Helen Taft Manning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Taft Manning
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| Born |
Helen Herron Taft
August 1, 1891 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | February 21, 1987 (aged 95) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Frederick Johnson Manning
(m. 1920; died 1966) |
| Children | 2 |
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Helen Herron Taft Manning (born August 1, 1891 – died February 21, 1987) was an American history professor. She also served as a college dean. Helen was the middle child and only daughter of William Howard Taft, who became a U.S. President. Her mother was Helen Herron Taft.
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Helen Taft's Early Life
Helen Taft was a very smart and hardworking student. She was like her older brother Robert and younger brother Charles. Helen was able to achieve many things that women of her mother's time could not easily do. This was because of the different social rules back then.
She finished school at The Baldwin School in 1908. Helen then earned a special scholarship to attend Bryn Mawr College. She was a student there when her father was elected president in 1908.
Helping Her Family
Helen's college studies were paused for a while. Her mother had a stroke, which made it hard for her to move and speak. Helen moved into the White House with her family. She helped her mother get better and regain her movement and speech.
While her mother was recovering, Helen also helped host many important events at the White House. In December 1910, she had a special party at the White House. This party was called a debutante party, which was a way to introduce young women to society.
Supporting Women's Rights
After her mother got better, Helen went back to Bryn Mawr College. She graduated in 1915 with a bachelor's degree in history. Helen was a suffragist. This means she supported the right for women to vote. She traveled around the country, giving speeches to support women's voting rights and other women's rights.
On July 15, 1920, Helen married Frederick Johnson Manning. He was a history professor at Yale University. Later, he moved to teach at Swarthmore College. Helen and Frederick had two daughters. Both of their daughters later became teachers too:
- Helen Taft Manning Hunter (October 5, 1921 – October 17, 2013)
- Caroline Manning Cunningham (January 18, 1925 - March 23, 2020)
Helen Taft's Academic Career
In 1917, when Helen was just 26 years old, she became the dean of Bryn Mawr College. A dean is a leader in a college or university. In 1919, she even served as the college's acting president for a short time.
After this, she went to Yale University. There, she earned a special degree called a doctorate in history. This means she became an expert in history. Helen's studies focused on the history of North America in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
In 1925, she went back to Bryn Mawr College. She became a dean and a history professor again. She was a dean until 1941. She continued to teach history until she retired in 1957. By then, she was the head of the history department. Even after retiring, she kept doing research and writing books.
Her important papers are kept at Bryn Mawr College. These papers include her personal letters, her professional work, and some of her husband's work.
Later Life and Legacy
Helen Taft Manning passed away in 1987 at the age of 95. She died from pneumonia in a nursing home in Philadelphia. She was buried in the Church of the Redeemer Cemetery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
She was the last living child of William Howard Taft. Her brothers had passed away earlier, in 1953 and 1983.
See also
