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l L SSIE DOPYICTI IULCK   C `
A b. April 4, l8@i gf E
l Essie Dortch Mack, educator and civic leader, was born in il u
E Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of John and Emma Dortch who were ’Y i
Q also natives of Louisville. Essie Dortch was educated in the Q
Y California Colored School (now ,*v the Phyllis Wheatley School) and grad- Qt
. dated from Central High School of Louisville in 1902. After this she lyk _ I
} completed a special course of training in kindergarten work and rec- lg s
g eived a scholarship at Municipal College of louisville where she major- ,Q
{ ed in child welfare and educationy ln l§c9 she married Oliver P. it
l Mack. Mrs. Mack is a Baptist and a Republican. { *
{ R
Q Essie Dortch Mack has levotedly given most of her life to the Q
' education and general advancement of her own race. Following her j E
S special training, she was one of the pioneers in kindergarten work in ``l` w
I this city, opening the first kindergarten in the Phyllis Wheatley P, I
l School and serving as its teacher for five years. During this time, t S
I through the Phyllis *l;` iheatley Hothers’ Club, she organized and foster- i I
I cd a plan for shoe repairing into the public schools of Louisville and `C
g also introduced one of the first lunch rooms in the city schools, the “r
’ Phyllis Wheatley School serving hot soup to its pupils at a cost of one T g
I cent a cup. A t
l a
1 With the growth of the Parent-Teacher Associations in Kentucky, -
1 Mrs. Muck organized her own.mothers‘ club into the Phyllis Wheatley E
, Pnrent—Tescher Association and has served as its presid nt for twenty· Q T
2 two years. She rapidly broad ned the field of this work, organizing J i
, the City league of P&TGEt—TGgCh€TS and serving president for fifteen Qi a
Q years and acting as president of the Kentucky Colored Parent-Teacher Q A
‘ Association for nine years. Irs. Mack served in_various capacities in f` A
l the National Congress of Colored Parent—Teacher Associations and was Q A
l riven nation·wide recogrdtion when she was elected prcsid nt of this V o
Q organization in l955 and reelected for a second term in lQ57. Under pz y
é her able leadership the national organization has greatly increased Q Q
{ its prestige and influence. é
I p. .
l Irs. Huck has been a leader of religious life in Louisville- Q;
i At s very early age she became a member or the Centennial Baptist $‘ 3
Q Church whore she assumed the duties not only of Sunday School teacher g
l but also those ci organist. Sho later transferred her membership to §$
i Calvary iaptist Church at Fifth and York Streets where she has been `§L
l orfyxni st lllll Srrrdfn}/‘ School. teacher for mo re than tyre nty-fiV€ ye LRTS ·  
j lx poly? .*b» o? continuors service sha is among the oldest church crgan- § J
2 ists iz Zhuisvillc. hrs. lqck’s political activities have been §
limited io her affiliation with the Eopuplioay party in Kentucky- $h€ at
5 has scr: d as a chairman in the wtmen’s division of the party, >@d §Q
` ws\d;lor»tc to various conventions and has spoken over radio st@ti¤¤ if
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