Joanna Bethune

Joanna Graham Bethune was born to Isabella and Dr. John Graham at Fort Niagara on February 1, 1770, in Canada. After Dr. Graham's death in 1773, Bethune moved with her family to Scotland, where she was raised by her mother. Bethune attended school at Paisley and Edinburgh until she was thirteen years old when a friend of her mother paid for her to attend a French school in Rotterdam for two years. After studying to become a teacher, she moved with her family once again to New York where she became a teacher at her mother's school at the age of 19. == Personal life ==

Bethune was a deeply religious Christian, having been a member of the Cedar Street Presbyterian Church. With her husband's financial backing she was able to start her own organizations for helping needy children. three of whom lived to adulthood: Jessie, Isabella, and George. and Bethune died on July 29, 1860. == Organizations founded and their achievements ==

Orphan Asylum Society After seeing the poor conditions and standards in the almshouses that children were often sent to, Bethune suggested the idea of creating a shelter to nurture and educate children. With her husband's support and financial backing, she helped found the Orphan Asylum Society, with its own standards of taking care of children. The major goal of the Society was to provide a safe, clean living environment for the orphans and to educate them to be ready to work hard to contribute to society as adults. The Society was highly successful in training orphaned children for jobs and it had a positive response from the public. The New York State gave financial aid to the society and led it to becoming a prime example for charitable organizations, inspiring the creation of other charities. Infant School Society In July 1827, Bethune opened New York's first infant school. She became the supervisor of the Infant School Society and worked to teach younger children. Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children Bethune helped her mother open and run this organization though her mother later told to her to focus on children instead of widows. Federal Union Society For the Promotion of Sabbath Schools Divie Bethune inspired his wife to gather other women to form a system of Sunday schools modeled after the ones in England after being turned down by local ministers. Divie Bethune said, "My dear wife, there is no use in waiting for the men; do you gather a few ladies of different denominations, and begin the work yourselves". The Federal Union Society For the Promotion of Sabbath Schools was established and Bethune became the administrator. This Society was successful just like the Orphan Asylum Society had been; producing twenty-one schools with over eight thousand students. Later on, the New York Sunday School Union (a union made up of men) integrated the Society and Bethune eventually lost her position as the leader. Society for the Promotion of Industry Among the Poor In 1814, Bethune initiated the Society for the Promotion of Industry Among the Poor to give work to people suffering from the struggles brought on by the War of 1812. The Society gave jobs to 500 women. == References ==