Eleanor O'Donnell McCormack (June 2, 1867 – February 28, 1931) was an American educator and

clubwoman The club movement is an American women's social movement that started in the mid-19th century and spread throughout the United States. It established the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform public policy. While wome ...

from the

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Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. She was a teacher and principal in the public schools of

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

and was elected superintendent of public schools for Shelby County. When elected, there were 148 schools in the county. She increased the number and brought them to a higher standard.

Early years and education

O'Donnell was born in

Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in Ross County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, ...

, on June 2, 1867. Her parents were both natives of

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. Her mother was born in

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and her father in Auburndale. Her parents moved the family to

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, when she was a child. She was educated in St. Agnes Academy, where she graduated in 1885.

Career

In 1886, O'Donnell was hired as a teacher in the public schools. The following year, she was made principal of a school in the 13th district. After two years in that capacity, she was elected superintendent of public schools in

Shelby County, Tennessee Shelby County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 929,744. It is the largest of the state's List of counties in Tennessee, 95 counties, both in terms of ...

, and was reelected in 1891. O'Donnell extended the average school-term from seven to nine months. She established 16 high schools, 11 for white children and five for black; held normal training-schools for teachers during each summer vacation, one for the white and one for the colored teachers, and held monthly institutes during the months when the schools were in session. She believed in technical training and continued study. When she first assumed the duties of superintendent, she found 148 schools open in the county, and brought it up to 217. She introduced higher mathematics and book-keeping, rhetoric, higher English, civil government, natural philosophy, physiology and the history of Tennessee as studies in the high schools. O'Donnell added vocal music as a study in all the schools. O'Donnell was the president of the Beethoven Club for three terms, organizer and regent of the Commodore Lawrence chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution, contributor to newspapers and periodicals, and author of historical essays. In 1908 she became President of the State Federation of Women's Clubs of Tennessee. In 1912 she became the President of The Nineteenth Century Club, one of the oldest of Tennessee women's clubs. In 1920, together with her sister-in-law, she was granted license to practice as lawyer in the courts. When asked why she chose to become a lawyer, she replied "Primarily to be able to be of assistance to those who are in need of legal advice, but cannot afford to pay for it."

Personal life

In 1900, O'Donnell married James Michael McCormack of the McCormack-Richards company. She lived at 7 S. McLean, Memphis. She is buried at Calvary Cemetery, Nashville.

References

Attribution

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:ODonnell, Nellie 1867 births 1931 deaths Politicians from Chillicothe, Ohio 19th-century American educators Educators from Ohio Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century 19th-century American women educators People from Chillicothe, Ohio