Alice Haldeman
Encyclopedia
Sarah Alice Haldeman (born in Cedarville, Illinois
, 5 June, 1853; died in Chicago, Illinois, 19 March 1915) was a United States craftswoman, banker and philanthropist. She is the sister of social activist Jane Addams
.
, to which, as his grandfather, Isaac Addams, had done in the Revolutionary War
, he equipped and sent a company. Her first American ancestor was Richard Addams, who emigrated to this country from Oxfordshire
, England
, in 1684, and settled on land which he purchased from William Penn. From him the line of descent is traced through William and Anna (Lane) Addams; Isaac and Barbara (Ruth) Addams; Samuel and Catherine (Huey) Addams, and John and Sarah (Weber) Addams.
, then designated as the Mount Holyoke
of the West, and completed the course there at the age of nineteen.
and later when he spent a year in graduate medical work in Philadelphia, Alice took a course at the Woman's Medical College of that city. She was thus fitted to co-operate with her husband in his medical practice, becoming his anesthetist, helping him in operations and acquiring a wide range of knowledge. In 1884, when Henry's health necessitated his retirement from active practice, he and his wife settled in Girard, Kansas
, where he engaged in banking. Here one daughter was born to them, Anna Marcet Haldeman
, who survived her parents.
. Like her sister, Jane Addams
, of Hull House
, Chicago
, she was interested in every enterprise which looked toward social or civic betterment. Her interest was particularly with young people, and her first organized work for the community was a large and successful boys' club. She was elected president of the Girard Board of Education in 1895 and during her ten years in office had a wide acquaintance among the children of the schools and an intimate knowledge of their needs.
For years the people of Girard made constant use of Haldeman's fine library. But this proving inadequate, she brought together the club women of Girard and organized a library association, serving as president of its board from 1899 to 1908, during which time the Girard Public Library
, housed in a substantial Carnegie
building, became a permanent factor in the intellectual life of the community.
Haldeman identified herself with the Presbyterian Church, leaving the impress of her strong personality upon its varied activities and for 28 years was treasurer of its board of trustees. Her love for the foreign mission cause found expression in numerous material and spiritual ways, and many missionaries in distant lands were cheered by her unflagging, personal interest.
Haldeman found in club life an avenue of constant usefulness, both for study and friendships. She early appreciated the value of women's clubs and magnified it. She was a member of the Ladies' Reading Club of Girard for more than twenty years, of the City Federation and State Federation of Women's Clubs. In 1901 she organized the Twentieth Century Club of Girard and a similar club in a neighboring town. She was president of the third district, Kansas Federation of Women's Clubs, 1900-01; was a member of the civic committee of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1904-06; was a member of the Topeka
Chapter of the D. A. R.
, and of the State Board of Charities. As a presiding officer, Haldeman combined the requisite parliamentary knowledge with an unusual graciousness of manner.
She loved to exercise hospitality and shared with her friends what she herself enjoyed. Beautiful pictures, fine laces, and basketry were among her enthusiasms and in her occasional exhibitions of the two latter she not only communicated her own careful information and appreciation concerning them, but evoked a real interest in their possibilities. Her hands were seldom idle, and the homes of many of her friends had examples of her painting, basketry, and needlework.
Cedarville, Illinois
Cedarville is a village in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 741 at the 2010 census, up from 719 at the 2000 census...
, 5 June, 1853; died in Chicago, Illinois, 19 March 1915) was a United States craftswoman, banker and philanthropist. She is the sister of social activist Jane Addams
Jane Addams
Jane Addams was a pioneer settlement worker, founder of Hull House in Chicago, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in woman suffrage and world peace...
.
Ancestors
She was the daughter of John Huey and Sarah (Weber) Addams. Her father was a successful miller and banker in Northern Illinois, also serving as state senator from 1856 to 1872. He greatly influenced the policy of the state during the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, to which, as his grandfather, Isaac Addams, had done in the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, he equipped and sent a company. Her first American ancestor was Richard Addams, who emigrated to this country from Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1684, and settled on land which he purchased from William Penn. From him the line of descent is traced through William and Anna (Lane) Addams; Isaac and Barbara (Ruth) Addams; Samuel and Catherine (Huey) Addams, and John and Sarah (Weber) Addams.
