Emma Shew 1891 - 1914

SHEW, CARRIGAN

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/23/2010 at 18:44:59

Source: LCHS scrapbook, handwritten date of Dec. 16, 1914

PROMINENT YOUNG LADY SUCCUMBS

Miss Erma Shew Passed Away Early Wednesday.

PNEUMONIA WAS CAUSE

Miss Shew Died in Wapello at Home of Grandmother - Had Been Ill For Some Time, But Not Seriously Until Last Friday - Chose to do Duty Before Looking After Health - Death Was Her Reward

This community was greatly grieved by the announcement of the untimely death of Miss Erma Shew, one of our best known teachers and a young lady who was admired for her ability and energy in school work. She was a graduate of the Wapello high school in 1910, and was making a great success in the field of teaching.

Erma Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shew was born five miles north of Wapello, on the old homestead of Grandfather Shew, August 26, 1891, and passed to her reward at the home of her grandmother, Mrs. Mary Carrigan, Dec. 16, 1914, aged 23 years, 3 months and 20 days.

As a student in school she was very industrious and ambitious. After graduating from the rural school she entered Wapello high school from which she graduated with the class of 1910, carrying off the highest homors of her class. She immediately commenced teaching, teaching one year and a half at Walnut Dell, two years at Fairview, and at the time of her death was teaching at Pine Grove.

This last summer she attended Summer School at Iowa Wesleyan college where she took a course in Domestic Science and Agriculture to better fit herself for the work of teaching. She was a faithful, earnest, painstaking teacher, always thinking of her pupils and planning for their welfare and betterment.