Marion Jardine Moore
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, the family matriculated to the Cleveland area and Marion Jardine enrolled later at Oberlin College in the field of physical education, graduating in 1928. It’s interesting to note that both Chinese and Japanese students were in her class there as well as some from eastern United States. She was recruited that same year to Ashland High to build up the girls physical education program, and according to those of her early students who nominated her was the architect of girls’ athletics as they pretty much are today. From just a previous program of gym classes she developed intramurals and class teams in basketball, volleyball, soccer, and softball, and fostered an interest in tumbling, through an annual variety show, the Girls’ Frolics. She taught all the various dances to the girls, including clog, hornpipe, Arkansas Travels, as well as interpretive dance for the show.
Marion formed the G.A.C. , Girls Athletic Club, and a Varsity “A” club, where girls could win letters and chevrons by participating in after show sports, including hiking and tennis, ping-pong, badminton, deck tennis, and shuffleboard. This, in addition to teaching 7 through 12 grades of mandatory physical education, kept her a busy person, but she managed to squeeze in two “All-Star Teams” game after each seasonal sport, which included players from 9, 10. 11, and 12th grades. The G.A.C sponsored a dance in the girls’ gym each year to purchase letters and chevron awards.
Since there was no inter school girls sports programs in those days, she started a “Play Day” in the spring of 1931, getting the cooperation of physical education teachers in Shelby, Galion, and Mansfield. 161 girls from 4 schools were divided into teams to play volleyball, kick ball, playground ball, and tennis, the object being to have fun and socialize, rather than emphasize victory for a school.
In 1931 Marion married Bill Moore and since at that time married women could not teach, became a homemaker and raised two children, Jennie and Roderick. In 1954 the teacher shortage and an ending of the married woman ban found her back teaching social studies and English, and later into physical education until 1971, a total of 25 years.
Mrs. Moore spends her summer in Ashland and a few months of the winter in Houston where her daughter lives. She does volunteer work there with children unable to read or write.
Nominator: Marge Paxton, Betty Whitcum, & Janet Hoekstra
Presenter: Ardith Jordan
