Hettie Beaman Lakin Shumway (September 1, 1903 – June 17, 1985) was an American philanthropist and humanist during the early and mid-twentieth century. She committed much of her time to volunteering and worked to change and improve the

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

area, particularly at the

Strong Memorial Hospital Strong Memorial Hospital (SMH) is an 886-bed medical facility, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center complex (abbreviated URMC), in Rochester, New York, United States. Opened in 1926, it is a major provider of both in-patient and out ...

, the East House Corporation, Lifeline, the

Rochester School for the Deaf Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD) is a private, tuition-free school for deaf and hard of hearing students to attend in Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-mos ...

, among various other councils and committees. Shumway was also a strong advocate for establishing the

National Technical Institute for the Deaf The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) is the first and largest technological college in the world for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. As one of nine colleges within the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester ...

on the campus of the

Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university, private research university in the town of Henrietta, New York, Henrietta in the Rochester, New York, metropolitan area. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree ...

Personal life

Hettie Beaman Lakin (September 1, 1903 – June 17, 1985) was born to Herbert Conrad Lakin (1872–1952) and Helen Wardner Beaman (1877–1967) on her maternal grandparent's country estate named Blow-Me-Down in Cornish, New Hampshire. The oldest of four children, she and her family lived in New York City then moved to Scarsdale, New York and eventually settled down in Greenwich, Connecticut. Hettie was first educated at

Brearley School The Brearley School is an all-girls private school in New York City, located on the Upper East Side neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan. The school is divided into lower (kindergarten – grade 4), middle (grades 5–8) and upper (grades 9– ...

in New York City and graduated from St. Timothy's School in Catonsville, Maryland. She also took courses at

Barnard College Barnard College of Columbia University is a private women's liberal arts college in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a group of women led by young student activist Annie Nathan Meyer, who petitioned Columbia ...

and later would take

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...

courses in 1939. Hettie spent summers either at Blow-Me-Down or the Beaman family's summer home on

Isle au Haut Isle au Haut () is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States, on an island of the same name in Penobscot Bay. The population was 92 at the 2020 census. Home to portions of Acadia National Park, Isle au Haut is accessible by ferry from Stoningt ...

in Maine. Throughout her life Hettie enjoyed swimming, ice skating, singing, listening to radio broadcasts of the

Metropolitan Opera Company The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

, and sailing. She also travelled Europe with her Aunt Mary Holmes and Uncle Ned Holmes. As a youth, Hettie sang with the Junior League Glee Club and the People's Chorus of New York City. She also joined the New York

Junior League The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (Junior League or JL) is a private, nonprofit educational women's volunteer organization aimed at improving communities and the social, cultural, and political fabric of civil society. With ...

where she began volunteering in a settlement house and she later volunteered at the Child Welfare Department in Westchester County. On New Year's Day of 1930, Hettie Lakin met Frank Ritter Shumway when they both went to see

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...

at the opera. Nine months later on Monday, September 8, 1930 Hettie and Frank were married at Round Hill Community Church in

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

, Connecticut. Shortly after their wedding, the couple moved to 14 Crick Road, Oxford, England so Mr. Shumway could be educated at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. On May 30, 1931, Frank and Hettie Shumway welcomed their first child, Mary Ellen Shumway. The couple's second child, Frank Ritter Shumway Jr., would be born on May 9, 1933. In 1934 the Shumway family moved to the

area. They designed, built, and moved into a home on Ambassador Drive in Brighton, New York by the end of 1935. The third and final child of the family, Charles Lakin Shumway, was born on July 8, 1936. With a living room full of family photos, that home would become a gathering place for health and social agency staff, various committee members, traveling figure skaters, and many other friends. The Shumway family had a passion for sailing and owned two schooners named “Spindrift” and “Skookum III”. They also owned a beloved fifty-foot ketch named “Flying Gull”. Summers were spent sailing the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

and vacationing at

Georgian Bay Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To ...

. Hettie Shumway was extremely fond of sailing and adored spending time with her husband on the "Flying Gull". Hettie dedicated much of her life to

volunteerism Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

, philanthropy, and

humanism Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

. She continued to be involved in the community even after she suffered from a paralyzing stroke in 1984, which left her in a wheelchair under the almost constant care of a nurse. Even a few days after her stroke, she left the hospital to attend a Friends of Strong event. Hettie Beaman Lakin Shumway died in her home on Ambassador Drive.

Philanthropy and community involvement

Strong Memorial Hospital

Hettie Shumway began volunteering in

’s library in 1935 and continued to volunteer and be active with the medical center until her death in 1985. She served on various boards and committees and also helped to found the Friends of Strong. Shumway received the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

’s Associates Medal in 1968 for her 34 years of service. Mrs. Shumway was appointed to the Board of Overseers for the hospital in 1974. In 1984 she received Strong's first Hettie L. Shumway Volunteer Service Award.

