2015-04-01

stormdog: (Geek)
2015-04-01 02:31 pm

A Woman Writing on City Planning in 1935

Back in 1935, a University of Chicago Master's student named Mabel Barbara Duncan did her thesis on Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was called "Kenosha, Wisconsin: a Study in Urban Chorography." (I had to look up the definition of chorography; I love learning bits of antiquated language.)

Aside from my interest in her thesis, I'm really curious about this woman who was earning an MS in geography back in 1935. What did she do with that degree? Did she go on to a Ph.D? Did she become a professor, or an urban planner? I can't help but think this area must have been a severely male-dominated field at that point, considering that comprehensive urban planning and the creation of zoning itself were pretty recent developments.

Does anybody have a guess as to how I might find out? I may contact the University of Chicago and see if they have any information about her, but maybe there are some avenues of inquiry I'm not familiar with.