44 Facts About Helen Storrow

Helen Osborne Storrow was a prominent American philanthropist, early Girl Scout leader, and chair of the World Committee of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts for eight years.

Helen Storrow was married to James J Storrow, a prominent banker, who was the second national president of the Boy Scouts of America.

Helen Storrow's parents were raised in modest circumstances, but by the time of Helen's birth, Munson Osborne had become one of the most prominent men in Cayuga County.

Helen Storrow's ancestors were once prosperous landowners, but they became impoverished, having lost their fortune in the aftermath of the American Revolution.

Helen Storrow was an exacting, but fair employer, and years after his death his former employees still spoke of him with admiration.

Helen Storrow was the eldest child of David and Martha Wright.

Helen Storrow was an active member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, campaigning with her sister-in-law, Fanny Garrison Villard.

Helen Storrow was sent away to boarding school at the age of eleven.

Helen Storrow wrote warmly of those precious years and the activities they sponsored for a stream of youthful guests at the country home she and Jim eventually built on a hillside in Lincoln.

Helen Storrow insisted that teachers should be hired and promoted on the basis of "merit regardless of religious background," whereas before, Catholics had been routinely discriminated against.

Mr Helen Storrow is a Protestant, but he has a host of friends and admirers among the Catholics, clergy and laity alike, for his philanthropy which knows no test of religion nor of color; for his upright life; for his sincere devotion to the best interests of those citizens who most need the public schools.

Helen Storrow will be found where he has been found heretofore, alert for the largest possible moral, material and intellectual benefits for the neediest, rather than seeking to control appointments for personal or political motives.

Helen Storrow was involved in a wide variety of charitable activities during her life ranging from settlement work to land conservation.

Helen Storrow's initial focus was on children's charities, beginning with the playground movement.

Helen Storrow agreed that further education was necessary, and should be encouraged in immigrant communities, but she rejected the notion that immigrants were inherently inferior, and disliked the condescension shown by many of her peers toward immigrants.

Helen Storrow took a genuine interest in the women and children of the North End, joining the North Bennet Street Industrial School's board of managers in 1898, and serving as secretary of the institution.

Helen Storrow approached Helen with a letter of introduction from her uncle, William Garrison Jr.

Helen Storrow was inspired by Guerrier's desire to impart her knowledge of art and literature to the young women of the North End, taking an avid interest in Guerrier's work, and using her connections to generate funding, and attract speakers to the club.

Helen Storrow readily agreed to subsidize the venture and the Paul Revere Pottery was born.

Helen Storrow personally instructed the girls in the art of folk dancing.

Helen Storrow's growing involvement in scouting precluded her from continuing to take a personal interest in the daily operations of the Saturday Girls Club.

Helen Storrow announced in 1914 that she would no longer be able to subsidize the pottery, but agreed to fund the operation for an additional year, while they developed a plan to become self-sustaining.

Helen Storrow was introduced in 1915 to the founder of scouting in America, Juliette Gordon Low.

Whatever the reason, not long afterward, Helen Storrow began holding Girl Scout training courses at her summer home in Lincoln, Massachusetts.

In 1917, Helen Storrow founded the Pine Tree Camp, on her property at Long Pond, in Plymouth, which became the First National Girl Scout Leaders' Training School.

In July 1932, Helen Storrow provided the Girl Scouts with a retreat in Switzerland.

Helen Storrow purchased a chalet just outside Adelboden, in the Bernese Oberland.

Helen Storrow served for many years as First Vice President of Girl Scouts, Inc.

Helen Storrow responded to the latter argument by suggesting that, instead, the Girl Guides should refer to themselves as Scouts:.

Helen Storrow is one of only three American women ever granted the Silver Fish Award by Lady Baden-Powell.

Helen Storrow devoted increasingly lengthy amounts of time to providing lessons in English folk dance.

In 1911, during a benefit for the Playground Association of America, Helen Storrow could be found in the ballroom of the New Willard Hotel in New York City, leading a "practical demonstration" in folk dancing for those in attendance.

In 1915, Helen Storrow helped found, and served as director, of the American branch of the English Folk Dance Society, now known as the Country Dance Society, Boston Centre.

Helen Storrow believed that everyone's life, be they young or old, male or female, could be enriched by dance.

Lily Conant later operated the camp, which was willed to Conant's family after Helen Storrow's death, becoming Pinewood Camp Inc.

Helen Storrow oversaw the "home department" of the Eastern States Exposition, an annual fair occurring in New England.

In 1927, Helen Storrow purchased Gilbert House, a structure built in the 18th century, transporting the home from West Brookfield, to serve as a permanent headquarters for the department.

From 1927 to 1930, Helen invested nearly half-a-million dollars constructing the village of Storrowton, transporting authentic Revolutionary and pre-Revolutionary buildings and restoring them.

Helen Storrow's goal was to gather members from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, allowing for a diversity of views, to discuss relevant political and social issues.

The Storrows supported America's entry into the First World War, and Helen presided over the War Service Committee organized by the Women's City Club, raising funds for the war effort.

JJ Helen Storrow has given his country residence, Helen Storrow Farm, Lincoln, with the adjacent buildings and sixteen acres of land, for a Lincoln convalescent hospital for enfeebled and crippled soldiers.

Towards the end of her life, as the result of her brother's activism, Helen Storrow became interested in the cause of prison reform.

In 1931, Helen Storrow donated one million dollars to the State of Massachusetts to complete the development of the Charles River Basin, in which her husband had been involved prior to his death.

Helen Storrow joined this movement, and detailed efforts to expand the movement to include African American families in an article she authored in 1931 for the Urban League.