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Eliza Pearl Shippen
Eliza Pearl Shippen
Born	February 2, 1888; Washington, D.C.
Died	May 17, 1981; Hyattsville, Maryland
Education	M Street High School (1904); Miner Teachers College; Howard University (B.A., 1912); Teachers College, Columbia University (M.Ed., 1928); University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D. in English Literature, 1944)
Occupation(s)	English professor, college administrator
Employer	D.C. Teachers College
Known for	One of the founding members of Delta Sigma Theta
Relatives	John Shippen (brother)

Eliza Pearl Shippen (February 2, 1888 – May 17, 1981) was an American educator, and one of the founding members of Delta Sigma Theta. She was an English professor and Dean of Women at University of the District of Columbia (then known as Miner Teachers College).

Early life and education

Shippen was from Washington, D.C., the daughter of John Matthew Shippen and Eliza Spotswood Shippen.^[1] Her father was a Presbyterian minister, and her older brother, John Shippen, was a professional golfer.^[2]^[3] She graduated from M Street High School in 1904. She trained as a teacher at the University of the District of Columbia (then known as Miner Teachers College). In 1912, she graduated from Howard University.^[4]

In 1913, she became one of the founding members of Delta Sigma Theta.^[5] She completed a master's degree in education at Teachers College, Columbia University in 1928, and doctoral studies in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania in 1944.^[6]^[7] Her dissertation was titled "Eugenia de Acton (1749–1827)".^[8]^[9]

Career

Shippen taught school in Washington, D.C. before and after her time at Howard University. She was dean of women at Miner Teachers College, and chair of the English department,^[10] and taught English literature courses there.^[11] She was the 11th president of the College Alumnae Club. She retired from D.C. Teachers College in 1954.^[7] In 1958 she published a research article on English poet Rose Fyleman in Elementary English.^[12] She was active in Howard and Delta alumnae activities in Washington into the 1970s.^[13]^[14]^[15]

Personal life

Shippen died at a nursing home in Hyattsville, Maryland, in 1981, aged 93 years.^[16]^[17] Her grave in Hyattville is with the grave of fellow Delta Sigma Theta founder and Washington educator Florence Letcher Toms, with a shared memorial stone donated by the sorority.

References

^ Hutchinson, Louise Daniel; Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (1977). The Anacostia story, 1608–1930. Smithsonian Libraries. Washington : Published for the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum of the Smithsonian Institution by the Smithsonian Institution Press : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
^ "John M. Shippen, 90, Early Negro Golfer". The New York Times. 1968-05-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
^ "John Shippen: Shinnecock's barrier breaker". Golf Channel. June 13, 2018. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
^ "Graduate at Howard". The Washington Post. 1912-06-03. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Brown, Tamara L.; Parks, Gregory S.; Phillips, Clarenda M. (2012-02-29). African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-4073-5.
^ H, Rene (December 8, 2020). "Eliza Pearl Shippen". Women's Activism NYC. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
^ ^a ^b "By Way of Introduction". Elementary English. 35: 357. October 1958 – via Internet Archive.
^ "Eliza Pearl Shippen". Department of English, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
^ Shippen, Eliza Pearl (1945). Eugenia de Acton (1749–1827). University of Pennsylvania.
^ "Three Girl Students Here Given Prizes in Urban Essay Contest". Evening Star. November 19, 1949. p. 26. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
^ District of Columbia Board of Education (1926). Report of the Board of Education to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. The Board. p. 13.
^ Shippen, Eliza P. (October 1958). "Rose Fyleman". Elementary English. 35: 358–365 – via Internet Archive.
^ "Negro Life Study Sessions Opened". Evening Star. 1929-10-28. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Four Delta Sigma Theta Founders Expected at 25th National Meet". Jackson Advocate. August 16, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
^ "Delta Sigma Theta Honors Pat Harris". Detroit Tribune. August 21, 1965. p. 5. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
^ "Eliza Shippen, 93, Professor At D.C. Teachers College, Dies". The Washington Post. May 1981. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
^ "Died". Jet: 14. June 11, 1981.