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Members of the Wauseon Exchange Club honored Mrs. Ruth Campbell last Thursday
when they nominated her as the recipient of the Golden Deeds Award. The award was made at the club's annual dinner at Pottawatomie Inn at Pokagon
Park in Indiana. Following is the formal citation which was read at the time the certificate
was presented to Mrs. Campbell.
Recently a friend said "Anything that will better the community, Ruth Campbell
is interested and usually involved in it."
Although this statement was made on June 2, 1964 the same might well have been
said for the over-half-century that Ruth has lived in Wauseon, where she was
and still is thought of as one of the best teachers that ever served here.
Ruth was born January 1, 1890 to Judge and Mrs. Levi Brown in Glasgow, Scotland. At the age of 3 1/2 the family moved to Northwest Ohio where she
lived on the farm now owned by Jay Batdorf.
She first attended school in a little white building which was later made into
a parking lot at Clinton and E. Elm Street. First and second grades were
completed in one year, in Old Normal School where Elm Street School now stands. After ninth grade, the Browns moved to North Carolina where Ruth
attended 10th and 11th grades. After her father died in 1907, she came back
to live with her brother Maynard Brown in Clyde, Ohio and graduated from High
School there in 1907.
Ruth's education continued in Dr. Mary Law's Kindergarten Training School in
Toledo for two years. Upon graduation she taught in kindergarten in Toledo
for four years. In 1914, she moved to Wauseon to teach in first grade where
she served faithfully for 29 years. One Wauseonian has said recently that
she is "One of the city's most revered teachers. Mothers used to insist that
their child be taught by Miss Brown."
Until 1942, Ruth lived on East Oak Street. In that year she married Reas
Campbell who died just a few years ago.
Although Ruth helped in many projects in connection with her school teaching,
her civic contributions only began there. She, by her own admission, seemed
inevitably to find herself in the position of leadership in any organization
with which she became affiliated, although Ruth's humble spirit would force
her to admit that these honors might better have gone to someone more qualified.
She has rendered outstanding service through many organizations. She served
as regent of the DAR, as president of the Wauseon Women's Club and the Wauseon
Community Garden Club. She also wrote the history of the Congregational
Church, which required tremendous time and effort in research and scholarship.
Recently, as chairman of the health committee of the Woman's Club, Ruth headed
the local arthritis fund breakfast. She has made great strides to preserving
historical sites for Wauseon by refurbishing the old high school where she now
makes her residence. Instead of allowing the building to be torn down or made
over as it might have been, she restored it, keeping as much of the original
appearance as was feasible.
Ruth made extensive trips to Hawaii and to Europe. Upon her return she was in
demand among civic groups, clubs, and educational groups to show slides and to
lecture on her travels. By her own admission she said "I doubt if I am asked
to show the slides anymore. I imagine most everyone has had some chance to
see them." They were appreciated by the entire community.
In the years of her life little has escaped Ruth's interest. She at one time
tried raising bees and became a proficient though limited landscape gardener.
Her hidden efforts to beautify and better the community are known only to Ruth
herself, though her many friends suspect there are many golden deeds she has
done which will probably never be brought to light. |
