Bertha Lamme Feicht facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bertha Lamme Feicht
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Bertha Lamme Feicht in 1892
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Bertha Lamme
December 16, 1869 Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, United States
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| Died | November 20, 1943 (aged 73) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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| Education | Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University |
| Occupation | Electrical engineer |
| Years active | 1893–1905 |
| Employer | Westinghouse |
| Known for | First woman to receive a degree in engineering from Ohio State |
| Spouse(s) | Russell S. Feicht |
| Children | Florence Feicht |
Bertha Lamme Feicht (born December 16, 1869 – died November 20, 1943) was an American engineer. In 1893, she made history by becoming the first woman to earn an engineering degree from the Ohio State University. She is also known as the first American woman to graduate in a main engineering field other than civil engineering.
Early Life and Education
Bertha Lamme was born on December 16, 1869, on her family's farm in Bethel Township, near Springfield, Ohio.
After finishing high school at Olive Branch High School in 1889, she decided to follow her brother, Benjamin G. Lamme, and enrolled at Ohio State University that same year.
In 1893, she graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, specializing in electricity. Her final project, called a thesis, was about testing a special generator used for railways. When she received her degree, the student newspaper reported that everyone clapped for her!
Career as an Engineer
After graduating, Bertha was hired by Westinghouse, a large electric company. She became their very first female engineer! She worked there until she married Russell S. Feicht on December 14, 1905. Russell was also an engineer at Westinghouse and had studied at Ohio State University.
Personal Life
Bertha and Russell had one daughter named Florence, who was born in 1910. Florence later became a physicist, working for the U.S. Bureau of Mines.
Bertha Lamme Feicht passed away in Pittsburgh on November 20, 1943. She was buried in Homewood Cemetery. Her husband, Russell, died a few years later in April 1949.
Legacy
Some of Bertha's personal items are kept at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. These include her slide rule (a tool used for calculations), her T-square (a tool for drawing straight lines), and her university diploma.
In 1973, the Westinghouse Educational Foundation and the Society of Women Engineers created a scholarship named after her. This scholarship helps support future female engineers.
See also
In Spanish: Bertha Lamme Feicht para niños
