Alice Ravenhill
Encyclopedia
Alice Ravenhill was an educational pioneer, a developer of Women’s Institutes
, and one of the first authors to propound aboriginal rights in B.C. She is also the author of numerous articles and books, including her autobiography
which she wrote when she was 92.
family. Early in life she took an interest in social issues, causing her to undertake studies in public health
, child development
, and home economics
. She began her career as an educator in 1893, as a council county lecturer in Bedfordshire
and Lincolnshire
. In 1894, Ravenhill began what came to be three year’s service as the secretary to the Royal British Nurses Association. This was followed by working two years as a lecturer to the Co-operative Society and Women’s Co-operative Guild.
At the start of the twentieth century, Ravenhill became a lecturer in Social and Household Science at the University of London
. As a representative of the British Board of Education, Ravenhill travelled to the United States
to learn more about the teaching of home economics in American universities. Through her studies and work activities, Ravenhill became a leader in developing home economics curricula in post-secondary institutions. She was also active in social welfare issues and was the first woman elected as a Fellow of the Royal Sanitary Institute.
In 1910, Ravenhill emigrated to Canada
and settled at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island with her sister Edith, brother Horace, and Horace's son Leslie. She planned to stay only three or four years until her nephew was sufficiently independent. World War I intervened, the beloved nephew was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres, and Ravenhill never returned to England. She organized branches of the Women's Institute and travelled extensively throughout the United States and Canada as a lecturer, until accepting the post as Director of Home Economics at the State College in Logan, Utah
. Ravenhill held this position until 1919 at which point she became very ill and had to return to British Columbia to convalesce for several years in Victoria with nursing care by her sister Edith.
In about 1926, Ravenhill was asked by the Women's Institute to research aboriginal designs suitable for hooked rugs. This interest lead to Ravenhill learning more about the aboriginal culture of British Columbia, ultimately leading her to become a proponent of native rights. In 1938 she published Native Tribes of British Columbia, a book intended to serve as an elementary school curriculum text. Two years later, in collaboration with Anthony Walsh, she founded the Society for the Furtherance of Indian Arts and Crafts in British Columbia, which later became the British Columbia Indian Arts and Welfare Society. She was the first secretary of the Society, and in its first eighteen months of existence, wrote over one thousand letters on its behalf. She was instrumental in the publication of two children's books, "Tale of the Nativity" which was done by Anthony Walsh's students at the Inkameep Indian School, and "Meet Mr. Coyote", done by Noel Stewart and his students at St. George's Indian Residential School in Lytton, B.C.
Ravenhill received an honourary Doctor of Science from the University of British Columbia
in 1948 and an honorary Doctor of Home Economics from the American Association of Home Economics in 1950.
Federated Women's Institutes of Canada
The Federated Women's Institutes of Canada is an umbrella organization for Women's Institutes in Canada."The idea to form a national group was first considered in 1912. In 1914, however, when the war began the idea was abandoned. At the war's end, it was Miss Mary MacIssac, Superintendent of...
, and one of the first authors to propound aboriginal rights in B.C. She is also the author of numerous articles and books, including her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
which she wrote when she was 92.
Biography
Ravenhill was born into a wealthy BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
family. Early in life she took an interest in social issues, causing her to undertake studies in public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
, child development
Child development
Child development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativist theories....
, and home economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
. She began her career as an educator in 1893, as a council county lecturer in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. In 1894, Ravenhill began what came to be three year’s service as the secretary to the Royal British Nurses Association. This was followed by working two years as a lecturer to the Co-operative Society and Women’s Co-operative Guild.
At the start of the twentieth century, Ravenhill became a lecturer in Social and Household Science at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. As a representative of the British Board of Education, Ravenhill travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to learn more about the teaching of home economics in American universities. Through her studies and work activities, Ravenhill became a leader in developing home economics curricula in post-secondary institutions. She was also active in social welfare issues and was the first woman elected as a Fellow of the Royal Sanitary Institute.
In 1910, Ravenhill emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and settled at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island with her sister Edith, brother Horace, and Horace's son Leslie. She planned to stay only three or four years until her nephew was sufficiently independent. World War I intervened, the beloved nephew was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres, and Ravenhill never returned to England. She organized branches of the Women's Institute and travelled extensively throughout the United States and Canada as a lecturer, until accepting the post as Director of Home Economics at the State College in Logan, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Ravenhill held this position until 1919 at which point she became very ill and had to return to British Columbia to convalesce for several years in Victoria with nursing care by her sister Edith.
In about 1926, Ravenhill was asked by the Women's Institute to research aboriginal designs suitable for hooked rugs. This interest lead to Ravenhill learning more about the aboriginal culture of British Columbia, ultimately leading her to become a proponent of native rights. In 1938 she published Native Tribes of British Columbia, a book intended to serve as an elementary school curriculum text. Two years later, in collaboration with Anthony Walsh, she founded the Society for the Furtherance of Indian Arts and Crafts in British Columbia, which later became the British Columbia Indian Arts and Welfare Society. She was the first secretary of the Society, and in its first eighteen months of existence, wrote over one thousand letters on its behalf. She was instrumental in the publication of two children's books, "Tale of the Nativity" which was done by Anthony Walsh's students at the Inkameep Indian School, and "Meet Mr. Coyote", done by Noel Stewart and his students at St. George's Indian Residential School in Lytton, B.C.
Ravenhill received an honourary Doctor of Science from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1948 and an honorary Doctor of Home Economics from the American Association of Home Economics in 1950.
Books
Upon her death, Ravenhill left her papers, including articles written by her, to the Special Collections division of the UBC Library http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/AZ/PDF/R/Ravenhill_Alice.pdf. Books written by Ravenhill include:- Lessons In Practical Hygiene For Use In Schools (1907)
- Moral Instruction And Training In Girls’ Elementary Schools In England (1908)
- The Native Tribes of British Columbia (1938)
- A Corner Stone of Canadian Culture: An Outline of the Arts and Crafts of the Indian Tribes of British Columbia (1944)
- Memoirs of an Educational Pioneer (1951)
- Folklore of the Far West, With Some Clues to Characeristics and Customs (1953)
Sources
- BC Bookworld biography
- Ravenhill, Alice, Memoirs of an Educational Pioneer