Katherine Montgomery: A Change of Heart on Women's Competitive Athletics in the Early 2Oth Century

• Other Authors: Castelow, Peter L. (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Education
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-4060

Katherine Williams Montgomery (1894-1958) attended Florida State College for Women (FSCW) from 1914 until 1918. After graduating with a degree in English, she became an instructor at FSCW and would soon be asked to acquire training to become the head of a new Physical Education program. Montgomery would begin her new career just as a contentious argument over the right type of athletics for women was reaching an apex. As a student at FSCW, she had participated in athletic competition wholeheartedly, and spoke in favor of intercollegiate athletics on behalf of her fellow students. She had encouraged students to try out for the Women's Olympic team and assisted one in training for the event. In 1923, Montgomery graduated from New Haven Normal School of Gymnastics with a certification in physiotherapy and physical education and returned to Tallahassee to assume the duties of the head of the Department of Physical Education. During her time in New Haven, critics began to act on their concern for the participation of women in public and strenuous competitive athletic events. In 1923 Lou Henry Hoover, wife of President Herbert Hoover, organized a meeting of leaders in women's education, athletics, recreation, and fitness. They concluded that women should be restricted from participating in certain competitive athletic events. This decision affected women's sports throughout the United States. Montgomery's change of heart on the direction of women's athletics and her impact on this trend can be observed in the modifications of her philosophy toward athletics and profound effect on women's athletics at FSCW and throughout the state of Florida and the South. As an educator, and leader in the field of physical education, Montgomery's life and career reflected the tumult in women's athletics in this country during the early 20th century. The study of her life not only brings to light the history of an extraordinary woman but also illuminates the tensions surrounding the evolution of women's athletics. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Fall Semester, 2005. === October 31, 2005. === Athletics, Katherine Montgomery, Physical Education, Education, History, Women's Athletics === Includes bibliographical references. === Victoria-Maria MacDonald, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Jeffrey Milligan, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Paula Welch, Outside Committee Member; Jonathan Leib, Committee Member; Emanuel Shargel, Committee Member.