India Boyer facts for kids

India Boyer (1907–1998) was an amazing American architect. She made history as the first woman to pass the architecture exam in Ohio. She also led the architecture department for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Growing Up and Learning

India Boyer was born on June 27, 1907, in Shelby County, Ohio. Her parents were Ethel and Calvin Boyer. India's mom was the first woman on the Perry Township Board of Education. Her dad was a farmer. India had two brothers. One became an engineer and the other a metallurgist.

In 1925, India finished Pemberton High School as the top student in her class. Her family encouraged her to go to Ohio State University. The year she started, Ohio State's architecture program welcomed women for the first time. India was one of six women who joined.

India was surprised that military training was a must for the architecture program. But she refused to do it. The schoolwork was very hard. All the other women in architecture eventually left. Only India Boyer remained.

Facing Challenges in College

At first, India's classmates were not very friendly. But her hard work and never-give-up attitude earned their respect. By the end of her studies, they even helped her with a big design project.

However, India still faced unfair rules. She learned she could not take part in a special exam. The winner of this exam would get to study architecture in France. When she asked why, she was told she "might win and there were no facilities for women there."

During her third and fourth years, India worked for a local architect named Joseph Bradford. She graduated in 1930. Out of 1,450 students, only 11 were architects, and India was the only woman.

A Career of Firsts

The Great Depression started just as India was looking for a job. For four years, she tried to work as an architect. It was very hard because women were rarely accepted in the field. She then took an exam for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Corps offered her a steady job. She worked on projects to control floods and help boats travel. In 1939, she was promoted to lead the Corps of Engineers' architecture department. She held this important job for seven years. During World War II, she designed buildings for the war effort. These included hospitals, airports, and housing.

Becoming a Licensed Architect

India never gave up her dream of having her own architecture business. In 1941, she made history again. She became the first woman in Ohio to take and pass the state architecture exam.

After four more years with the Corps of Engineers, India and two colleagues, Robert C. Vogt and William J. Ivers, left their jobs. They started their own architecture company called Vogt, Ivers and Associates in Cincinnati, Ohio. Even though her name wasn't in the company title, India became the head of the firm. She faced tough competition from companies run only by men.

India designed many different types of buildings. These included offices, factories, parks, and schools. She is well known in the Cincinnati area for designing the Elmwood Place School and the Shawnee Park. She also helped the Ryerson Steel Company with their building plans as they grew.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1975, India had a heart attack. This made her retire early. But she still worked as a consultant for the Hamilton County Park District, Elmwood Place School, and Shawnee Park.

Even after she stopped working actively in architecture, India received many awards. She got the YMCA Women of Achievement award. She also received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Ohio State University. In 1994, a group of women who looked up to her created the India Boyer Guild of Women in Architecture in her honor. India Boyer passed away in Cincinnati on February 9, 1998, at the age of 90.