Lulu E. Walker was a well-regarded 'elocution' instructor in the boroughs of eastern Pennsylvania in the late 1800's.[1] Never married, she lived with her parents and sister until their deaths. Beyond her public education, she was undoubtedly educated by her father and then worked with him in several secondary schools where he held the position of Principal.
Lulu was probably born on October 25, 1849 in AbingtonTownship, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States, where her parents Professor Harvey Day and Electa (Bates)Walker were living. Lulu joined two older brothers, Malcom (1847-1919) and Harvey B. (1845-). [2] No birth record for Lulu has been found, however Lucilla (Lulu) was recorded as Age 1 in the 1850 Abington Census. Her birth month and day are taken from the 1900 Census.
By 1860, a little sister had arrived in the form of Eliza Pauline, who was six years younger than Lulu. The family had moved to New Columbus due to her father's new teaching position at New Columbus Academy. [3]
By 1870, Lulu was grown (age 20) and they were living in Orange Township, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States where her father was teaching at the Orangeville Academy. The Civil War had come and gone, during which her father and brother, Malcom, had founded a school for war orphans. [4] Malcom would soon become a lawyer, marry, and move to Shickshinny to establish himself. Lulu took his place as her father's aide and ally. Her speciality became elocution.
An 1877 newspaper announced that a select Normal and Academic school would be opened in the borough of Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania for ten weeks. The school was "under the charge of Prof. H. D. Walker, as Principal, who will be assisted in the Normal and Academic Departments by Miss Lulu E. Walker, and in the Primary Department by Miss E. Pauline Walker. Teacher of Elocution, Miss Lulu E. Walker." [5]
By 1880, the family had moved again, this time to Waverly, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. In this Census, Lucilla and her sister, Pauline, were school teachers. [6] In September 1880, the Weekly Star, Plymouth, Pennsylvania newspaper reports "one of the best schools in the county is in progress here, the Huntington Mills, English, classical normal and grammar school. Prof. H. D. Walker, late principal of the State Normal School at Bloomsburg, is the principal, and Miss Lulu E. Walker who has long been known as the finest Elocutionist in this valley, is the preceptress." [1]
Lulu's mother died in 1897. The girls remained at home caring for their father. In the 1900 and 1910 censuses, Lulu, her sister and their father were living in Union Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States. The 1900 Census records their father as a 'dealer of medicines', obviously his effort to continue to provide for his household. [7] [8]
Her father died in 1912, at the age of 95. By now, Lulu was 63 and Pauline was 57.
In the 1920 census Lulu and Pauline are recorded as teachers, still in Union Township. [9]
Lulu's brother, Malcom, died in 1919, her sister Pauline died in June 1922, and Lulu died less than a year later, on April 14, 1923 in Union, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States. Her death certificate informant was her nephew (Malcom's son). She was buried in Shickshinny, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (although no grave location has been found). [10]
It is interesting that none of her ages on Censuses through her adult life were consistent with her 1849 birthyear. She got only 9 years older with each census, so that by 1910 she was recorded as 57, rather than 61. In 1920, she was listed as age 63 (instead of 71). Her death certificate, the only personal source document found, estimates her age at 76 as no exact records could be found by the informant, her nephew Harvey "Day" Walker. She was actually 74 years old when she died.
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Categories: Speech Teachers | Shickshinny, Pennsylvania