind and the old 15 References edit Gratia A Countryman an inventory of the Gratia A Countryman and family papers at the Minnesota Historical Society Benidt Bruce Weir The Library Book Centennial History of the Minneapolis Public Library Minneapolis Minneapolis Public Library 1984 ISBN 0 9613716 0 9 a b c d Stuhler Barbara amp Krueter Gretchen Women of Minnesota selected biographical essays Rev ed St Paul Minnesota Historical Press 1998 page 178 ISBN 978 0873513678 National Cyclopedia of American Biography Volume E 1937 1938 Hennepin County Library 19 Mar 2009 Past Presidents Minnesota Library Association Retrieved 7 August 2015 People in History Volume 1 A M An Index to U S and Canadian Biographies in History Journals and Dissertations ABC Clio Press ISBN 0 87436 494 9 page 124 a b American Women 1935 1940 A Composite Biographical Dictionary Volume A L Gale Research Company 1981 page 194 Gratia Countryman www mnhs org 1994 Minneapolis Historical Society 19 Mar 2009 Kramer Amanda Gratia Alta Countryman Library History Timeline 15 May 2008 19 Mar 2009 Library Journal October 15 1992 Vol 117 Issue 17 pS1 4p 2 illustrations A brief overview of queer and trans history in Minnesota MinnPost 2021 06 01 Retrieved 2021 12 26 Gratia Countryman Minnesota Historical Society Retrieved 2021 12 26 Meir Peg March 1 2003 Madame Librarian The new Minneapolis Public Library could bear the name of Gratia Countryman its former director Star Tribune via Newspapers com nbsp Continued on page E3 nbsp Brandt Steve November 26 2000 A vote for Countryman Star Tribune p 35 Retrieved December 29 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Further reading editCountryman Gratia Library Work as a Profession Published by Woman s Occupational Bureau 1930 Countryman Gratia Shaw Robert Macgregor Shaw Virginia Buffington Gratia Countryman s letters to the family twenty three letters written by Gratia Countryman describing a European Bicycle trip in the summer of 1896 Countryman Gratia Culture and Reform The Women and the Work of the Women s Club of Minnesota 1907 1914 Countryman Gratia The Privilege for Which We Struggled Leaders of the Woman s Suffrage Movement in Minnesota Countryman Gratia Traveling Libraries and a First Step in Developing Libraries Boston 1905 Countryman Gratia Vocations Open to College Women The University of Minnesota 1913 Kendall James Hosmer Countryman Gratia Our Frontispiece Bulletin of Bibliography 13 1929 Worldcat OCLC 27 Roberts Kate Minnesota 150 The People and the Places that Shape Our State 2007 Pejsa Jane Gratia Countryman Her life her loves and her library Nodin Press 1995 ISBN 1 931714 66 5 Peterson Penny A Gratia Countryman more than an ordinary woman Minneapolis Minnesota Hess Roise and Co 2006 Archives edit Gratia A Countryman and family papers Archived 2018 01 18 at the Wayback Machine Minnesota Historical Society 1861 1953 6 boxes Countryman Gratia Alta faculty and alumni papers University of Minnesota Archives 1889 1923 1951 1 box External links editGratia Alta Countryman Digital Collection Hennepin County Library Interview with Jane Pejsa author of Gratia Countryman Her Life Her Loves Her Library interviewed by Margot Siegel NORTHERN LIGHTS Minnesota Author Interview TV Series 328 1995 Non profit organization positionsPreceded byHarry Miller Lydenberg President of the American Library Association1933 1934 Succeeded byCharles H Compton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gratia Countryman amp oldid 1181673167, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
