Mary Belle King Sherman

Mary Belle King Sherman (December 11, 1862 — January 15, 1935) was an American clubwoman, parliamentarian, and conservationist who lobbied for the creation of the National Parks system. In 1924 she was elected president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Mary Belle King Sherman, from a 1910 publication.

Early life

Mary Belle King was born in Albion, New York, the daughter of Rufus King and Sarah Electa Whitney King.[1]

Career

Mary Belle King Sherman joined the Chicago Woman's Club on advice from her mother-in-law, already a member. She joined a women's study group on parliamentary law that sparked an ongoing interest in the subject.[2] Soon she was using her new expertise while serving as an officer in women's organizations, including the Chicago Woman's Club, the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs, and the General Federation of Women's Clubs.[3] She held the position of recording secretary in the national organization from 1904 to 1908, then became vice president at the national level, from 1908 to 1910. She also published a book on parliamentary law, Parliamentary Law at a Glance: A Guide for Club Women and Students (1901), and taught at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.[4] In 1907 she toured the Panama Canal Zone with Federation president Eva Perry Moore.[5]

In 1914 she moved to Colorado to recover from illness and injury, and became determined that the scenic western landscapes that refreshed her should be available to every American.[6] "Every community should have a place in which the people may spend their leisure time," she declared in a 1915 speech at a conservation conference in Berkeley, California, "where they will be brought in direct contact with things of beauty and interest in the outdoor world."[7] She started and chaired the General Federation of Women's Club's conservation efforts from 1914 to 1920; during her time as a lobbyist, the National Park Service was established, and the Grand Canyon became a national park, among other accomplishments.[8] She was made a vice president of the American Forestry Association and a trustee of the National Parks Association in recognition of her work.[4][9]

During World War I, Sherman worked with the federal Bureau of Education on school gardening programs. From 1920 to 1924, she continued her educational interests as chair of the applied education department of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. From 1924 to 1928, she served as the Federation's tenth president.[10] During her presidency, she was called upon by the press to opine on subjects weighty and light, including flapper fashions[11] and housework.[12] In 1925 she was also appointed to the advisory board of the National Broadcasting Company, and she served on the George Washington Bicentennial Commission. She wrote a radio presentation, The Mother of George Washington (1930), as part of that project.[13]

Personal life

Mary Belle King married John Dickinson Sherman, a Chicago newspaper editor, in 1887. She was widowed when he died in 1926. They had a son, John King Sherman.[14] Mary Belle King Sherman died in 1935, aged 72 years, from complications after being injured in a traffic accident.[15]

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References
  1. Lineage Book - National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Volume 33 (DAR 1912): 7.
  2. Mary Belle King Sherman, "Parliamentary Law Talks" American Monthly Magazine (December 1905): 886.
  3. "Mrs. John D. Sherman; A Chicago Woman Who is an Expert on Parliamentary Law" Indiana Weekly Messenger (January 11, 1905): 2. via Newspapers.com
  4. Dorothy E. Johnson, "Mary Belle King Sherman" in Edward T. James, Janet Wilson James, Paul S. Boyer, eds., Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary, Volume 3 (Harvard University Press 1971): 280-281. ISBN 9780674627345
  5. Karen J. Blair, "Mary Belle King Sherman" in American National Biography Online (2000).
  6. Polly Welts Kaufman, National Parks and the Woman's Voice: A History (UNM Press 2006): 32-33. ISBN 9780826339942
  7. People, Rocky Mountain National Park, National Park Service.
  8. Shaun Eyring, "Special Places Saved: The Role of Women in Preserving the American Landscape" in Gail Lee Dubrow, Jennifer B. Goodman, eds., Restoring Women's History Through Historic Preservation (JHU Press 2003): 47-48. ISBN 9780801870521
  9. Louise M. Benjamin, The NBC Advisory Council and Radio Programming, 1926–1945 (SIU Press 2009): 21-22. ISBN 9780809386741
  10. "International Presidents of the General Federation of Women's Clubs 1890-2012" GFWC.org.
  11. "Bare Arms Violate Beauty of Women Over 20, Says Head of Club Federation" Anniston Star (May 31, 1925): 11. via Newspapers.com
  12. "Club Woman Says Housewives have 'Habit of Drudgery'" Index (June 16, 1927): 5. via Newspapers.com
  13. Mary Belle King Sherman, The Mother of George Washington: A Radio Address (Government Printing Office 1930).
  14. "Mrs. Mary King Sherman, Club Leader, Dead" Chicago Daily Tribune (January 16, 1935): 14.
  15. "Mrs. Sherman Dies; Led Nation's Clubs" New York Times (January 16, 1935): 17.
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