Evening star., 1937-05-14
HIGH TRIBUTE PAID
|. LATE DR.. MUSSEY
Local Leaders Honor Noted
Woman Lawyer and
Educator.

Impressive tribute was paid last
night to the late DR.. Ellen Spencer
Mussey, patriot, educator, lawyer.
feminist" by a distinguished gather
Ing at D. A. r. Memorial Continental
Hall.
Representatives Of many national
patriotic, legal and educational organ
izations heard six speakers trace the
life history of the woman who learned
law in middle life and forged ahead
in her profession to place OF prom
inence and distinction. She was vari-
ously praised as wife, mother and law.
yer for her courage, indomitable
will, humanitarianism, and devotion TO
the highest ethics Of her profession"
The occasion was a civic memorial
tribute, arranged by Memorial COM
mittee, Of which Mrs. Henry Grattan
Doyle was chairman. She presided,
explaining that yesterday would have
been the 87th birthday anniversary Of
DR.. Mussey. The memorial was de-
signed not only to pay tribute, said
Mrs. Doyle, but to inspire Mrs. Mus
seys friends to carry forward as well
as you can some of her inspiration,
her spirituality"
The story Of DR.. Mussey's life was
briefly sketched by Dean Grace Hays
Riley Of Washington College of Law,
who spoke on The Educational Lead
ership Of Dr.. Mussey" Born in Ohio,
the daughter Of Platt r. Spencer, who
invented the Spencerian system of
writing, Ellen Spencer came 10 WASH
ington in 1869, Dean Riley said, to
take up teaching in a business college,
AS member OF the Board of Educa.
ton here for six years and vice presi.
dent for three, the speaker said Mrs,
Mussey vas chairman of the Commit.
tee on Elementary and Night Schools.
and interested in schooling of defective
children, sanitation and hygiene. /,
was largely through her efforts, Dean
Riley explained, that the first appro-
priations were made here for kinder.
gartens. She was active in establish.
ing Fairgrounds and she was known
as the mother" of the compulsory
education law.
Founded College Of Law.
In 1896, she and Miss Emma VI. Gil
lette founded Washington College o,
Law, primarily for women, but co-edu.
catlonal, which was characterized bv
Dean Riley as "a noble monumen.
to her memory" DR.. Mussey had been
dean Of the college for years.
Patriotism Of Dr.. Mussev was
praised by Nine. Cantacuzene. ma
tional president of the Danes Of tho
Loyal Legion Of the United States.
speaking for many patriotic socie.
ties OF which DR.. Mussey was a mem.
Der. Characterized as zone Of tbs
outstanding patriotic leaders of the
past generation" DR.. Mussey was
praised by the speaker as standing
for the "old democratic forms Of gov-
ernment, stability, balance of power
and belief in the rights Of the ind;.
vidual."
IT she were here" said Nine. Can.
tacuzene. she would call on everv
man and woman to fight for thu
preservation Of American freedom "A
she knew it, that government OF, for
and by the people be made safe and
passed on"
AS one Of the pioneers and charter
members TO the American Red Cross,
DR.. Mussey not only took an active
part In Washington, according 10
Walter Davidson. assistant manager
OF the Eastern area Of the American
Red Cross, but she went to Galveston
When it was swept by tidal wave,
There. in her capacity as third vice
president of the American Red Cross.
she discovered the needs and ordered
from New Orleans surgical and medi.
cal supplies for the stricken city. She
was characterized by Davidson as q
practical idealist."
Social Legislation Efforts.
William Clark Taylor, speaking of
DR.. Mussey's legal attainments and
her contribution to constructive social
legislation. declared she had been "ab-
solutely faithful to the ethics of her
profession, energetic and devoted TO
the interests of her client" She was
praised for her prominent role in OBJ
tanning several new pieces of legisla.
ton to benefit women and children.
Among these were laws to give mothers
the same legal rights as fathers in
relation to children, to recognize
Wife's rights to her earnings and to
permit man to marry a girl without
assuming the debts she had contracted
prior to marriage.
In the early days of the law. when
she was pioneer, Taylor said Dr..
Mussey faced more than her share OF
sneers. contempt and hatred" which
fell to the lot Of progressive women
fighting for the ballot and for legal
rights. With her example before them.
the speaker predicted modern women
lawyers would push forward to estab-
llsh still greater justice in America.
Chairman Mary T. Norton of the
House District Committee, declaring
that in these Changing times" 1t re-
quired courage in public office. paid
'AAoaeS w CliS plOllctI COURAGE OF III.
Mussey. and said 1t would prove an
inspiration to the women leaders of
today.
Massin8 Of Colors.
The program was opened by a con-
cert by the Marine Band Orchestra
There was an impressive massine OF
the colors by color bearers, color
guards and representatives from
organizations with which DR.. Mussey
was aff1liated. Mrs. Charles Carroll
Haig and Mrs. Hester B. Warner were
marshab. The invocation was by Rev.
Paul Sperry, pastor of the Church OF
the New Jerusalem. The Department
OF Agriculture Chorus and the Farm
Credit Administration Chorus sang,
with Robert Frederick Freund, direc.
tor, and Edna Lee Freund, accom-.
panist.
The ushers were from the Washing.
t@Sa ~