East House Corporation

Mrs. Shumway was a major advocate for people with mental health problems. She believed that patients leaving the Rochester Psychiatric Center needed a

halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...

to continue their supervision as they adjusted to the outside community. Although Shumway faced a lot of resistance from the community, the East House Corporation was founded with her support and the first halfway house opened in 1966. At this time, she was the vice president of East House. She later became the president of East House Corp. in January 1968 and held that position until 1971. In 1981, East House Corp. named one of their houses after Mrs. Shumway.

Lifeline

Hettie Shumway sustained interest in the Rochester area's Poison Control hotline and Mental Health Crisis phone service. With her financial support, these two groups were able to develop and progress. Hettie eventually brought the groups together to form Lifeline, a multi-crisis phone service for the

Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

community.

Politics

Mrs. Shumway was a dedicated

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

who was known for waking up early on Election Day to vote. She became a charter member of the Susan B. Anthony Republican Club in 1949 and was on the board of directors from 1952 to 1964 and again from 1967 to 1969. Hettie was the president of the Susan B. Anthony Republican Club in 1955 and 1956. For many years Hettie would also host the Republican Club's annual garden party. Mrs. Shumway was a

committeewoman for the 8th District of Brighton from 1957 to 1966 and during this time she was the County Committeewoman from 1960 to 1966. Hettie was the Leader of District 8 from 1961 to 1966.

Generosity

Hettie Shumway was known for giving money to those in need and funding various projects. She would often provide aid to extended family who were struggling to afford education, pay off a mortgage, or who needed to pay counseling fees. At one point, Hettie learned that her housekeeper was going to lose her home and so Hettie bought the house and gave it to her. Mrs. Shumway also paid for a hearing-loop to be installed in her secretary's church as a gift honoring the secretary's 25th wedding anniversary. Once Hettie bought a new roof for one of the halfway homes belonging to the East House Corporation so that the price of lunch for those in need wouldn't be raised $1 (Miller).

Mental health advocacy

Hettie was very committed to the well-being of those with

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...

problems, as seen in her role with East House Corporation. Within the

Community she worked in several other areas involving

patients. Mrs. Shumway worked with esteemed psychiatrist, Dr. John Romano, of the

to develop the Mental Health Chapter of the Health Association. When New York declared that the state would provide funds to counties who established mental health facilities, Hettie pushed for

Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: * Monroe County, Alabama *Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida * Monroe County, Georgia *Monroe County, Illinois *Monroe County, Indian ...

to take the impressive opportunity, which was ultimately rejected. Once the Mental Health Chapter was established, Hettie became a member in 1949. She served as chairman of the board from 1955 to 1957 and again from 1958 to 1960. During 1957 and 1958 Hettie was a vice chairman of the board. Mrs. Shumway also served as a delegate director of the board of directors of the New York State Association for Mental Health, Inc. from 1956 to 1965. In the years 1958 and 1963 Hettie was chosen from the New York State Association to be a delegate for the National Association for Mental Health Annual Convention. Between 1964 and 1965 Mrs. Shumway served as the regional vice president of the State Association for Region V. In 1963 Hettie was also on the Ad Hoc Committee of the Mental Health Council on Psychiatric Services in General Hospitals.

Rochester School for the Deaf

While Hettie was always an advocate for the education of

deaf Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an Audiology, audiological condition. In this context it ...

people, her intrigue grew even more when she learned later in life that she was

in one ear. Due to her interest, Mrs. Shumway worked with the

for many years. She became a member of the board of directors of the school in 1941 and remained a member for 44 years. Hettie was vice president of the school from January 1951 through January 1953 and was then the president of the Rochester School for the Deaf from January 1953 until January 1959. It was well known that Hettie truly cared for the students and was often seen walking with them or sitting on park benches with them. Hettie's involvement with the

enabled her to learn of the plans for the

early on. The

has honored Mrs. Shumway by naming the school's recreational area Shumway Court.

Rochester School of Technology / National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Hettie Shumway was highly involved with the

and also with the institute's addition of the

. Hettie was on the Women's Council of the

and acted as president from 1959 to 1965. She was also a member of the board of trustees of

RIT Rit is a brand of dye A dye is a colored substance that chemically bonds to the substrate to which it is being applied. This distinguishes dyes from pigments which do not chemically bind to the material they color. Dye is generally applied i ...

from 1959 to 1965. Mrs. Shumway was a strong advocate for the campus to be moved to Henrietta, which it eventually was. Hettie and her husband were major contributors to the 150th Campaign Fund on campus, as well as the Interfaith Center Fund. In 1965 Hettie was in Washington with a committee searching for a new superintendent for the

. It was here that Hettie learned how Public Law 89-36 was searching for a place to establish

NTID The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) is the first and largest technological college in the world for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. As one of nine colleges within the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester ...

. Upon her return to

, Mrs. Shumway approached Dr. Mark Ellingson, the president of

with a copy of the bill and told him, "there is no place in the United States that this ought to go except Rochester Institute of Technology,". Dr. Ellingson had Professor Harold Kentner speak with the National Advisory Group who were working to find a location for

and Kentner went on the write the formal proposal to the group requesting the

be established on the

campus in Henrietta. On October 1, 1966, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare wrote to

to inform them that they had been selected as the future location of

. On December 20 of that year, an agreement was signed confirming the

site. In 1967 Hettie Shumway became a member of the advisory board for the establishment of the

. Today the dining commons at

are named in Hettie Shumway's honor.

