The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1938-03-25


leaiization, for marriage interviewed,
and children came to take more anu
more time away from the dream
always in front Of her. Nevertheless,
with only the lapse Of a few years,
The Erma Lee Beauty Shop was
opened in Cleveland, Ohio, in the
year Of 1927 at 4728 Woodland. 1t
was modest establishment, but in it
Mrs. Lee built the reputation she still
dnjoys IN klevelaald and vicihily.
And in it, too, she began the foun-
yiation for the modern school she now
operates at Il. 55th ST., near Wood
and Ave. In her liltle shop on
Woodland Ave, she found her great
t J.y in he.Aing young Negro girls
learn beauty culture. More and
more came to her for instruction and
unofficially, she graduated more
than score who emerged into the
commercial world armed with the
ability to make an independent liv-
ing"
Whom the State Board of Cos
metology came into being, and with
it the rigid requirements for the con-
duct Of Beauty Schools, Mrs. Erma
Lee was ready and prepared to meet
the new order. She Immediately
qualified under the state laws, and
opened her modest school at the bu-
sicst corner in C.eycland's East Side.
E. 55th and Woodland Ave. Her es-
tablished reputation as an efficient
eautv operator soon brought her
MANY students, and in short tima
tie quarters were too small for the
1ast growing school She moved the
school TO It's present location at 1855
q. 18th ST.. where the larger build
ing enabled her TO conduct a student
dotmitory in connection with the
,cIo /, a facility that dew students
. the school from practically every
stale iii the United States.
So thorough has been the course
Of training at the Erma Lee Beauty
school, that during it's four years OF
operation. more than two hundred
yraduates from the school have TAX
"a valious State Board examinations.
The faculty Of the E,ma Lee
.seauty school, Ohio's Oldest and
largest colored school, are as fol-
lows: Mrs. Elma Lee, Mrs. Minnie
j. Wilson, and Miss Dell Elaine Shaw,
teaching theory and practice; Misses
Dorothy Sanders and Marnette Lee,
| Junior instructors; DIR. j. E. Wallace
| and Dir. Karl Kent, instructors IN
anatomy, chemistry, and bacteria
ogy, also Miss Jewel GassaWay, sec
| retay Of the school. Courses oiferee
cover the entire curriculum required
bv he Ohio state Board OF Cosme-
tology and many other state boards
4 lead to diplomas as operators, man.
ages and iii tIuctors. 10 meet tne
| growing demand for training IN cos
| metology from girls and women Wh'
! must be self supporting. Mrs. Les
| has offered evening classes, and
: sytem Of intallment payments coy
| erirr most of the courses.
| Despite the exacting aud coniinlns
duties Of her rapidly expanding
/ school, Mrs. Lee has found time e
! engage in civic, social and religious
activities. SIZE is an active membe
| of Liberty Hill Baptist Church. As
| tive Ii the National and Stgte or
/ ga izations of gearty Culture,
member Of the planning board Ct tn
1 National Association, and one Of tn
/ most aggressive surporfers Of tn
local 1Tnt,-ra Ort'ooE Lea~ne.
Al striking tribute to the success
u Of tl,e task mhich Mrs. go has n1ad'
1 her life's work. is the ever inereas-
!, ING number Of successful grad"ate'
/ from the Erma Lee Beauty Sahoo
who are working throughout n''m-
] ber Of states and large percentag'