Third Thursday Talk: “Evolving Attitudes Toward Orphans and the Washington County Children’s Home” By Bella May
Rescheduled to Thursday, March 2nd, 2023 7pm – 8pm
Reservations Required
Marietta College History Department Student Feature
The modern American class system was largely established in the nineteenth century. The lower class was mainly composed of those who lived in poverty. Homeless and orphaned children were also placed in this category. They often were susceptible to mistreatment like many others at the bottom of this hierarchy. In 1858, Catharine Fay Ewing stepped forward to aid this societal problem by establishing the Washington County Children’s Home. Ewing paved the way for statewide child welfare reform in the nineteenth century and changed the negative stigma surrounding orphaned or impoverished children in the local community.
Reservations Required. Space is Limited.
About the speaker: Bella May is from Mentor, Ohio and a recent Marietta College Alumna. She graduated in the Fall of 2022 with a Bachelors in History and a minor in Asian Studies. Bella has a passion for research, as she hopes to get her Masters in Library Science in the near future. As for now, she is currently pursuing her dream to teach English as a foreign language overseas.