Hilda Counts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hilda Counts
Born	16 September 1893 Runnels County Texas, U.S.
Died	17 May 1989 Olney, Maryland, U.S.
Nationality	American

Hilda Counts (born September 16, 1893 – died May 17, 1989) was an amazing American electrical engineer. She was a pioneer who helped start the American Society of Women Engineers and Architects. She also made history as the first woman to earn a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado.

A Pioneer in Engineering

Hilda Counts was born in 1893 in Runnels County, Texas. Her parents were Sylvania and Thomas Peter Counts. She also had a younger brother named Ford Oakley.

Hilda first earned an associate degree from the University of Colorado. After that, she worked for two years as a high school teacher. She taught mathematics and physics.

Becoming an Engineer

Hilda then decided to go back to the University of Colorado. This time, she studied electrical engineering. In 1919, she graduated and became the first woman to earn that degree from the university.

After graduating, Counts went to work at Westinghouse Electric Corporation. She worked there for a while before deciding to go back to school again for a higher degree. However, around 1926, she married Arthur T. Edgecomb. She then took a break from her career for several years.

Later Career

Hilda Counts returned to work after about 14 years. She joined the Rural Electrification Administration in Washington D.C.. This organization helped bring electricity to many rural areas.

She officially retired in 1963. But even after retiring, she stayed involved in her work until she was in her 80s. Hilda Counts passed away in 1989 when she was 95 years old.

Helping Women in Engineering

Hilda Counts was very passionate about helping other women in engineering. She worked with another engineer named Lou Alta Melton. Together, they wanted to create an organization for women engineers and architects. They called it the American Society of Women Engineers and Architects.

Starting a New Society

To start the society, Hilda and Lou wrote to all the universities in the United States that had engineering programs. They wanted to find out how many women were studying engineering. Many universities replied saying things like, "this university does not have and never expects to have any women engineering students."

Even with many negative replies, they found out there were about 200 women studying engineering! So, Hilda and Lou announced that their new association was starting. They had support from another engineering student, Elsie Eaves, and many women joined between 1919 and 1920.

Lasting Impact

The first association didn't last forever. However, it helped pave the way for a very important group that came later: the US Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Hilda Counts remained focused on creating and supporting such organizations. She also cared deeply about women's education in engineering.

Hilda was involved in the founding of the SWE. She also served on the board of the District of Columbia Society of Professional Engineers. Today, the Society of Women Engineers has a special scholarship in her name. It's called The Pioneer Scholarship. It honors the memory of Hilda Counts, Elsie Eaves, and Lou Alta Melton, who were all pioneers for women in engineering.

See also

In Spanish: Hilda Counts para niños