Bertha Stoneman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bertha Stoneman
Born	18 August 1866 Lakewood
Education	Doctor of Philosophy
Alma mater	Cornell University
Occupation	Botanist and university professor
Employer	Huguenot College

Bertha Stoneman (born August 18, 1866 – died April 30, 1943) was an important scientist. She was an American-born botanist who moved to South Africa. She became the president of Huguenot College, a school for women, and also started a group called the South African Association of University Women.

Early Life and Education

Bertha Stoneman grew up on a farm near Jamestown, New York. Her family was quite interesting! Her aunt, Kate Stoneman, was the first woman allowed to practice law in New York State. Her uncle, George Stoneman, was a general during the American Civil War and later became the governor of California.

Bertha loved to learn about plants. She studied botany at Cornell University. She earned her first degree in 1894 and then her PhD in 1896. Her special research was about plant diseases called anthracnoses.

Career and Achievements

An illustration from Bertha Stoneman's book, Plants and their Ways in South Africa (1915).

After finishing her studies, Bertha moved to Wellington, South Africa. She became the head of the botany department at Huguenot College. This was a college specifically for women.

Bertha did many great things at the college:

• She started the college's herbarium, which is like a library for dried plant samples.
• She helped build up the college's collection of plants.
• She taught not only botany but also psychology and logic.

In 1923, Bertha founded the South African Federation of University Women. This group helped women who had gone to university. She was also its first president. In 1921, she became the president of Huguenot University College. She retired from this role in 1933.

Bertha wrote a very famous textbook called Plants and their Ways in South Africa (1906). This book was used in South African schools for many years. Some of her notable students included Olive Coates Palgrave and Ethel Doidge, who also became important botanists.

Legacy

Bertha Stoneman passed away in South Africa in 1943 when she was 76 years old. Her research papers are kept at Cornell University.

To honor her work, a botany laboratory at the University of Pretoria is named after her. Also, the South African Association of Women Graduates gives out a special award each year in her name. This award helps support other women who are studying.