uPAR@ ` ╜TEXT ` »Cushman, Vera Charlotte Scott1876╨1946social workerBorn in Ottawa, Illinois, on September 19, 1876, Vera Scott was the daughter of a Scotch-Irish immigrant merchant whose business eventually became part of the great mercantile firm of Carson Pirie Scott & Company of Chicago. She grew up in Ottawa and, during 1887╨1891, in Salina, Kansas, and was educated at Ferry Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois, and at Smith College, from which she graduated in 1898. She retained through life the religious inclination of her family and in college became active in the work of the Young Women╒s Christian Association branch at Smith, serving as its president. She continued her interest in the YWCA after graduation and after her marriage in October 1901 to James S. Cushman, a New York City businessman. In 1905 she became a member of Grace H. Dodge╒s committee to unify the national YWCA movement, and from its formation in December 1906 she was a member of the unified National Board. Between then and her resignation from the board in 1936 she also served several terms as vice-president. She was also a leader of YWCA work in New York City. She helped facilitate the merger of YWCA activities in New York in 1912 and was elected first president of the unified organization. In 1913 she was vice-chairman of the ╥Whirlwind Campaign╙ that raised $4 million in 14 days for the city and national YWCAs. In May 1917 the YWCA established the War Work Council under her chairmanship to direct the contribution of the association to the war effort. Under her leadership $170 million was raised to finance the establishment and staffing of 140 Hostess Houses near army and navy camps and bases, military hospitals, and ports of embarkation and debarkation. The houses provided lodging and recreation for nurses, Signal Corps workers, and other women engaged in war work. Hostess Houses and other service centers were operated during World War I in nine countries by the YWCA. In 1919 Cushman was one of six women to receive the Distinguished Service Medal for her work. From 1924 to 1938 she was a vice-president of the World Council of the YWCA. She was also active on the Women╒s Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, a delegate to the international Suffrage Convention in Geneva in 1920, and vice-president of the League of Nations Non-Partisan Association in 1923. While on her way to a Florida vacation, she died in Savannah, Georgia, on February 1, 1946. åstyl ` ! ¬ 5¬ ( 5¬ 7 !I > !I ▐ L !I link ` HYPR > L
