Английская Википедия:Agnes Ballard

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Agnes Ballard (September 14, 1877 – November 24, 1969) was an American architect and educator. She was the first female registered architect in Florida, the sixth woman admitted to the American Institute of Architects and the first from Florida. As an educator, she taught geography, biology, chemistry, Latin and mathematics in West Palm Beach, Florida. Ballard was also one of the first women to be elected to a public office in Florida, serving as Superintendent of Public Education for Palm Beach County, Florida for four years.

Biography

Agnes Ballard was born in Oxford, Massachusetts, on September 14, 1877,Шаблон:RШаблон:R the daughter of Dana L. Ballard and Jane R. Carpenter, both originally from Vermont.Шаблон:R She attended public schools in Worcester, Massachusetts,Шаблон:R and went on to attend Wellesley College in 1902.Шаблон:R She graduated from Worcester Normal School (a teacher training college) in 1905.Шаблон:RШаблон:R

Early teaching career

Seeking a challenge after graduation she took a teaching job in Palmer, Michigan, but found she disliked the cold weather there. "I saw so much snow In one season I wanted to go somewhere where I never would see snow again."Шаблон:R So, in 1906, at age 29Шаблон:R, she moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where she got a job teaching geography, biology and chemistry at Palm Beach High School.Шаблон:R In 1908, she moved to a nearby private school opened by Grace Lainhart, where she taught Latin and mathematics.Шаблон:R

Seeking a higher salary, she again moved north in 1910, this time to White Plains, New York, but again found the snow was not for her. She returned to Florida to teach in St. Augustine. She moved north once more when she became a private secretary (for the local YWCA, and then an Episcopal church) in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She would soon return to Florida for good, but this time not as a teacher.Шаблон:R

Switch to architecture

Файл:Agnes Ballard 1916 architecture business ad.jpg
A 1916 newspaper ad for Ballard's business

During her time in La Crosse, she had apprenticed at the architectural firm of Percy Dwight Bentley.Шаблон:RШаблон:R In 1913, she returned to Florida and continued to study architecture.Шаблон:R In 1914, she was granted architecture license No. 6 by the State of Florida.Шаблон:R She was not only the first woman to be a licensed architect in the state,Шаблон:R but she received the first license beyond those the five-member licensing board in Tallahassee issued to themselves.Шаблон:R In 1916, she became only the sixth woman to be granted membership in the American Institute of Architects.Шаблон:R She ran an ad in the local city directory and became a regular fixture in the local society column.Шаблон:R

When she started as an architect, she used her home as an office and studioШаблон:R for her one-woman practice.Шаблон:R Asked about her architecture projects, she said she had worked on "apartments, residences and hot dog stands."Шаблон:R She became acquainted with fellow architect Addison Mizner, who designed lavish homes in the area. When he organized a local architects' club, Ballard was the secretary.Шаблон:R

Superintendent of schools

Файл:Agnes Ballard campaign rally ad October 29 1920.png
October 29, 1920, campaign rally advertisement

After the 19th Amendment was adopted on August 18, 1920, friends asked Ballard to run for office in the election that fall. She ran for County Superintendent of Schools, alongside Clara Stypmann who ran for the school board.Шаблон:R Ballard had worked as a teacher for the school district before, but her six years of architecture experience was also relevant because the district was booming and needed to build new schools.Шаблон:R Both candidates won their elections,Шаблон:R making them among the first women ever elected to public office in Florida.Шаблон:R Ballard took office on January 4, 1921.Шаблон:RШаблон:R

During her term, Ballard led the district through "boom years of incredible growth."Шаблон:RШаблон:R She was appointed chairperson of the civic improvement committee of the Florida Association of Architects.Шаблон:R Among the building projects that were begun under her was a vocational school at Canal Point, built for the then large sum of $8,000.Шаблон:R She was elected President of the Royal Palm Educational Association, an alliance of the school districts of three Florida counties.Шаблон:R

But she was a "stern" leader and her term of office was a "rocky one." She sought bond money to build new schools, but local voters were unenthusiastic. As a result she proposed the district buy an early version of a portable classroom. She once fired a male principal who had his students demonstrate at her home until police were called.Шаблон:R

In 1924, she had "had enough"Шаблон:R and declined to run for re-election. Joseph A. Youngblood took over her post.Шаблон:R

Later career

After her term ended, Ballard got into real estate investing and did well until a crash occurred in 1926.Шаблон:R That sent her back to teaching and architecture.Шаблон:RШаблон:R

She contacted Youngblood (her successor) for a teaching job, and she was given one at Conniston Road School.Шаблон:R By 1934, she was teaching Latin, algebra, history, English and civics at Palm Beach Elementary.Шаблон:R She continued her education during the summer in Gainesville, Florida, and, in August 1936,Шаблон:R the University of Florida awarded her a B.A. in Education.Шаблон:RШаблон:R She made Phi Kappa Phi.Шаблон:R

In 1947, she retired from teaching after 19 years of service,Шаблон:R taking up architecture again. At this time, she had two draftsmen working for her.Шаблон:R In 1957, she retired from her architecture businessШаблон:R and again ran for school board, this time at age 80, but failed in this attempt.Шаблон:R

After a local article chronicled her forgotten history,Шаблон:R the Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects voted to give her a posthumous award in July 2016.Шаблон:R

Personal life

Ballard never married.Шаблон:R She had one brother (Willis D.)Шаблон:R and one sister (Ethel G.),Шаблон:R both of whom she survived.Шаблон:R Aside from English and Latin, she spoke five languagesШаблон:R including French, Spanish, Italian, German and Russian.Шаблон:R She sang and played the organ; she played chess.Шаблон:R She was involved in many clubs and other activities, to the extent that her friends called her "Activity" Ballard.Шаблон:R She occasionally travelled, visiting England and Scotland in 1908.Шаблон:R She also took a trip to Europe in 1926,Шаблон:R visiting Paris and the French Riviera.Шаблон:R Later in life she visited Alaska on the recommendation of Wilson Mizner (the brother of architect Addison Mizner).Шаблон:R

She died on November 24, 1969, in West Palm Beach.Шаблон:R

Known architectural works

Many of Ballard's architectural works have not survived to the present day, or are not recorded as being hers.Шаблон:R Some that are known to still exist:

See also

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Authority control