Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 1968 Volume 15 Number 1, Pages 8–9

Myrtle Wandless

Katharine M. Stroh

Page 8

In 1918 the Wandless family, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin W. Wandless, their daughter and son came from Philadelphia to live on Warren Avenue, Berwyn. Myrtle and her brother Read were young lass and lad. She went to Easttown Grammer School, then to Tredyffrin-Easttown High School; the first Joint High School in Pennsylvania.

Miss Isabel Endslow, one of her teachers, remembers Myrtle as a cheerful, smiling sophomore. When groups gathered she chatted happily with her classmates and friends. Her friends of the era and through her life feel the same about her, she was happy and cheerful. Mrs. Edward Jones, the former Alice Smith, says, "Myrtle was a real friend and always a perfect lady" In an autograph album of Alice's Myrtle wrote "Cheer up and let worry die of too much sunshine."

After graduating from Tredyffrin-Easttown High School Myrtle entered Temple University, the following September, where she received her B. S. in Education. After graduation she was made Head of the Home Economics Department of Nether Providence High School in Wallingford, Delaware Co., Pa. This position she held for thirty-five years until she retired in 1962. She taught both girls and boys, cooking, sewing, budgeting, physiology and science.

She received her M. A. degree from Columbia University in New York, as well as doing graduate work at Cornell, Penn State and Drexel.

Miss Elizabeth Fritz, retired from Industrial Nursing at Warner Co., and Mrs. Henrietta Hagel, Assistant Director of District 10 of the Business and Professional Women's Club, tell how willing Myrtle was to help in the work of the Club. She held office in the District after being President of the Chester County Club and held many offices in that Club. She was Chairman of the Education Fund and for many years published the magazine of the Club called "Wings." Due to her interest and active perticipation she will be greatly missed by the members.

Myrtle was initiated into General Anthony Wayne Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in 1931 while her mother was Mat­ron. In 1937 she became Matron of the Chapter. When Gen. Anthony Wayne Chapter was 25 years old Myrtle wrote the history from the time of the Constitution in 1920 to 1945.

Page 9

The Great Valley Assembly of the International Order of Rainbow for girls was sponsored by General Anthony Wayne Chapter; Myrtle was on the first Board of Directors.

In addition to the trip Myrtle and her mother took to the West Coast, the family took trips to Canada and numerous trips to New England. Her traveling also included visits to all the National Parks as well as Texas, Florida, the Middle West, several of the Southern States, and Mexico.

Myrtle held memberships in the following organizations: National Retired Teachers' Association, Pennsylvania State Retired Teachers Association (Life Member), Delaware County Retired Teachers. Business and Professional Woman's Club of Chester County Past President. Business and Professional Women's Club - District Treasurer and District Chairman of various Committees. Order of the Eastern Star - Past Matron. Tredyffrin-Easttown History Club - President 1966-1968. Monday Afternoon Club of Malvern. (At the time of her death she was a member of the Board). Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Alpha Eta Chapter -Past President, Parliamentarian, 1st Vice President, President, 2nd. Vice President.

Myrtle had hopes of taking up work in History after her retirement. She was secretary of the Tredyffrin-Easttown His­tory Club in 1947 and vice-president in 1966, when she became president of the Club, in which she had taken an active part since joining in 1939. She was editor and later illustrator for the Tredyffrin-Easttown Club's magazine for which she wrote several articles including: "Old Philadelphia," "Weavers and Weaving," "History of Easttown Township," "Clockmakers of Tredyffrin-Easttown Townships," "History of Tredyffrin & Easttown Townships History Club," "History of the Paoli-Malvern-Berwyn Rotary Club". Myrtle was serving the last month of her office as president of the History Club when she passed away January lst, 1968.

We are saddened by her passing. Like her father - who was an esteemed president of the Club for several terms - and her mother, who published our magazine "The Quarterly," she gave so freely of her talents and spirit in all her assoc­iations. She will be missed deeply in our History Club and by her many friends.