Laura Freele Osborn
Encyclopedia
Laura A. Freele Osborn was a suffragist, campaigner for school reform, and long-serving member of the School Board
for Detroit Public Schools
in Detroit, Michigan
during the early half of the 20th century.
She was born and raised in Huntington, Indiana
. She taught school in Huntington until her marriage in 1891 to Francis C. Osborn
a businessman and inventor of Detroit.
She was first elected to the Detroit School Board in 1917, campaigning on a platform of reform. She was the first woman elected to citywide office in Detroit. She served on the School Board for 38 years, until her death in 1955. During that time she was selected as School Board president seven (7) times. Laura Osborn also played a role in developing Wayne State University
in the mid 1930s.
She is also credited with having mobilized women in to the cause of school reform and temperance, and also to have "broken the prejudice against women officeholders in Detroit". She also ran unsuccessfully for City Council two times.
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
for Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools is a school district that covers all of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The student population of the Detroit Public Schools is about 65,971 , which is down about 9.7% from the previous school year. Detroit Public Charter Schools educate an additional 56,000...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
during the early half of the 20th century.
She was born and raised in Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
. She taught school in Huntington until her marriage in 1891 to Francis C. Osborn
Francis C. Osborn, Sr.
Francis Conrad Osborn, Sr. was a teacher, businessman and inventor. He held about 50 patents for cash register designs, springless scales, and other devices....
a businessman and inventor of Detroit.
She was first elected to the Detroit School Board in 1917, campaigning on a platform of reform. She was the first woman elected to citywide office in Detroit. She served on the School Board for 38 years, until her death in 1955. During that time she was selected as School Board president seven (7) times. Laura Osborn also played a role in developing Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in the mid 1930s.
She is also credited with having mobilized women in to the cause of school reform and temperance, and also to have "broken the prejudice against women officeholders in Detroit". She also ran unsuccessfully for City Council two times.
Legacy
- Osborn High SchoolOsborn High SchoolOsborn High School is an educational complex operated by Detroit Public Schools .Located on the northeast side of Detroit, Michigan; the school is named for Laura Freele Osborn , a highly regarded suffragist and campaigner for school reform. Mrs. Osborn was a member of the Detroit School Board; she...
in Detroit, built in the late 1950s, was named in her honour.
- She was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of FameMichigan Women's Hall of FameThe Michigan Women's Hall of Fame honors distinguished women, both historical and contemporary, who have been associated with the U.S. state of Michigan. It is housed in the Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame building, located at 213 W. Malcolm X St. in downtown Lansing, Michigan...
in 1995.
General
- http://hall.michiganwomenshalloffame.org/honoree.php?C=148&A=20~114~96~172~79~2~62~113~46~80~3~152~167~74~138~63~92~196~4~32~121~84~48~153~192~41~129~82~69~109~42~93~97~56~175~103~13~207~21~126~104~5~98~131~27~53~38~195~139~106~57~22~147~58~107~127~6~173~144~85~17~148~47~208~49~43~205~135~168~181~33~115~176~23~14~75~169~130~162~44~198~204~99~7~118~119~8~136~50~15~157~65~150~108~24~154~170~163~76~9~209~110~140~70~59~51~155~16~158~156~60~182~191~116~190~28~164~125~160~197~86~193~29~134~39~159~111~61~177~132~87~52~199~54~35~210~211~64~112~200~183~165~100~10~122~71~77~94~120~11~36~25~151~178~55~88~45~184~128~72~78~171~141~180~206~189~73~123~83~89~145~18~66~26~30~212~188~142~90~19~40~161~133~81~67~37~146~217~91~143~12~31~68~1~213~101~117~214~174~102~137~185~124~95~216~166~187Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame, Laura Freele Osborn].
- Osborn High School
- "The Folks Behind DPS Building Names: Laura Freele-Osborn," Transporting News (Office of Student Transportation, Detroit Public Schools) Vol. 2, No. 8, April 2007, page 3