Junior League of Rochester

Mrs. Shumway was on the board of directors for the

of Rochester from 1939 until 1944. Between 1940 and 1942 Hettie served as a placement chairman for the board. She became president of the

for two years beginning in 1942.

Department of Volunteers of the Council of Social Agencies

Hettie was a member of the board of directors from 1939 to 1950 and served as chairman from 1946 to 1948.

Civil Defense Volunteer Office of the Rochester War Council

Hettie Shumway began taking

courses in 1939 and became a chairman of the Civil Defense Volunteer Office of the Rochester War Council in May 1942. She held this position until the end

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Her responsibilities included working with

rationing Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is one's allowed portion of the resources being distributed on a particular ...

boards, civilian protection services, and war stamp and bond committees.

Young Women’s Christian Association

Mrs. Shumway was a member of the board of directors from 1944 to 1947.

Monroe County Chapter of the Association for the Help of Retarded Children

Hettie was a member of the board of directors from June 1957 until November 1959.

Heart Chapter/Genesee Valley Heart Association

Mrs. Shumway served as a member of the board of directors of the Heart Chapter from 1964 through June 1968. The organization was later renamed the Genesee Valley Heart Association.

Monroe County Board of Health

Hettie Shumway became a charter member of the

Board of Health in 1958. In September 1961 she was appointed a six-year term and was reappointed in 1967. Mrs. Shumway served as president to the

Board of Health from 1966 to 1970.

Health Association of Rochester and Monroe County

Hettie Shumway became a member of the board of directors in 1937 and served as the association's president in 1962.

Project HOPE

Mrs. Shumway was an honorary chairman of

Project HOPE Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is an international global health and humanitarian aid non-governmental organization founded in the United States in 1958. Project HOPE works in five main areas: disasters and health cri ...

from 1966 to 1967. Then in 1967 she became a chairman of the board of directors of the Rochester Committee for

until 1970.

New York State's Committee for Children

Hettie Shumway was a member of New York State's Committee for Children in 1971.

Awards and honors

In 1968 Hettie received

’s Associates Medal for her service to the medical center for over 34 years. In 1975 Hettie was the seventh recipient of the Forman Flair Pin. In 1978 the Genesee Figure Skating Club redesigned their lounge and named the lounge the Hettie L. Shumway Lounge. In 1981 the East House Corporation named one of their halfway houses located on Mt. Hope Avenue after Mrs. Shumway. In 1983 the

F. Ritter Shumway Frank Ritter Shumway (27 March 1906 – 9 March 1992) was a major figure in figure skating in the United States. From 1951 to 1965, he was president of the Ritter Dental, Ritter Company, a dental chair manufacturer founded by his grandfather Frank ...

and Hettie L. Shumway Distinguished Service Award was created as a way to recognize those who have made a significant impact on the quality of family life in the

community. In 1984 Hettie received

’s first Hettie L. Shumway Volunteer Service Award. Hettie received the Biggs Award. Hettie received the Nathanial Rochester Society Award from RIT. The

’s dining commons are named after Hettie Shumway.

’s recreational area named Shumway Court in honor of Mrs. Shumway.

Quotes

“Stay faithful to what is to your heart, it makes a difference." –Hettie Shumway “I love people and I want to share the many blessings life has brought me. It takes so little effort to help people.” –Hettie Shumway “Mark, there is no place in the United States that this ought to go except Rochester Institute of Technology. The long history of the Institute, its help in channeling men and women into the mainstream of American business is so strong, that we have and open and shut case.” –Hettie ShumwayMathews, Bill memorandum to JoAnne Lane. “Mrs. F. Ritter (Hettie) Shumway, Profile Revision.” Office Memorandum, Rochester Institute of Technology, 1983.

Notes

References

*Bennett, Judy. "A Lounge for Figure Skaters." Democrat and Chronicle, March 26, 1978. *"Biography of Hettie L. Shumway." typescript., Rochester Institute of Technology, 1971. *Gordon, Dane. Rochester Institute of Technology: Industrial Development and Educational Innovation in an American City, 1829–2006. Rochester: Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. *Mathews, Bill memorandum to JoAnne Lane. "Mrs. F. Ritter (Hettie) Shumway, Profile Revision." Office Memorandum, Rochester Institute of Technology, 1983. *Miller, Audrey, and Carol Reed. Commitment to Community: Celebrating the Heritage and Legacy of Frank Ritter Shumway & Hettie Beaman Lakin Shumway. Rochester: Rochester Institute of Technology, 1994. *“Miss Hettie Lakin Weds Next Monday." New York Times, September 4, 1930. *Orioli, Richard, and Carol Eisenberg. “Hettie L. Shumway Dies at 81: Community volunteer, humanitarian, friend of people in need." Times-Union, June 18, 1985. *“She Has a ‘Flair’” Democrat and Chronicle, September 17, 1975. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shumway, Hettie 1903 births 1985 deaths Activists from Rochester, New York Brearley School alumni