Ellen Swallow Richards

While Pam and I were in Jamaica Plain, we were able to meet the members of the JP Historical Society.  Charlie Rosenberg introduced us to Gretchen Grozier, the President of the JPHS and we were appreciative of the opportunity to meet people who are such great historians and have a great desire to preserve the heritage of their community.

While Pam Swallow and I were at MIT, we were assigned a wonderful tour guide, Sarah Levin.  She is  a Junior majoring in inorganic chemistry.  Ellen would have loved her. She is bright, articulate and passionate for her studies and for MIT.   She shared with us that she learned a lot about Ellen as she toured us to several of the “Ellen” sites on campus.

 Joyce and Pam in New Jersey

This past week was an exciting one as Pam Swallow, Ellen’s First Cousin, three times removed, and Joyce visited Boston and MIT.  They stayed at a lovely B&B just a block from 32 Eliot St, the Ellen Richards’ homestead.  They presented a program for a standing room only crowd at the Loring-Greenough House in Jamaica Plain, sponsored by the Jamaica Plain Historical Society and the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail. The next day they visited MIT Archives and Museum and had a delightful visit with MIT President, Susan Hockfield.  President Hockfield was nearly overcome with tears as she met one of Ellen’s relatives.  Joyce and Pam were treated like royalty all day with a personal tour guide throughout the campus.  President Hockfield assured them that they would be invited back again for another campus event to honor Ellen.  Joyce and Pam presented President Hockfield with a copy of the DVD of Ellen’s Life and Legacy.

 Pam and Joyce traveled back to New Jersey later in the week where again, they presented to a group of New Jersey Family and Consumer Sciences professionals.  Joyce presented the next day to a group of New Jersey Family and Consumer Sciences teachers.