Founder - Mrs. Ada M. Manning
amanning

Superintendent, Lombard Public Schools, Lombard, Illinois.

Mrs. Manning helped with the organization and became a charter member of Epsilon Chapter in 1936. In 1943 she helped organize and became a charter member of Alpha Theta Chapter.

Mrs. Manning, a widow with two young children, took a teaching position in the Lombard Schools, advancing to a principalship, and then to the superintenancy for the Lombard Schools. She continued her professional training, taking summer and evening classes, and received her Masters Degree from Northwestern University. These were difficult times as she had to make many decisions during the years of the depression.

In 1939 Mrs. Manning was appointed Assistant Superintendent of McHenry County under her close friend, Mrs. Ethel C. (Perkins) Coe, where she served until 1944. Here she won the love and respect of teachers, parents, and children helping them with their problems. Never dramatic in her work, she simply lived with those with whom she worked, lending a helping hand, giving suggestions, recognizing and approving good work, inspiring more successful efforts where weakness was evident. Never a harsh judge, she was competent to evaluate, remaining kind and courteous. The only one whom she never spared was herself.
She retired in 1944 due to failing health, moved to Bassett, Nebraska, to make a home with her daughter. There she entered into and became a valued member of the community.

Deceased March 5, 1948.
Prepared from material obtained by Dorothy Ullrich (Alpha Theta) and Bertha Sexton (Beta Phi)

Note: An error has occurred in early records showing her first name as "Ida" but all records and reports from her own chapter, as well as from the McHenry County records, show it as "Ada."


Last update: 1/01/2009