Addie Dickman Miller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
_(cropped).jpg)
Adaline "Addie" Dickman Miller (July 26, 1859 – 1936) was an American college professor, a founder of the town of Ruskin, Florida, and the co-founder and vice-president of the town's Ruskin College. She patented a design for a dish washer and she was president of two different temperance organizations in Oregon.
Adaline "Addie" Dickman was born in West Union, Iowa, to John Dickman and Lydia Jane (Newton) Dickman.[1] She was raised on a farm in a nearby town.[2] Although she had only intermittent schooling, she became a teacher at the age of 15.[2] She went on to study at Western College (later Leander Clark College), focusing on Latin and the sciences and continuing to teach during her vacations.[2] She graduated with a B.S. in 1881.[3]
Early academic career
On leaving Western College, she took a position as chair of history and literature at Avalon College in Avalon, Missouri, later also teaching German.[2] At the end of her first year, she married George McAnelly Miller, a former Chicago prosecuting attorney[4] and professor of ancient languages at Avalon College.[2]
In 1883, Addie and George moved to Oregon, where both took positions at Philomath College in the town of Philomath.[2] Addie taught German and superintended the young women's department, while George was the college president.[2] In 1886, when George ran for Congress, Addie took over as acting college president.[2]
Writing and social activism
For a time in the late 1880s, the couple lived in Portland, Oregon, where Addie gave up teaching for writing and working in the temperance movement.[2] She served as president of the Oregon Temperance Alliance and for two years as president of the Portland Woman's Christian Temperance Union.[2]
For a few years, Addie edited the women's section of West Shore, a Portland periodical.[2] She also published a series of "Letters to Our Girls" in eastern magazines.[2] In 1890, she invented and patented a dishwashing machine.[5]
