Alice Stebbins Wells - Essay 1
Alyssia Crose’ 6\\30\13
Alice Stebbins Wells
For centuries women have been working towards broadening opportunities within the work force. Many women have struggled to gain equality, and some have been successful. On June 13, 1873 in Manhattan Kansas, Alice Stebbins Wells was born, as was the start of her success story.
Alice Stebbins (which later became her maiden name) was a daughter of Homer Pease and Sarah (Kinney) Stebbins, both of whom were descendants of notable New England families and early graduates of Oberlin College, in Ohio. Homer P. Stebbins taught Latin in the Oberlin schools, and later established and edited the first newspaper in Hiawatha, Kansas. Alice Stebbins Wells attended public schools in Atchison, Kansas, as well as graduating from a high school there. After graduating school Alice spent several years with a business career in the Middle West, New York, and New England.
In 1900 at age 27 she became pastor’s assistant for Dr. Newell Dwight Hillis in Plymouth Church, in Brooklyn N.Y. Alice spent two years at the Hartford, Connecticut, Theological Seminary, specializing in Old Testament history with the intention of giving lectures on “The Message of the Prophets for Today.” While attending the seminary she spent two vacations filling summer pulpits in Congregational Home Missionary churches in Maine, thereby becoming the first woman preacher in that state. She then went on and gave her lecture at bible schools and many churches throughout the East and Middle West, including Oklahoma. While in Oklahoma, Alice married Frank Wells, a member of a pioneer Wisconsin family. Mr. and Mrs. Wells had three children, Ramona, Raymond, and Gardner. Frank eventually became ill which lead to her return to the professional field as a social worker.
In May, 1910, at the age of 37 having moved to Los Angeles, Mrs. Wells conceived the idea and undertook the work of securing the enactment of legislation creating the office of policewoman in this city.
Alice Stebbins Wells
For centuries women have been working towards broadening opportunities within the work force. Many women have struggled to gain equality, and some have been successful. On June 13, 1873 in Manhattan Kansas, Alice Stebbins Wells was born, as was the start of her success story.
Alice Stebbins (which later became her maiden name) was a daughter of Homer Pease and Sarah (Kinney) Stebbins, both of whom were descendants of notable New England families and early graduates of Oberlin College, in Ohio. Homer P. Stebbins taught Latin in the Oberlin schools, and later established and edited the first newspaper in Hiawatha, Kansas. Alice Stebbins Wells attended public schools in Atchison, Kansas, as well as graduating from a high school there. After graduating school Alice spent several years with a business career in the Middle West, New York, and New England.
In 1900 at age 27 she became pastor’s assistant for Dr. Newell Dwight Hillis in Plymouth Church, in Brooklyn N.Y. Alice spent two years at the Hartford, Connecticut, Theological Seminary, specializing in Old Testament history with the intention of giving lectures on “The Message of the Prophets for Today.” While attending the seminary she spent two vacations filling summer pulpits in Congregational Home Missionary churches in Maine, thereby becoming the first woman preacher in that state. She then went on and gave her lecture at bible schools and many churches throughout the East and Middle West, including Oklahoma. While in Oklahoma, Alice married Frank Wells, a member of a pioneer Wisconsin family. Mr. and Mrs. Wells had three children, Ramona, Raymond, and Gardner. Frank eventually became ill which lead to her return to the professional field as a social worker.
In May, 1910, at the age of 37 having moved to Los Angeles, Mrs. Wells conceived the idea and undertook the work of securing the enactment of legislation creating the office of policewoman in this city.