Martha Davis Coe facts for kids

Martha Davis Coe (born April 24, 1907 – died November 11, 1986) was a talented American musician, composer, and inventor. She also worked as a public relations executive. For ten years, she was a staff member at the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA).

About Martha Coe's Life

Martha Laysa Davis was born in New York. She was the second child of Bret C. Davis and May W. Davis. In 1939, she married Arthur Clinch Coe.

Later, Martha became close friends and collaborators with Alicen White (1908-2007). Alicen was an author and playwright. They met while both working for the Girl Scouts. They shared a home in New York City for many years. In 1971, they moved to Rumson, New Jersey.

Martha Coe's Career

Martha Coe had a very interesting and varied career. She spent her time composing music, performing, and managing theaters. She also worked in public relations, for the Girl Scouts, and in early TV and radio.

During World War II, she was an Executive Director for the Women's Army Corps. She also served as Executive Secretary for the American Women's Association. For ten years, she was the Executive Director for the Argus Archives. This organization worked to ensure the humane treatment of animals.

Martha also worked in public relations for Cabrini Medical Center. She was also the Public Relations and Business Manager for the New England Repertory Theatre on Martha's Vineyard. For ten years, she was an assistant to the Girl Scouts' Director of Public Relations.

Working in Radio, TV, and Music

In the 1940s, Martha Coe was an Assistant Research Director for radio station WOR. She then became the Music Program Director for radio station WMCA in 1945. In this role, she managed all live and recorded music programs. She also worked on some of the very first television shows at the DuMont Television Network.

Martha had her own music studio in New York City for several years. She was a composer and a concert pianist. She had a lot of experience with theater operations and productions. She worked on shows in New York and in Summer Stock (theaters that put on plays only in the summer).

For the Girl Scouts, Martha directed a show called A Dream and a Promise. This was part of a big event in 1953 in Cincinnati, Ohio. About 3,000 people watched the show. In 1956, she produced three large events for the first Girl Scout Senior Roundup in Michigan. One show even included a military flyover and a speech by actor Charlton Heston.

From 1976 to 1986, Martha Coe and Alicen White created, produced, and performed two-woman shows. They called themselves Coe-White Associates. Their shows included Music Hall Favourites and Oscar Wilde and Wonderful. They performed these shows in New York and New Jersey.

Martha Coe's Creative Works

Martha Coe wrote the music for several musical plays. Her friend Alicen White often wrote the stories or lyrics for these plays.

Musical Plays and Songs

• Quite A Young Girl (1960): Martha and Alicen wrote this musical comedy. It was based on a famous book called The Young Visiters, written by a 9-year-old girl named Daisy Ashford.
• The Absent Minded Dragon (1963): This play ran for almost three years off-Broadway.
• The Brownies (1964): This musical was inspired by a story from 1865 by Juliana Horatia Ewing. It was performed in New York and even recorded on an LP (a type of record).
• The Enchanted Forest (1964)

Martha also wrote many individual songs, including:

• He Was Just a Gambling Man (1945)
• The Road Winds Upwards (1959): This song was written for a Girl Scout event in Colorado.
• My World in You (1959)
• Until You Said Goodbye (1959)

She also composed an orchestral piece called Paul Bunyan Fantasy (1946). This music was recorded by the National Orchestral Association.

Inventions

In 1961, Martha Coe and Alicen White started a company called May White Corporation. Through this company, they sold two unique products:

• Grandmother’s Favourite Furniture Cream: This was a special cream for furniture, based on Alicen White's mother's recipe.
• Wurry Beads: These were beads made from Lucite, which looked like traditional Worry beads.

In 1980, Martha Coe even filed a patent for an invention. It was a walker with detachable seat. This shows her creative mind went beyond music!