Jane Edward Schilling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Edward Schilling
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| Born |
Nancy Schilling
October 8, 1930 Minocqua, Wisconsin
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| Died | September 13, 2017 (aged 86) St. Louis, Missouri
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Fontbonne University Loyola University Chicago |
| Occupation | Educator, social activist |
Jane Edward Schilling (born October 8, 1930 – died September 13, 2017) was an amazing American woman. She was a Catholic nun, a historian, and a university leader. She helped start Martin University in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she was the first Vice President. Sister Jane Edward was also a strong activist who worked for fairness and equality for everyone.
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Early Life and Education
Nancy Mary Schilling was born in 1930 in Minocqua, Wisconsin. She was the oldest of five children. Her father was a dentist, and her mother was a homemaker. Nancy was very good at sports and school.
When she was in high school, she moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. She lived with her aunts so she could attend St. Joseph's Academy. There, she decided she wanted to become a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, just like her teachers.
Becoming Sister Jane Edward
When she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph, she was given the name Sister Jane Edward. This name combined the names of her younger sister and brother. She loved to learn and studied hard.
She earned her bachelor's degree in History from Fontbonne University in St. Louis. Later, she received her master's degree in Ancient History from Loyola University Chicago in Chicago.
A Passion for Justice
Sister Jane Edward's first teaching job was at St. Rita's School in St. Louis. After that, she taught at St. Matthew's School in the inner city. Here, she saw many unfair situations. This made her passionate about civil rights and social justice.
She helped create lessons for students at a hospital for Black residents. She also helped people who had been in prison at a place called Dismas House.
Working at Holy Angels School
In 1964, Sister Jane Edward was sent to teach at Holy Angels Catholic School in Indianapolis, Indiana. This school had mostly Black students. She put a lot of energy into her new role. She even started a drum and bugle corps to make the school and community proud.
When she became the principal, she brought in new teaching ideas. These included open classrooms and different ways to teach reading.
A Strong Partnership
Soon after she arrived at Holy Angels, a new pastor named Boniface Hardin joined the church. Sister Jane Edward and Father Hardin both cared deeply about education and making positive changes in society. They formed a partnership that lasted their whole lives.
Together, they became active in fighting for fairness in the church and community. They worked against unfair treatment by police and unfair housing rules. They also fought against schools being separated by race. A big goal was to stop a major highway, Interstate 65, from cutting through the Black neighborhood around Holy Angels Parish.
Community Action
In 1969, there was a plan to move Father Hardin from Holy Angels Parish. The people of the church protested this decision. They held a public demonstration at the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. Even though the order was changed, Father Hardin decided to leave Holy Angels. He started the Martin Center, which focused on education and social justice.
Within a year, Sister Jane Edward got permission to work full-time at the Martin Center. She became the Education Coordinator.
The Martin Center's Mission
The Martin Center was named after Martin Luther King Jr. and St. Martin de Porres. St. Martin de Porres is a patron saint for poor and mixed-race people in the Catholic Church. The center's first goal was to teach people about unfair attitudes. Later, it also focused on celebrating Black culture and helping Black community members become activists.
While Father Hardin traveled to raise money, Sister Jane Edward managed the center every day. She used her history knowledge to research and create materials for workshops and speeches.
Expanding Programs
The Martin Center grew to include the Martin Sickle Cell Center. This center received a lot of national funding. It helped educate the community and test for sickle cell disease. Sister Jane Edward was the Director of Community Education there for seven years. She received an award for her dedication to this work.
The center also had the Afro-American Institute. This institute focused on African and African-American culture and achievements. Sister Jane Edward and Father Hardin collected a library of materials and artifacts for it.
They also produced a scholarly magazine, TV documentaries, and radio and TV shows. Sister Jane Edward co-hosted these programs and did most of the research for them.
Founding Martin University
As the Martin Center offered more educational programs, it worked with Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis. They created college courses together. This led Sister Jane Edward and Father Hardin to start Martin University. It is Indiana's only university mainly serving minority students.
Leading Academic Growth
From the very beginning, Sister Jane Edward was the main academic leader at Martin University. She helped shape the school's ideas, focusing on how adults learn best. This approach used the strengths and experiences of adult students, who made up most of the university's population. She helped hire teachers and develop the school's lessons.
Sister Jane Edward led the academic side of Martin University as it grew. It started with a few students in 1977 and became a university with nearly 1000 students by 1990. She was key in getting the school officially recognized and helping it expand. She was known for her sense of humor and for caring deeply about students. For example, she would serve soup to students who came straight from work to class.
While she was Vice President, Sister Jane Edward also worked on many projects in the Indianapolis community. She served on the Crispus Attucks Museum Committee. She also advised the Indianapolis Public Schools. She continued to guide the Martin Center as its executive director for several years.
Awards and Retirement
Sister Jane Edward received many awards from Martin University. These included the Mary McLeod Bethune Award. In 2005, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the university. After 30 years of service, Sister Jane Edward retired from Martin University in 2007. She passed away on September 13, 2017, in St. Louis.
Community Awards
- WIAN-FM Outstanding Service Award
- Leadership in Education Award, Indianapolis Education Association
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award, Indiana Christian Leadership Conference
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1995 Individual Award, Madame Walker Institute, Indianapolis
- Diamond Award, United to Serve America
- Service to the Black Community, King-Walker-Wilkins-Young Awards Committee
- Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International
- Heroism Award, American Red Cross
- Sagamore of the Wabash, Governor of Indiana
- Role Modelship Award, Wheeler Boys and Girls Club
- Mother of the Year, Nur-Allah Islamic Center, Indianapolis
- 100 Heroes, United Way of Central Indiana
