Caroline Salome Woodruff (July 15, 1866 – July 13, 1949) was an American educator and poet from Vermont. She was president of the National Education Association from 1937 to 1940.

Caroline S. Woodruff
An older white woman with short wavy white hair, wearing dark beads, a print dress, and a dark jacket or cardigan
Caroline S. Woodruff, from a 1937 publication of the US Department of the Interior
BornJuly 15, 1866
West Burke, Vermont
DiedJuly 13, 1949 (aged 72)
Castleton, Vermont
Occupation(s)Educator, college president
RelativesCharles Woodruff (uncle)

She was principal of the Castleton Teachers' College from 1921 to 1940.

Woodruff Hall at Castleton University, named for Caroline S. Woodruff

Early life and education

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Woodruff was born in West Burke, Vermont, the daughter of George Washington Woodruff and Octavia Darshula Bemis Woodruff. Her uncle was Charles Woodruff, a noted general in the United States Army. She graduated St. Johnsbury Academy in 1884,[1] and from Johnson Normal School in 1918.[2] In 1925, she received an honorary master's degree in education at Middlebury College. In 1933 she received an honorary doctorate in education at Norwich University; it was the first honorary doctorate bestowed on a woman at that military institution.[3]

Career

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Woodruff taught as a young woman, and was principal of Castleton Teachers' College from 1921 to 1940,[2][4] including during the 1924 fire that burned the school's main building.[5] She was co-principal of the Green Mountain School for Girls,[1] and from 1937 to 1938 served as president of the National Education Association.[6][7] She was the first woman to serve as president of the Vermont State Teachers Association,[8] and was president of the New England Teacher Training Association.[9] She retired in 1940.[10][11]

Woodruff published a book of poetry, My Trust and Other Verse (1925).[12] She also wrote articles for professional journals, including the Journal of Education.[13][14]

Personal life

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Woodruff died in 1949, aged 82 years, in Castleton, Vermont.[1][15] Woodruff Hall, a main building at Castleton University, is named for her.[16] Castleton University also presents a Caroline Woodruff Award as "the highest honor that a student leader can achieve".[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Ryan, Christopher E. (November 12, 2016). "Honoring A St. J. Leader Past: Dr. Caroline S. Woodruff - Christopher Ryan". Caledonian Record. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  2. ^ a b "Dr. Woodruff Will Retire". Rutland Daily Herald. 1940-02-15. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Norwich Confers Honorary Degree on Miss Woodruff". Rutland Daily Herald. 1933-06-20. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Castleton Seniors Hear Talk on Life". Rutland Daily Herald. 1933-06-12. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Normal School Building Burns". The Caledonian-Record. 1924-01-03. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Heads US Teachers; Woman President of NEA". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1937-07-02. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Quoting from Detroit". School Life. 23: 9. September 1937.
  8. ^ "Call of the School". St. Johnsbury Republican. 1915-11-03. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "News and Personals: Miss Woodruff Heads N. E. A." The Journal of Business Education. 13 (2): 30–32. 1937-10-01. doi:10.1080/00219444.1937.10771837. ISSN 0021-9444.
  10. ^ "Dr. Woodruff retires". Rutland Daily Herald. 1940-02-16. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Head of Castleton Normal to Retire". The Manchester Journal. 1940-02-22. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Rugg, Harold G. (June 1929). "Vermontiana". Bulletin of the Free Public Library Department of the State of Vermont. 25: 5.
  13. ^ Woodruff, Caroline S. (August 1916). "The call of the School". Journal of Education. 84 (7): 173–175. doi:10.1177/002205741608400701. ISSN 0022-0574. S2CID 189733940.
  14. ^ Woodruff, Caroline S. (June 1929). "Schools Demand Personality". Journal of Education. 109 (23): 642–646. doi:10.1177/002205742910902310. ISSN 0022-0574. S2CID 149610316.
  15. ^ "Tribute Paid Memory of Dr. Caroline S. Woodruff". The Caledonian-Record. 1949-09-24. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-03-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Castleton University". Castleton University. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  17. ^ "Celebrating Spartan Pride". Castleton University. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
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