Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/645

604 Miss Denison was born May 17, 1889, in Denver, Colorado. She is the daughter of Dr. Denison and granddaughter of Henry Strong, of Chicago, the well-known philanthropist. She was graduated in Bryn Mawr in June, 1910, and immediately volunteered as a worker in the New York Bureau of Municipal Research and has spent all her time in that important work since her graduation. This one of the most important progressive movements was started in New York by an organization to be known as the New York Bureau of Municipal Research, whose object is an investigation as to the benefit derived from the co-operation of educational associations, women's clubs, boards of trade, and charities with the public schools in the matters of medical and dental examinations, school nurses, sanitary improvements, new buildings, recreation and playgrounds, decorations, industrial training, kindergartens, changes in school laws, relief of the needy, instructions in civics and many other things which will be conducive to the welfare of the children destined to be the men and women of the near future. In reply to their circulars begging for information the bureau has had many interested responses and volunteer workers. Miss Denison, though but twenty-two years of age, has been one of the most effective workers under the bureau and will make a report in September that will be valuable to the bureau in forming plans for further activities. Miss Denison chose the problem of "Civic Co-operation with the Public Schools," because of her patriotic conviction that "upon the wise education of the child to-day depends the efficiency of the citizen of to-morrow." To have that education the best, every citizen must take an active interest in the schools of his community.

Mrs. Thayer is the present head of the college settlement in New York. Before her marriage, in 1904, she was Miss Mary Appleton Shute. Mrs. Thayer is a graduate of Smith College.

Among other women prominently connected with settlement work and social investigation may be mentioned Mrs. C. B. Spahr, of Princeton, New Jersey; Miss Jean Gurney Fine, Miss Elizabeth Williams, Miss Maud Miner and Miss Mary B. Sayles, who are all graduates of Smith College. Other Smith women who are prominent in literature are Miss Anna Hempstead Branch, Miss Fannie Harding Eckstorm, Miss Olivia Howard Dunbar, Miss Zephine Humphrey, Miss Anna Chapin Ray, Miss Ella Burns Sherman and Miss Fannie Stearns Davis.