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Clinton News Record, 2015-04-08, Page 1212 News Record • Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Miss Jean Graham 'An interesting woman in the newspaper' Almost forgotten today, Jean Graham, in her prime, was one of the most influen- tial female journalists at the turn of the twentieth cen- tury in Canada. As the soci- ety editor of 'Saturday Night' she was a confidante of Canada's elite. Later, as the editor of the 'Ladies Canadian Home Journal' Graham introduced a gen- eration of Canadian women to a world beyond the tradi- tional home. Emma Jean Graham was born in Clinton on August 21, 1869. She was the oldest of seven children born to Reverend James and Emma Graham. Her father was the minister of the original Wes- leyan Methodist Church. She began her schooling at the Clinton Public School before her father was called to serve the Ridgetown Wes - Huron History David Yates leyan congregation. Sometime in the 1890's for reasons that remain obscure, Graham moved to South Carolina where she taught school for a brief time. According to Marjory Lang in 'Women Who Made the News' (1999), Graham accidentally entered jour- nalism when the editor of the local newspaper 'was challenged to a duel on Help For Today. Hope For Tomorrow. Alzheimer Society Meditation Promotes Health ahs Vita�i. The worlds great sages and healers have long understood the benefits of meditation and now the scientific community has caught up. Meditation is proven to reduce anxiety and stress, lower blood pressure, relieve chronic pain, and optimize our immune systems. It works to increase clarity and focus, improve memory, and increases compassion and self awareness. Meditation allows you to feel more joy, peace and calm in your life. For more information on Meditation and classes, please visit me here at www.interiorconsciousness:com account of a misbegotten wedding write-up.' Despite her lack of journalistic expe- rience, the newspaper's owner hired Graham because, Lang states, he 'decreed that a woman's tact and talent were imperative.' Graham returned to Toronto about the turn of the century and became the society editor for 'Saturday Night' magazine. She wrote lifestyle pieces on families like the Masseys, Denisons, and Pellatts. She hob- nobbed with Canada's rich and famous and wrote mostly flattering pieces about their privileged sta- tus. She also developed an understanding of what Lang recounts as the 'mores, pref- erences, and prejudices' of the upper class which allowed her easy entry into Canada's aristocratic elite. In 1904, she became one of the first members of the newly established Canadian Women's Press Club. In 1909, she was elected its vice-president. Graham viewed a woman's role in journalism as what Lang called 'moral housekeepers.' When Graham addressed the McMaster University alumnae association, she argued that having women in the journalist's profession elevated 'philanthropic work and public morals.' Although Graham knew that a woman could make more money in traditional occupations like teaching or business, she encouraged women to take up the writ- er's craft as a means to make their voice heard by a wider audience. Graham also contended that despite the 'notoriously' poor pay in journalism, there was some sort of equality between the sexes as editors cared more for stories that sold papers than whether the writer was male or female. She also blamed women themselves in not being more assertive when it came to demanding fair wages. Fellow Clintonian, Colo- nel John Alexander Cooper, editor of the 'The Canadian Courier' and 'The Canadian Magazine' recognized her journalistic talents and hired Graham as assistant editor of both journals. In 1909, she was appointed editor of 'The Canadian Home Journal.' Graham continued to carry stories on women's fashion, tips for good homemaking and the regular happenings of the Women's Institutes but she also wrote stories on women in non-traditional roles. Items on female explorers, votes for women and women in the war effort could be found in the pages of the 'Home Journal: Graham was an influen- tial figure in promoting female Canadian authors like 'Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Mont- gomery and Sarah Jean- nette Duncan who wrote the best-selling Canadian book 'The Imperialist: She became a life long friend and mentor of Mazo de la Roche, the author of the Jalna series one of Cana- da's most renowned fic- tional works. Yet, she, herself, accepted many of the traditional gen- der stereotypes, as she believed it was 'only the exceptional women who can report a railway wreck, attend a police court, or become a war correspond- ent! She said she preferred 'a housemaid's position to any such exploits! Under Graham's editorship, the 'Home Journal' was Cana- da's most widely read wom- en's magazine. Graham earned an entry in Henry Morgan's 'Canadian Men and Women of the Time (1912) as 'a writer of dainty, lifting poems and racy editorials: Just as her journalistic influence was in its prime, an illness, in 1911, forced to slow down. She was plagued with ill health for the rest of her life. Graham knew that 'it is quite time for me to recognize the mel- ancholy fact that I am a retiring journalist.' She stayed on as editor of the 'Canadian Home Journal's until the early 1930's when sickness forced her into retirement. She died in Toronto on July 10, 1936. There were only very brief notices in the Toronto newspapers of her passing. Although there was no mention of the tre- mendous impact that Miss Jean Graham had on Cana- dian women in her prime as a journalist and editor, in her prime she did escape the obscurity of the daugh- ter of a Methodist parson in rural Ontario. Huron Heritage Fund Deadline Approaches May 1 is the next deadline for individuals and organi- zations to submit applica- tions for the Huron Heritage Fund. Established in 2007, the purpose of the Huron Herit- age Fund is to encourage the preservation of heritage assets and activities of herit- age importance to the County of Huron and its residents. Many initiatives from throughout Huron County have been supported by the Huron Heritage Fund since its inception. In recent years, projects have included support for Goderich Little Theatre's production of The Great Storm, exhibit enhance- ment funds for the North Huron Museum as well as a an initiative by the Huron Historical Society to hon- our Jennie Smillie through a plaque in the Dr. Jennie Smillie Parkette, in the gionolle Smoot TYNDALL'S 5` SPECIAL" LI j. Classes: Children Ages 5-7 Ages 8-12, Teens & Adults Starts: Monday, April 13th, 2015 Location: Holmesville Community Centre CaII: Ron Tyndall at 482-3634 community of Hensall. "The County will contrib- ute up to 50% of the costs of a project to a maximum of $5,000," according to Meighan Wark, Director of Cultural Services. This investment leverages other groups or individuals to invest in Huron County's heritage also. Projects will assist in the preservation and restora- tion of heritage landmarks, historic buildings, and objects of historical signifi- cance not owned by the County of Huron. Heritage publications and events also qualify for support under this program. More information about the application process can be found on the County's web site at: http://www. huroncounty.ca/museum/ huronheritagefund.php Brochures are also availa- ble at all branches of the Huron County Library. HEAD HUNTERS BAYFIELD 8 Main Street Call for an appointment: 519-565-2221 or 226-973-7628 Head Hunters offers a variety of colouring, cutting, treatments, and make-up services. We have highly experienced stylists including an onsite barber. 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