Jessie Thatcher Bost | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jessie Olive Thatcher (1875-12-16)December 16, 1875 Guthrie Center, Iowa |
| Died | February 14, 1963(1963-02-14) (aged 87)[1] Stillwater, Oklahoma |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Known for | First female student admitted to Oklahoma A&M University (now Oklahoma State University) |
Jessie Olive Thatcher Bost (December 16, 1875 – February 14, 1963)[a] was the first female graduate ofOklahoma State University. Bost was born inGuthrie Center, Iowa,[b] Her family moved toStillwater in 1891, then part ofOklahoma Territory, and she enrolled in a university, then known as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) College, when it opened later that year. She graduated in 1897, alongside two male students in the university's second graduating class.[c] After graduation, Bost worked as a public school teacher in Stillwater. Bost remained involved with the university and became the first president of its Alumni Association in 1902 and the Half-Century Club in 1954. The university named its first female dormitory "Jessie Thatcher Hall for Bost when it opened in 1925.[2][3]
Jessie married Henry A. Bost, a fellow student, on July 16, 1902. They continued to live in Stillwater until 1907. Meanwhile, the couple had four children and moved toAlva in 1908. As soon as she settled in Alva, she organized aParent-Teachers Association (PTA) and was elected chairman of the Northwest PTA.[2][d]
Jessie Bost interrupted her career in education and spent full time raising children. She and Henry had two sons, Armon Henry (1909-2004) and William Rufus (1916-1944).[1][e]
Bost was inducted into theOklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1997.[4]
