Douglass, Lucile (1894-1937)

DOUGLASS, HALE, KIRK, TIPTON

Posted By: Jerry Hale (email)
Date: 11/30/2007 at 02:03:57

MAXWELL TRIBUNE
OCTOBER 21, 1937

SUDDEN DEATH OF FORMER MAXWELL GIRL

(PHOTO OF MISS DOUGLASS)

The sudden death of Lucile Douglass, County Superintendent, and daughter of Attorney and Mrs. I. W. Douglass, early Monday morning, was a great shock to her parents, relatives and a great host of friends. Miss Douglass, who was suffering from a mild cold, was taken ill shortly after retiring and a physician was called and spent two hours with her, leaving about 2 o'clock, after which Miss Douglass dropped off to sleep.

Death was due, according to the attending physician to heart trouble, aggravated by a severe cold and chronic bronchial asthmatic condition from which she had long suffered.

Lucile, only daughter, of Mr. and Mrs. I. W. Douglass, was born at Maxwell, Iowa, on July 28, 1894. She attended the Maxwell schools from which she graduated in 1912. Following the graduation from the High School and during her University career she taught school in Indian Creek and Union townships and also at Pomeroy and Kalona. She graduated from the University of Iowa in the summer of 1921. Later she took post graduate work at the University of Southern California. Other teaching experience included five years at Kimball, Nebraska; from there to Saint Monica School, in Des Moines and two years at Sheffield, Iowa where she was Principal in the Sheffield Schools. After her work at Sheffield she accepted the position of County Superintendent of the Story County Schools which position she held at the time of her death.

Taking an active interest in her religious faith, she was converted at an early age and became a member of the Presbyterian Church of Maxwell. Here she has retained an active membership during her lifetime though she has willingly affiliated with other churches in communities where her work has called her. She was affiliated with many organizations being a member of the Annie Laurie Chapter of the O.E.S. the American Legion Auxiliary; Phi Omega Pi, social sorority; Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary sorority for women in Education; The American Association of University Women and the literary department of the Woman's Club of Nevada.

Aside from her position as County Superintendent of Schools, she was Chairman of the Story County Board of Education; Secretary-Treasurer of the Story County School Administrative Association, and Publicity chairman of the Story County Parent Teacher's Association Council. In the State education circles she was a member of the State Committee on Education of the State Planning Board, Chairman of the Standardized Tests Committee for 8th Grade Promotion, a Member of the Department of Superintendents of National Educational Association and a member of the rural department of the National Educational Association.

Miss Douglass had been eminently successful in her work as a county school administrator and she was recognized in State Education Circles as one of the outstanding administrators in the work within the state of Iowa. Her successful and promising work as an educator was brought suddenly to a close when she passed away after a brief illness, in Nevada on October 18, 1837.

She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. I. W. Douglass in her family home in Maxwell and by two brothers, Dudley G. Douglass, of Maxwell, and Emlin Douglass, of Sac City, and by one niece, Anne Douglass, of Maxwell, of whom she was very fond. Many other relatives and a host of friends also mourn her passing today. The news of her death came as a distinct shock to her family and her friends and also to those associated with her in County and State Educational work in which she was so well known and wherein her merit was so clearly recognized.

Her life has been characterized with unselfish willingness to help others and to be of service to them. She found her greatest satisfactions in doing more than a sense of duty required of her, both in her home and family relationships, and in her work as an educator.

Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church, Wednesday afternoon, at 2:30 with the Rev. Joseph M. Kennedy, pastor of Central Presbyterian church of Nevada, assisted by the Rev. Harry D. Robinson. Two duets, "Hide Me Oh My Saviour" and "Goodnight and Good Morning: were sung by the Mrs. Jennie Kirk and Mrs. Edith Hale. The text was taken from Mathew, 20th chapter, the Parable of the laborers in the vineyard.

Interment in the Maxwell cemetery.