The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-05-27
(By GEE DEE)

 perhaps, the busiest woman in town. Her work is such that 1t affects the future of hundreds of our Waterbury neighbors, young and old alike. She's an educator in the true sense of the word. Not @ teacher in the public schools where a good many of our young sters are more or less forced to study, but she deals with people who want to learn, people who take their leisure time and de- vote 1t to the pursuit of knowl- edge. Today's neighbor, friends, is Miss Edna Harmon, Administrative supervisor of the WPA educational project. When you consider the fact that the teaching of everything from knit- ting to calculus comes under her supervision, you'll agree with your biographer when he says that she's one of the busiest women in Waterbury.
 Edna May Harmon, daughter of Michael J. and Annie McElligott Harmon, lives with her parents at 40 Clinton street. Her father is well known in the Willow street section, throughout the en- tire city. He's worked for the Scovill Manufacturing company since they took over the old Mat theWs and Willard Company on North Elm street.
 Having completed her primary education in Saint Margarets Parochial school, Edna May liar. mon went to Crosby and grad- uated from q college preparatory course in 1928. Following high school, Miss Harmon studied at New Rochelle college and was graduated in 1880, after major ing in mathematics quite ur1. usual for girl. However, her studies, contrary to what happens in c good many cases, served her in good stead when she got her first job after college. She was employed by the scovill Company as secretary.
 On May 27th, 1882, Miss Har- mon had to leave her good posi-. ton at Scovill's because of III health. It's hard to believe that Miss Harmon was ever bothered by any serious illness to- day she's the lecture of health.
 It was while she was working at the manufacturing company that she put her knowledge ot mathematics to further good use and at the same time she took her first step toward a career as an educator. Tn 1881 she began teaching in night school and con- tinued this work until 1883. Un- der her tutelage, many ambitious young people learned Latin, trig" onometry, and college algebra.
 Tn January 1884, Miss Harmon went to work on one of the first white collar jobs under the CWA. For three months she worked In the office doing summary work on tho Real Property Inventory. Tn the following fall the govern ment sent her to the Massachu. sets State College in the town of Amherst for 0 course in workers educations and government eau" cational systems.
 In the fall of that year, Edna Harmon returned to Waterbury to take up her post as supervisor of educational projects under the EZRA. At that time Miss liar. mon was responsible for the work of 8 teachers. The courses in those days were more of recrea. tional nature than they are to- day because of the fact that the EZRA had found no way of over- coming one important obstacle that lay in its path. They were forbidden to teach any subject which might compete with any courses being conducted in the evening schools of the cities. Most of the subjects treated were classified as hobby work. contract bridge, dancing, sewing, and 50 on.
 To-day the situation is quite dif- ferent. The EZRA has been changed over to the WPA ana they are able to teach c great many academic subjects which spend the taxpayers money to ex" celltn advantage.
 Miss Harmon, in talking 70 your biographer, classified the WPA Education Project under five main headings. The Mattatuck Community College. It's extension or evening classes, the general adult education section such as hobby and recerational work, the play program for youngsters. ana the illiteracy classes. It was m this latter group that found the most human interest. There are twenty-one illiteracy classes being conducted throughout the city, all of them being handled by girls who arc normal school graduates. Naturally enough the major portion Of this work ls done among the foreign born. but there is one group in particular that ! think ls worthy of our special ate tention. As you perhaps know. st. J0hn.s church is caring for wFnasn nf man whn. for the most