A Life Long Teacher – Genevieve May Wise 1895 - 1963
I only met my great aunt Genevieve two or three times in my life. She came to California to visited my family once I think and once when my family went back to Iowa to visit. I remember how tall she was which runs in the Wise family and how friendly she was which probably contributed to her career as an educator. From my research it seems her entire life was devoted to the teaching profession. Shortly after her graduation from high school in 1913, she secured a teaching position in Murray, Iowa. Genevieve and her mother Sarah lived together as the two of them are found as boarders in the 1920 census in Troy, Clarke county, Iowa. Her mother continued to live with her during her lifetime. By 1921 Genevieve had been appointed principal of the school in Murray. Through the years she taught school in Murray, Clarinda and Waterloo, Iowa. She attended Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa in the late 1920’s and continued her teaching into the 30s and 40s at West High School in Waterloo, Iowa. I believe, but have not been able to document, that she continued her own education and ultimately received a Masters of Education sometime in the 1940s. Genevieve never had children of her own, but she dedicated her life to nurturing and educating the many children who passed through the halls of the country schools of Adams, Clark and Black Hawk counties in Iowa. She will be remembered by me always.
Top row, 2nd girl from the right is Genevieve. Her mother, Sarah is the teacher standing on the right.
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