Florence Melton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Florence Zacks Melton
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| Born |
Florence Spurgeon
November 6, 1911 |
| Died | February 8, 2007 (aged 95) |
| Occupation | Inventor, businesswoman. |
| Years active | 1947–2007 |
| Known for | Dearfoams slippers |
| Spouse(s) |
Aaron Zacks
(m. 1930; died 1965)Samuel Mendel Melton
(m. 1968; died 1993) |
| Children | 2 (including Gordon Zacks) |
Florence Zacks Melton (born November 6, 1911, died February 8, 2007) was an amazing American inventor. She was famous for creating slippers with soft foam soles that you could wash!
Contents
Early Life and Family
Florence was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Meir and Rebecca Spurgeon. She grew up in a very poor family. Her grandmother, whom she called "bubble," helped raise her and taught her about Jewish values. Music was a big part of Florence's childhood. It inspired her to study music, art, and ballet.
To help her family, she started working at a Woolworth's store when she was just 13 years old. When she was 19, she married her first husband, Aaron Zacks. They moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he worked in a department store. Together, they had two sons, Gordon and Barry.
Inventing and Business
Florence Melton was a very active person in her community. She served on the board of United Way. She also worked with the Red Cross Nutrition Corps. In the 1970s, she became the first woman on the board of the Huntington National Bank. She also helped start CAJE, which stands for the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education.
In 1946, Melton started the R.G. Barry Corporation with her husband, Aaron Zacks. She was looking into a material called foam latex. This material was first used to line helmets for soldiers in World War II. Florence thought it could be used for shoulder pads in women's clothing.
The Famous Slippers
While working with foam latex, she discovered it was perfect for lining slippers! She created slippers made of soft, washable fabric like terrycloth or velour. They came in many colors and styles. Some had a small heel, some had backs, and some had open toes. The special part was always the thick foam-rubber insole, at least half an inch thick.
These slippers were first called Angel Treads. Later, they became known as Dearfoams. They were an instant hit! The company has sold over 1 billion slippers.
Other Inventions
The slippers were not Florence's only successful idea. She noticed that women's fashion often included double-breasted suits with padded shoulders. To clean these suits, the shoulder pads had to be removed and then sewn back in. Florence invented "Shoulda-Shams." These were cotton shoulder pads with an elastic tab. You could snap them onto a bra strap, so no sewing was needed!
Even though Florence had the idea for the slippers, she was never an officer of the company. She held the title of "consultant." However, she held the patent for the slipper. She also had 18 other patents for different products. These included cushioning devices like shoulder pads and even physical therapy machines.
Before she passed away, she continued to work as a consultant for product development and design. Her son, Gordon Zacks, became the CEO of the company. He passed away in 2014. Her other son, Barry Zacks, started the Max & Erma's restaurant chain in 1972. He passed away in 1990.
Philanthropy and Education
In 1968, Florence married Samuel M. Melton, who was an industrialist and a generous giver. Samuel Melton supported the Melton Research Center at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He also supported the Melton Centre at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Florence became an active partner in her husband's projects to help others.
Florence was very passionate about creating a program to help adults learn about Jewish culture. Many people doubted if adults would be interested in serious Jewish studies. Together, Florence and Samuel created the "Florence Melton Adult Mini-School." This was a two-year program open to everyone, no matter their Jewish background. Today, it operates in over 70 communities in North America, Australia, and South Africa.
In the mid-1980s, Florence started the "Discovery" program. This program helps young people connect with their family history, community, different Jewish traditions, and Israel. The program includes many field trips and ends with a trip to Israel.
Melton Schools Today
The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School is a worldwide program. It helps adults learn about Jewish culture. The curriculum is created by experts and teachers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The school offers a deeper understanding of Jewish texts and ideas. It also helps people understand Jewish communities around the world.
The Melton school offers adult education based on the Torah and the Talmud. It is the largest adult Jewish education network in the world. More than 40,000 people have learned through its curriculum. Melton schools continue Florence's legacy all over the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Portland, Oregon.
The Melton Centre at Hebrew University in Jerusalem serves a large community of adults. These adults are eager to learn and committed to keeping Jewish culture and heritage alive. As Israel's first center for Jewish Education, the Centre offers many resources for its scholars.
