Ida Hall Roby facts for kids
Ida Hall Roby (born March 8, 1857 – died March 2, 1899) was a trailblazer! She was the very first woman to graduate from the pharmacy program at Northwestern University. By the late 1800s, she was also the only woman pharmacist in the entire state of Illinois.
Ida's Early Life
Ida Hall Roby was born in Fairport, New York, on March 8, 1857. When she was a child, her family moved to Michigan. She mostly went to school there.
Her father was a well-known teacher and very smart. He taught at a high school in Battle Creek, Michigan. He also led the schools in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
Becoming a Pharmacist
Ida Hall Roby's father passed away a year before she finished college. She graduated from the Illinois College of Pharmacy in 1889. This college was part of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
While going to college, Ida worked as a bookkeeper to support herself. She really liked chemistry. In 1887, she opened her own pharmacy in Chicago. It was located at 31st Street and Forest Avenue. At that time, she was the only woman pharmacist in Illinois.
Ida went to college every other day. She was the first woman to graduate from the pharmacy department there. Another woman, Celia Tirrel, was the first to graduate from the Chicago College of Pharmacy in 1880. Celia later became the treasurer of the Woman's Pharmaceutical Association, where Ida was president.
Ida was a natural chemist. She became very famous as a successful woman in a job mostly done by men back then.
Leading Other Women
Ida Roby also managed the Chicago Women's Lecture Bureau. This group likely helped organize talks and events for women.
She was the president of the Woman's Pharmaceutical Association of Illinois. This group started in 1893. This was around the same time as the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. There were 53 women pharmacists in Illinois then. They wanted to be ready for many more women pharmacists visiting Chicago for the big event.
At the World's Fair, Ida was in charge of the woman's pharmacy. This included both a place to get medicine and an exhibit. The Woman's Pharmacy won a gold award at the Exhibition!
Ida's pharmacy supplied medicine for the Home of the Friendless. It also supplied the Hahnemann Medical College and hospital. Her assistant was Viola Griswold. Viola was amazing because she beat 85 men to win a scholarship medal when she graduated from Northwestern University in 1892.
Ida's Family Life
Ida Hall Roby moved to Chicago in 1881. She was married to Alfred H. Roby, who was a salesman. They were separated, and she was raising their son by herself.
In 1895, Ida hired George H. Roby to work in her store. By 1899, her name was no longer listed in the directory. Instead, George was listed as the druggist.
Ida passed away from pneumonia on March 2, 1899. She is buried at Mountain Home Cemetery in Kalamazoo County.
