Marie Hilson Katzenbach
Encyclopedia
Marie Louise Hilson Katzenbach (December 8, 1882 – February 4, 1970) was an American
educator who was the first female president of the New Jersey
State Board of Education.
Marie Louise Hilson was born in 1882 in Trenton, New Jersey
to Cleaveland Hilson and Matilda Emily Hunt. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Nicholas de Belleville (1753-1831), a French physician who accompanied Kazimierz Pułaski to America and settled in Trenton in 1778, and Moore Furman (1728-1808), the first mayor of Trenton.
She attended the Trenton Model School and at 18 went to work at an orphanage
, the Union Industrial Home. She pushed for the children at the home to be educated in public schools, and when she joined the Board of Managers in 1913, she advocated for psychiatric treatment and special education. She also worked as a librarian at the Trenton Free Library for 10 years, serving as chief of the cataloguing department.
In November 1911 she married Edward L. Katzenbach
, who would go on to serve as Attorney General of New Jersey from 1924 to 1929. They had two sons: Edward Lawrence Katzenbach, Jr. (February 24, 1919 – April 23, 1974), who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Education and Manpower Resources under John F. Kennedy
, and Nicholas Katzenbach
(born January 17, 1922), United States Attorney General
and Under Secretary of State
under Lyndon B. Johnson
.
In 1921 she was appointed to the State Board of Education. Two years later she was named to the board for the New Jersey School for the Deaf and was involved in the planning of the school's Trenton campus. She would remain associated with the school for the rest of her life, and in 1965 it was renamed the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in her honor.
During her tenure on the State Board of Education she was instrumental in the formation of the state college system, helping to transform two-year normal schools into four-year colleges. She also pushed for the designation of Rutgers
as the State University in 1955, taking particular interest in developing Douglass College for women. Katzenbach Hall, a residential hall on the Douglass Campus built in 1963, is named for her.
In 1956 Katzenbach became the first woman to head the State Board of Education. She remained active on the Board until 1964, when, at the age 81, she was seriously injured when her car ran into the education building. She died in 1970 at the age of 87 at her home in Princeton, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator who was the first female president of the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Board of Education.
Marie Louise Hilson was born in 1882 in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
to Cleaveland Hilson and Matilda Emily Hunt. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Nicholas de Belleville (1753-1831), a French physician who accompanied Kazimierz Pułaski to America and settled in Trenton in 1778, and Moore Furman (1728-1808), the first mayor of Trenton.
She attended the Trenton Model School and at 18 went to work at an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, the Union Industrial Home. She pushed for the children at the home to be educated in public schools, and when she joined the Board of Managers in 1913, she advocated for psychiatric treatment and special education. She also worked as a librarian at the Trenton Free Library for 10 years, serving as chief of the cataloguing department.
In November 1911 she married Edward L. Katzenbach
Edward L. Katzenbach
Edward Lawrence Katzenbach was the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1924 to 1929. He was the brother of New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Frank S. Katzenbach and the father of United States Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach.Katzenbach was born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1878 to Frank Snowden...
, who would go on to serve as Attorney General of New Jersey from 1924 to 1929. They had two sons: Edward Lawrence Katzenbach, Jr. (February 24, 1919 – April 23, 1974), who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Education and Manpower Resources under John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, and Nicholas Katzenbach
Nicholas Katzenbach
Nicholas deBelleville Katzenbach is an American lawyer who served as United States Attorney General during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.-Early life:...
(born January 17, 1922), United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
and Under Secretary of State
Under Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State, from 1919 to 1972, was the second-ranking official at the United States Department of State , serving as the Secretary's principal deputy, chief assistant, and Acting Secretary in the event of the Secretary's absence...
under Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
.
In 1921 she was appointed to the State Board of Education. Two years later she was named to the board for the New Jersey School for the Deaf and was involved in the planning of the school's Trenton campus. She would remain associated with the school for the rest of her life, and in 1965 it was renamed the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in her honor.
During her tenure on the State Board of Education she was instrumental in the formation of the state college system, helping to transform two-year normal schools into four-year colleges. She also pushed for the designation of Rutgers
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
as the State University in 1955, taking particular interest in developing Douglass College for women. Katzenbach Hall, a residential hall on the Douglass Campus built in 1963, is named for her.
In 1956 Katzenbach became the first woman to head the State Board of Education. She remained active on the Board until 1964, when, at the age 81, she was seriously injured when her car ran into the education building. She died in 1970 at the age of 87 at her home in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.