Evening star., 1925-07-27
HELEN H. GARDENER,
EDUCATOR, IS DEAD
Was First Woman on Civil
Service Commission and
Noted Writer.

Mrs. Helen Hamilton Gardener.
United States Civil Service commits
sioner and widely known author, edu-
Gator and social worker, died at Wal
ter Reed Hospital yesterday. She was
the first woman ever to be appointed
a Civil Service commissioner. Death
was due to heart disease, for treat
ment of which she had been in the
hospital more than a month.
Mrs. Gardener was appointed to the
commission by President Wilson in
1920, and during the FIVE years she
served as a commissioner she was
recognized for her good Judgment and
unusual ability.
Born on a plantation near Win.
chester, Va, January 81, 1853, Mrs.
Gerdener was the daughter of the
late Rev. Alfred Griffith Chenoweth
and Mrs. Katherine Peale Chenoweth.
She was the widow of Col. Selden AL
len Day. u S. A, who died in 1919.
When young woman she took
legally the pen name of Helen Ham
ilton Gardener. and was known by
that name in her writings and in pub
lie work.
Fought for Education.
She received her early education in
the schools OF Ohio, then took q. post
graduate course at Columbia Univer-
sity. Soon after she became widely
known in connection with a fight for
higher education for women, being
most active in advocating and trying
TO secure the right of all women to
high school and college training.
Later, Mrs. Gardener became a mem
Der and officer of the National Amer
lean Woman Suffrage Association; she
was on its board of directors and was
one of its vice presidents for many
years. She had charge of much of
the work carried on by that organiza'
ton in this city during four presiden.
tial administrations and her individual
efforts contributed to large degree TO
the success Of the campaign for equal
suffrage.
In addition, she had spent about 10
years in lecturing at universities in
Japan. France. England and Italy and
upon her return to this country she
gave numerous lectures on the com
parative social conditions of women in
20 countries.
Decorated for Work.
She was decorated by both the
French and Japanese governments in
connection with her work in those
countries and was a member OF the
rationale of Paris. She was also a
member of the Lyceum Club of Lon
don. Paris and Rome.
In Washington, she belonged tc
Women's City Club and the Wash
ington Chamber of Commerce, and
was an honorary member of the
League OF American Pen Women and
the University Women's Club.
She was the author OF a number OF
books and innumerable stories and
special articles, principally along So
Geological lines. One of her semi
scientific articles, Sex in Brain" has
been translated into eight languages
by the medical journals. and for ma ny
years has been used as basis for re-
search work. Her work in heredity is
also accepted by the medical profes
sion as scientifically valua BILE, al
though written in the form of fiction
AN Unofficial Patriot" was one OF
her most popular works OF fiction.
She is survived by several nieces
and nephews, among them Miss
Helen Gardener Crane, who has re-
Gently made her home with Mrs
Gardener; Mrs. Margaret Peale
Wright of Chattanooga. Mrs. Mary
Lou Fletcher of Boston, Capt Samuel
H. Day of Philadelphia and Willard
+. Day of Staunton, Va.
Funeral services will be conducted
at Mrs. Gardeners residence, 1898
Lamont street, tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock. The body will be cremated
and interment will be in Arlington
Cemetery Friday morning at IL: go
O'Clock. Following a request made
before her death. the services will be
devoid of all religious features. They
will be attended by Mrs. Maud Wood
Park. former president of the National
League OF Women Voters, and Mrs
Carrie Chapman Gait, for many years
prominently identified with the woman
suffrage movement.