Early life
She received her early education in Cedarville, where an academy under the direction of Jennie Forbes had been established by several of the more progressive families. From this school, Haldeman went to Rockford Seminary at Rockford, IllinoisRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, then designated as the Mount Holyoke
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
of the West, and completed the course there at the age of nineteen.
Marriage
After a year in Europe and the study of art in several American studios, she married Henry Winfield Haldeman, a physician, in 1875. For several years, Henry practiced medicine in IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and later when he spent a year in graduate medical work in Philadelphia, Alice took a course at the Woman's Medical College of that city. She was thus fitted to co-operate with her husband in his medical practice, becoming his anesthetist, helping him in operations and acquiring a wide range of knowledge. In 1884, when Henry's health necessitated his retirement from active practice, he and his wife settled in Girard, Kansas
Girard, Kansas
Girard is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,789.- History :...
, where he engaged in banking. Here one daughter was born to them, Anna Marcet Haldeman
Anna Marcet Haldeman
Anna Marcet Haldeman was an American feminist, playwright, editor, author, and bank president.-Biography:She was born in Girard, Kansas, the daughter of physician Henry Winfield Haldeman and his wife Alice. Alice was the sister of social activist Jane Addams. Anna Haldeman was the wife of activist...
, who survived her parents.
Girard, Kansas
Alice Haldeman soon became a vital force in the educational and philanthropic movements of Girard and KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Like her sister, Jane Addams
Jane Addams
Jane Addams was a pioneer settlement worker, founder of Hull House in Chicago, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in woman suffrage and world peace...
, of Hull House
Hull House
Hull House is a settlement house in the United States that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located in the Near West Side of , Hull House opened its doors to the recently arrived European immigrants. By 1911, Hull House had grown to 13 buildings. In 1912 the Hull...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, she was interested in every enterprise which looked toward social or civic betterment. Her interest was particularly with young people, and her first organized work for the community was a large and successful boys' club. She was elected president of the Girard Board of Education in 1895 and during her ten years in office had a wide acquaintance among the children of the schools and an intimate knowledge of their needs.
For years the people of Girard made constant use of Haldeman's fine library. But this proving inadequate, she brought together the club women of Girard and organized a library association, serving as president of its board from 1899 to 1908, during which time the Girard Public Library
Girard Public Library
The Girard Public Library, a Carnegie library, was established in 1899 in Girard, Kansas, United States. The original building was constructed in 1906, at 128 West Prairie Avenue, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It was the first free library in the city.-History:At...
, housed in a substantial Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
building, became a permanent factor in the intellectual life of the community.
Haldeman identified herself with the Presbyterian Church, leaving the impress of her strong personality upon its varied activities and for 28 years was treasurer of its board of trustees. Her love for the foreign mission cause found expression in numerous material and spiritual ways, and many missionaries in distant lands were cheered by her unflagging, personal interest.
Haldeman found in club life an avenue of constant usefulness, both for study and friendships. She early appreciated the value of women's clubs and magnified it. She was a member of the Ladies' Reading Club of Girard for more than twenty years, of the City Federation and State Federation of Women's Clubs. In 1901 she organized the Twentieth Century Club of Girard and a similar club in a neighboring town. She was president of the third district, Kansas Federation of Women's Clubs, 1900-01; was a member of the civic committee of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1904-06; was a member of the Topeka
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
Chapter of the D. A. R.
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
, and of the State Board of Charities. As a presiding officer, Haldeman combined the requisite parliamentary knowledge with an unusual graciousness of manner.
She loved to exercise hospitality and shared with her friends what she herself enjoyed. Beautiful pictures, fine laces, and basketry were among her enthusiasms and in her occasional exhibitions of the two latter she not only communicated her own careful information and appreciation concerning them, but evoked a real interest in their possibilities. Her hands were seldom idle, and the homes of many of her friends had examples of her painting, basketry, and needlework.