Estelle Griswold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Estelle Griswold
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Estelle Griswold, c. 1964
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| Born |
Estelle Naomi Trebert
June 8, 1900 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Died | August 13, 1981 (aged 81) Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Richard Whitmore Griswold
(m. 1927; died 1966) |
| Parent(s) | Jennie Church Frank Trebert |
Estelle Naomi Trebert Griswold (June 8, 1900 – August 13, 1981) was an important civil rights activist and a feminist. She played a big part in helping women gain more rights.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Estelle Trebert was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 8, 1900. Her parents were Frank and Jennie Trebert. Her father taught her about Native American customs. He also encouraged her to spend time outdoors. Estelle's mother was often described as quiet and calm. Estelle had an older brother named Raymond.
Estelle went to public schools in Hartford. She was a very smart student and skipped two grades. However, she took five years to finish high school instead of four. This was because she often skipped school. She also encouraged other students to skip classes.
After high school, Estelle started music classes. She went to the Hartt School of Music. She wanted to go to college, but her family could not afford it. So, she worked at a bank to pay for her music lessons.
Singing Career and Travel
In 1922, Estelle moved to France. She wanted to become a singer. Her parents did not approve, but she went anyway. She had a very strong contralto singing voice. She traveled to Paris and Nice to find work.
While in France, Estelle got tuberculosis. This made it hard for her to work. She also got engaged to a writer, but they broke up.
Estelle returned to Hartford when her mother became very sick. Soon after, both her parents died. Estelle decided to stay in Hartford. She tried to continue her singing career. She auditioned in New York and toured with a show group for six months. After that, she went back to Hartford. She stayed there until she married Richard Griswold.
Marriage and New Paths
Estelle married Richard "Dick" Whitmore Griswold on October 20, 1927. Their wedding was in New York City. They had known each other from Hartford High School. Richard had gone to Yale University. He also served briefly in World War I.
Richard worked in advertising. He traveled a lot for his job. After Estelle returned from France, they met again. They started a relationship and got married. Richard then took a steady job with an insurance company.
The couple moved to New York for a short time. Richard worked in the city. Estelle also found work as a radio singer. She sang for broadcasts like the NBC Red Network in 1929.
In 1935, Richard and Estelle moved to Washington D.C.. Estelle started taking classes at George Washington University. She decided to stop her singing career. Instead, she began studying medicine. She became so good at it that she became a medical instructor at the university.
Helping People Abroad
When World War II began, Richard Griswold joined the State Department. He was sent to Europe to help with different problems. In 1945, Estelle joined him in Europe. She started helping with humanitarian efforts. This meant helping people who were in need, especially refugees from Eastern European countries.
Estelle wanted to work for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (UNRRA). She was first turned down. But Estelle did not give up. She went directly to the top leaders of the organization. She managed to get a job there.
Her job involved helping refugees move to new places. She helped them go to cities like Rio de Janeiro, Algiers, and Puerto Rico. During this time, Estelle saw a lot of poverty and hunger. She realized that too many people in one area, or overpopulation, was a big problem.
Estelle left the Church World Service in 1951. She felt the organization was not helping refugees well enough.
Returning to Connecticut
In 1950, Richard and Estelle came back to the United States. They moved to New Haven, Connecticut. Richard continued his advertising work. He thought New Haven would be good because of Yale University.
Estelle took a volunteer job as the Executive Secretary to the Human Relations Council. She did this work for free. She also helped fund programs at Yale. These programs helped couples with infertility and offered marital counseling. Estelle knew about population issues from her time abroad. She also understood couples who, like her, could not have children. This made her very passionate about these programs.
Later Life and Legacy
Estelle Griswold died in Fort Myers, Florida, on August 13, 1981. She was 81 years old. She is buried next to her husband in Connecticut.
In 1994, Estelle Griswold was honored. She was inducted into the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame.
See also
