Kathleen Yerger Johnstone Explained

Kathleen Yerger Johnstone
Birth Date:August 19, 1906
Birth Place:Mobile, Alabama
Death Date:June 19, 1996 (aged 89)
Occupation:Writer, dance educator, conchologist

Kathleen Yerger Johnstone (August 19, 1906 – June 19, 1996) was an American nature writer, dance educator, and "Alabama's most famous conchologist".[1] Alabama's state seashell, Johnstone's junonia, is named in her honor.

Early life and education

Kathleen Yerger was born in Mobile, Alabama, the daughter of Arthur Warren Yerger and Kathleen Hughes Williamson Yerger. Her father, a traveling salesman, died in 1912.[2] She graduated from the Mississippi State College for Women in 1927, and pursued further education at Columbia University. She trained as a dancer with the Art Students League of New York and the Denishawn School.[3]

Career

Yerger taught dance classes at the Lausanne School in Tennessee and at Arlington Hall in Virginia, as a young woman. She was an enthusiastic birder and seashell collector, and wrote two books about seashells later in life. "This is the kind of book that makes the hobbyist's mouth water," noted one 1957 review of her first book, Sea Treasure, "and reawakens the urge to be off to the coast and digging, dredging, or just wading."[4]

The official state seashell of Alabama,[5] the Scaphella junonia jounstoneae, was named for Johnstone by William J. Clench, in recognition of her work on improving public awareness and knowledge about seashells.[6] [7] (Another gastropod, Melongena corona johnstonei, is named for her husband.)[8]

Johnstone was president of the Junior League of Mobile, and promoted the city's public art and architectural features.[9] She wrote an essay for the Junior League's national magazine in 1945, proposing increased wages, shorter hours, and other improved conditions for domestic workers after World War II.[10]

Publications

Personal life

Yerger married architect Henry (Harry) Inge Johnstone in 1930. They had three sons. Their son Yerger Johnstone became a vice president at Morgan Stanley.[15] Their son Douglas Inge Johnstone became a justice on the Alabama State Supreme Court.[16] Her husband died in 1991,[17] and she died in 1996, at age 89.

Notes and References

  1. December 2005 . COA Convention 2006 . American Conchologist . 33 . 4 . 30 . Internet Archive.
  2. News: 1912-08-22 . Believe Suicide is a Mobile Man; Yerger Recently Drew Considerable Money from His Bank . 2 . Birmingham Post-Herald . 2023-06-07 . Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: Kathleen Yerger Johnstone, 1906-1996; Alabama Authors, at University of Alabama Libraries . 2023-06-07 . en-US.
  4. News: Mahoney . Esther R. . 1957-02-03 . A Mobilian's Grand Book on Shells . 44 . The Montgomery Advertiser . 2023-06-07 . Newspapers.com.
  5. Book: Alabama. Legislature . Journal of the Alabama House of Representatives, 1990, volume 3 . 1990 . 2412–2413 . Internet Archive.
  6. Web site: 2014-04-29 . Johnstone's Junonia . 2023-06-07 . State Symbols USA . en.
  7. News: 1990-01-11 . Mobile senator makes push to get an official state shell/Frank Bruer . 1 . Birmingham Post-Herald . 2023-06-07 . Newspapers.com.
  8. September 1990 . Correction . American Conchologist . 18 . 3 . 18 . Internet Archive.
  9. Book: Sledge, John Sturdivant . An Ornament to the City: Old Mobile Ironwork . 2006 . University of Georgia Press . 978-0-8203-2700-6 . 83 . en.
  10. News: 1945-11-05 . Home Timetable Asked to Help Keep Maids; Pay Standards, 54-Hour Week Proposed; The Family Wash on Mondays 15 Minutes Allowed for Meals . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-07 . 0362-4331.
  11. Book: Johnstone, Kathleen Yerger . Sea Treasure: A Guide to Shell Collecting . 1957 . en.
  12. Web site: 1965 . An Albino Robin Near Mobile . 2023-06-07 . Alabama Bird Life . en-US.
  13. Book: Johnstone, Kathleen Yerger . Collecting seashells . 1970 . New York, Grosset & Dunlap . Internet Archive.
  14. News: Buckley . Dan . 1970-07-26 . Harvesting the Shore . 123 . The Sacramento Bee . 2023-06-07 . Newspapers.com.
  15. News: 1975-09-20 . Wedding Held For Miss Rule . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-07 . 0362-4331.
  16. News: Gettleman . Jeffrey . 2003-08-22 . Thou Shalt Not, Colleagues Tell Alabama Judge . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-07 . 0362-4331.
  17. Book: Alabama Legislature . Alabama legislative acts . 1992 . 69–70 . Internet Archive.

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