Talk:Grace A. Dow

Philanthropy

It would seem the mention regarding the library being named after Dow should be moved to another section, unless she supported the development or construction, something that is not mentioned. --Redunitone 16:09, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

In reply to the observation raised by Redunitone; Grace A. Dow was heavily involved in many Midland community clubs and organizations, including the Carnegie Library (the contents of which were moved into the building designed by Alden Dow and renamed the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library) and served on the library board for many years. There is mention of this involvement in her obituary in the Midland Daily News June 29th, 1953 and her involvement in the plans for the new library is mentioned in an article from the Midland Daily News from May 1, 1958. She died before the library was constructed.

I would offer the following expansion to the section in question (information taken from above-mentioned sources and The Midland Log: The Monday Club, 100th Anniversary, The First One Hundred Years 1867-1967, The Memorial Presbyterian Church of Midland):

"Throughout her life Grace Dow frequently contributed to projects in the Midland community personally as well as through the activities of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. She personally donated ecumenically to local church construction projects; including the donation of an Italian marble alter for St. Bridget's Catholic Church; supported missionary work at home and abroad, which included serving a number of years as president of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Society, and provided help to those in need.

Grace Dow was an active member of several civic organizations including a women’s study club, the Monday Club for which she served two presidencies; co-founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution, for which she was the first Regent and served a 3-year term on the state board; and served fifty years on the Midland library board. In the 1950s she was involved in the planning and funding through the Foundation of a new library building, which was designed by her son, architect Alden. Grace died before construction began and the library was named the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in her memory." PostStreetArchivist 13:42, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

Philanthropy

I am a newbie editor to Wikipedia: so if I am in the wrong place to suggest the following edit, please feel free to let me know and point out the correct place!

The story related in this article about patients being able to eat apples can be found in “A Journey of Caring”. However, in “The Pines: 100 Years of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Homestead, Orchards and Gardens” in Plate 2, which maps out the Dow properties, it indicates that while the land that the hospital stands on was part of the Dow farm, the orchards actually lay to the north and south of it.

I would like to suggest the following edit to the Grace A. Dow entry:

“In April 1941, she donated ten acres (later increased to 40 acres) of property to become the site of Midland Hospital (now MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland). Relatives recalled her joy in making the gift, which was adjacent to the Dow family orchards, as she joked, "If nothing else, they can sit there and eat apples while they have to be in the hospital."PostStreetArchivist 15:15, 29 October 2007 (UTC)

This is the right place, but generally new topics go on the bottom of the page. Your edit seems fine, and if you can provide properly formatted sources (see the wikipedia cite templates) in the text it would be great. As long as you are sourcing any additions properly and make sure that the new text follows the neutral point of view policy, then you don't have to suggest them on the talk page first, you can just go ahead and make the change. Karanacs 20:38, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

This section moved to the bottom of the page as it is a new topic on 11-6-07. PostStreetArchivist 13:51, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

problem with my editing

I triggered a red-lettered "problem" that I was not able to understand when I corrected a "minor" problem - Grace Dow did not found or co-found the Daughters of the American Revolution - that was done in 1890 - I believe in Washington, D.C. - she founded a chapter in 1922 in Michigan, that met in Midland, I believe, called the John Alden Chapter, and that is an important distinction to make. I apparently did not cite the webpage source correctly, or something. If someone can tell me what the problem is and how to correct it, I would be grateful. Otherwise, on that webpage, there is a photo of her that someone with more computer cleverness than I have could download onto the Wikipedia site. I might also comment, as much as I revere Grace A. Dow, that calling her an "American philanthropist" is a bit too much, she was a "Michigan philanthopist" in my view. I do not see her reach as being national. She was definitely a great local woman, not small in mind or in the stature of her works, but not a national figure. WPlateschooled (talk) 03:35, 22 September 2014 (UTC)