Helena Theresa Goessmann

Helena Theresa Francesca Goessmann was an American lecturer, academician, and writer. During the course of 12 years, she gave over 1,000 lectures and talks on historical, educational, literary, and ethical subjects, in the US, including a period of four months in the winter of 1906, when she delivered in the leading Catholic girls' academies, between New York, St. Paul, Omaha, and New Orleans, a course, aggregating 125 lectures, on the "Ethics of Scholarship and Education Today". Goessmann served as the head of the department of History, Notre Dame College, Baltimore and Professor of English at State College of Massachusetts (now University of Massachusetts Amherst).

Early years and education

Helena Theresa Goessmann was born in Syracuse, New York, but came with her parents in her infancy to the college town of Amherst, Massachusetts. Her father, Charles Anthony Goessmann, Ph. D., LL. D., had been for many years professor of chemistry in the State College of Massachusetts and director of the Lawrence Experiment Station.^[1]

Goessmann received her early education in private schools, while a special course of study in history, literature, and German was pursued with her father. Both parents were devout Catholics. In 1887 she finished a four years' course and received graduate honors from the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Elmhurst, Providence, Rhode Island. In June, 1895, Goessmann received the degree of Master of Philosophy from Ohio University.^[1]

Biography

Goessmann's special interest was historical research and ethics, with lecturing in these fields. She delivered a series of historical lectures to her alma mater in the winter of 1891-92. Since then, she appeared before several literary organizations of the East Coast. She published a volume of poems, "A Score of Songs"; and "The Christian Woman in Philanthropy" was the first of an ethical series. She also contributed regularly to the press. Her articles appeared in the "Catholic World Reading Circle Review" and other publications. Her papers at the World's Columbian Exposition/World's Congress of Representative Women in Chicago, and the Atlanta Exposition were well received.^[1]

She lectured in New Orleans, 1895; lectured in course at Catholic Summer School sessions of 1892, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1897; and was frequently called upon to address leading non-Catholic organizations on education and culture, in New England. Goessmann gave over 1,000 lectures and talks on historical, educational, literary, and ethical subjects, in the United States, including a period of four months in the winter of 1906, when she delivered in the leading Catholic girls' academies, between New York, St. Paul, Omaha, and New Orleans, a course, aggregating 125 lectures, on the Ethics of Scholarship and Education Today.^[2]

Goessmann was the author of "A Score of Songs", 1887; "Christian Women in Philanthropy", 1895; "Christian Women in Society", 1895. She was a general contributor to US press and magazines, but the public was reached chiefly through her lectures. She raveled in the US, Canada, and Europe. She was elected, after the death of her father, as Professor of English, State College of Massachusetts, Amherst. ^[2]

Organizations

Goessmann was President of the Tuesday Club, Amherst, 1892-96; Secretary and on Advisory Board Amherst Women's Club, 1891-93; organizer and first President of Women's Auxiliary, Catholic Summer School, Cliff Haven, New York, 1895-98; member of Woman's Literary Club and Alumnae Club, Baltimore, 1896-99; organizer and first President of Elmhurst (Sacred Heart) Alumna Association, 1900-03. She was the head of the department of History, Notre Dame College, Baltimore, 1897-99; a member of the United States Catholic Historical Society, 1909; member and chairman of Philothea Society, New York, 1906-07; and head of Department of Catholic Higher Education, New York, 1904-07.^[2]

References

1. McBride 1897, p. 514.
2. Curtis & Elder 1911, p. 248.

Bibliography

• Curtis, Georgina Pell; Elder, Benedict (1911). The American Catholic Who's who (Public domain ed.). NC News Service.
• McBride, D. H. (1897). Immortelles of Catholic Columbian Literature: Compiled from the Work of American Catholic Women Writers (Public domain ed.). D. H. McBride.

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a work in the public domain: G. P. Curtis & G. Elder's The American Catholic Who's who (1911)
• This article incorporates text from a work in the public domain: D. H. McBride's Immortelles of Catholic Columbian Literature: Compiled from the Work of American Catholic Women Writers (1897)