Sample Stories from Indiana's Trailblazing Women
2001 Calendar

Verna S. Adams

Verna S. Adams Click to enlarge.

1964 First African-American woman faculty member at St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne. 1971 First African-American woman principal of a Ft. Wayne Community School (smart Elementary School) "Since I was five I wanted to be a teacher. I can remember when the first black teacher was hired in Ft. Wayne in the 50s. I thought to myself, 'There's hope! It's possible.' When I became the first African-American principal, I knew that would give others hope. I'm proud of the students who were inspired by my accomplishments. At first I wondered if the administration named me just because it was the thing to do or because they thought I'd fit in, or if it was because I was competent and prepared. As time went on, I tossed that aside. I had great support from the commuinity and the administration. After 10 years as a principal, I was promoted to director of Title I Programs and then director of Supplemental Instructional Programs in the central office." In 1989 FWCS and Lincoln National Bank honored Verna for "an illustrious career which spanned 28 years" by establishing the Verna M. Adams Scholarship for minority students who want to be teachers.

Cynthia Hurst Agsten

Cynthia Hurst Agsten Click to enlarge.

1973 First woman to work in production at B.F. Goodrich Tire (now Uniroyal Goodrich) in Woodburn, IN 1973 First woman union member of United Rubber Workers of America Local 715 (now United Steel Workers) "I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. I just wanted a good-paying job. There were 1700 men in the plant and no women's restrooms. My job was to drive a fork lift to pick up uncured tires and deliver them to the presses. My first day on the job my teacher refused to teach me. Day by day the harassment got worse. They threw water on me, put snakes on my fork lift, sat me on the water fountain and turned it on. Then came the initiation to see if I belonged. They grabbed me and laid me on the break room table, pulled my shirt up, and slapped my stomach until it was red and sore. I didn't cry. I thought I had to be tough. I went to work on Monday prepared to tell them I was done. I was met by one of my co-workers. He put his arm around me and asked me not to give up. Something changed inside of me at that moment. Nine months later I was put on the Fair Practices Committee at my local union, and 27 years later I'm still there. What a challenge it has been!"

Marjorie J. Albohm

Marjorie J. Albohm Click to enlarge.

1974 One of the first five women to become a National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Certified Athletic Trainer 1974 First woman full-time athletic trainer at I.U. 1993 First woman inducted in to the Indiana Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame "As a high school and college athlete I experienced injuries that no one was adequately trained or available to properly manage. My male athletic counterparts had the services of certified athletic trainers. I played field hockey and basketball at Valparaiso University (1968-72). The coach did the best she could if we were injured, or we took care of ourselves. Girls sports were just considered play days. We had to drive ourselves to our games and buy our own meals; sometimes we even made our own uniforms. The boys had their expenses paid and were bused to their events. When Title IX became law in 1972 requiring equity in sports, things changed. The growth of school sports for women mushroomed, and the need for more athletic trainers became obvious. Universities were the first to hire female trainers, but we weren't allowed to work on male athletes. It took awhile for some coaches to accept women in the training rooms, but athletes didn't mind. Now women make up more than 50% of NATA's 26,000 members."