Blanche Evans Dean

Blanche Evans Dean (June 12, 1892 – May 31, 1974) was an American naturalist, conservationist and schoolteacher.

Biography

Dean was born Viola Blanche Evans in 1892 to John James and Catherine Evans, the youngest of their twelve children. She was raised on her parents' farm in Clay County, Alabama, where she first developed an interest in wildlife. She attended Lineville High School and, after graduating in 1908, began teaching at Hatchett Creek Presbyterian Church.^[1]

After deciding to become a teacher, Dean studied education at Jacksonville State University and later at Valparaiso University. In 1924, following her graduation from the University of Alabama with a degree in chemistry,^[1] she became a biology teacher at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Alabama. She remained there until 1957, spending a total of almost 30 years teaching in the public school system.^[2] She married William Dean in 1939, but they divorced less than a year later; Dean decided to keep her husband's surname.^[1]

Dean became a passionate naturalist and conservationist after teaching. One of her projects in the 1940s was the campaign to have the U.S. government to declare Alabama's Clear Creek Falls a national park, although the campaign failed and the falls were ultimately incorporated into Lewis Smith Lake. In the 1950s–60s, she helped to found the Alabama Ornithological Society, the Alabama Environmental Council, and the Alabama Conservation Council (then known as the Alabama Conservancy).^[1]^[3] Additionally, she was involved in the Birmingham Audubon Society, the Alabama Academy of Science, the National Association of Biology Teachers, the American Fern Society, and Delta Kappa Gamma.^[2] She established an Outdoor Nature Camp in 1951, which she directed annually for thirteen years to educate teachers and other adults about Alabama's natural history. In 1967, after assisting the Alabama Environmental Council in designating Alabama's first national forest, William B. Bankhead National Forest, she was awarded a prize from the National Audubon Society for conservation education; she was the first person from Alabama to receive such an award.^[1]

Dean was inspired to write several books on Alabama's zoology and botany by her frustration with the lack of books available on the subject.^[1] She self-published Let's Learn the Birds of Alabama in 1957, Trees and Shrubs in the Heart of Dixie in 1961, Let's Learn the Ferns of Alabama in 1964, and Wildflowers of Alabama and Adjoining States in 1973. Dean died in 1974, aged 88, from complications caused by a major stroke.^[1]

Legacy

In 1975, Dean won the Alabama Library Association's first posthumous Annual Author Award for her non-fiction books. The Alabama Wildflower Society later established the Blanche E. Dean Scholarship Fund and named its Birmingham chapter after Dean.^[2] She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1985.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Christenson, Alice (March 7, 2007). "Blanche Evans Dean". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
1 2 3 "Blanche Evans Dean (1892-1974)". Alabama Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
↑ Dilsaver, Lary M. (November 1, 2006). "The Battle for Alabama's Wilderness: Saving the Great Gymnasiums of Nature". Southeastern Geographer.

Alabama Women's Hall of Fame
1970s	1971 Farmer, HallieHallie Farmer Keller, Helen AdamsHelen Adams Keller Tutwiler, Julia StrudwickJulia Strudwick Tutwiler 1972 Harris, Agnes EllenAgnes Ellen Harris Washington, Margaret MurrayMargaret Murray Washington 1973 Mitchell, Edwina DonnellyEdwina Donnelly Mitchell Wallace, Lurleen BurnsLurleen Burns Wallace 1974 Gibbs, HenriettaHenrietta Gibbs Tunstall, Loraine BedsoleLoraine Bedsole Tunstall 1975 Graves, Dixie BibbDixie Bibb Graves Owen, Marie BankheadMarie Bankhead Owen 1976 Berrey, Ruth RobertsonRuth Robertson Berrey Price, Annie LolaAnnie Lola Price 1977 Gorgas, Amelia GayleAmelia Gayle Gorgas Wilson, Augusta Jane EvansAugusta Jane Evans Wilson 1978 Daugette, Annie Rowan ForneyAnnie Rowan Forney Daugette Jacobs, Patti RuffnerPatti Ruffner Jacobs 1979 Brooke, MyrtleMyrtle Brooke Tuggle, Carrie A.Carrie A. Tuggle
1980s	1980 Mallory, Kathleen MooreKathleen Moore Mallory Tartt, Ruby PickensRuby Pickens Tartt 1981 Bankhead, TallulahTallulah Bankhead Johnston, ElizabethElizabeth Johnston 1982 Moynahan, ChrysostomChrysostom Moynahan Dunn, Loula FriendLoula Friend Dunn 1983 Bilbro, Anne MathildeAnne Mathilde Bilbro Parrish, Clara WeaverClara Weaver Parrish 1984 Warner, Mildred WesterveltMildred Westervelt Warner White-Spunner, KatherineKatherine White-Spunner 1985 Dean, Blanche EvansBlanche Evans Dean Vickery, KatherineKatherine Vickery 1986 Thomas, Chamintney StovallChamintney Stovall Thomas Young, Martha StrudwickMartha Strudwick Young 1987 Crosby, Elizabeth CarolineElizabeth Caroline Crosby Warren, LellaLella Warren 1988 Cater, Katherine CooperKatherine Cooper Cater Thompson, Mary Elizabeth PhillipsMary Elizabeth Phillips Thompson 1989 Bristow, GwenGwen Bristow Mercer, GenevaGeneva Mercer
1990s	1990 Kelly, Maud McLureMaud McLure Kelly Le Vert, Octavia WaltonOctavia Walton Le Vert 1991 Praytor, Frances VirginiaFrances Virginia Praytor Praytor, Anna LintonAnna Linton Praytor Barron, Julia TarrantJulia Tarrant Barron 1992 Bellingrath, Bessie MorseBessie Morse Bellingrath Smith, Frances Scott FitzgeraldFrances Scott Fitzgerald Smith Fitzgerald, Zelda SayreZelda Sayre Fitzgerald 1993 Mathis, Ida Elizabeth BrandonIda Elizabeth Brandon Mathis Waite, Mary George JordanMary George Jordan Waite 1994 Bender, Doris MarieDoris Marie Bender Howell, LotticeLottice Howell 1995–1996 Bashinsky, Elizabeth BurfordElizabeth Burford Bashinsky Lindsay, Maude McKnightMaude McKnight Lindsay 1997 Wilkins, Hattie HookerHattie Hooker Wilkins Spidle, Marion WalkerMarion Walker Spidle 1998 Crawford, Martha FosterMartha Foster Crawford Weeden, Maria HowardMaria Howard Weeden 1999 Booth, Margaret H.Margaret H. Booth Hopkins, Juliet OpieJuliet Opie Hopkins
2000s	2000 Bateman, Florence GolsonFlorence Golson Bateman Fearing, MariaMaria Fearing 2001 Moffett, Ida VinesIda Vines Moffett Pool, Sibyl MurphreeSibyl Murphree Pool 2002 Childs, Idella JonesIdella Jones Childs Katz, Jane LobmanJane Lobman Katz 2003 Branscomb, LouiseLouise Branscomb Walcott, Bess BoldenBess Bolden Walcott 2004 Crews, Nancy BatsonNancy Batson Crews Gerhardt, RosaRosa Gerhardt 2005 Hall, VeraVera Hall Morgan, Juliette HamptonJuliette Hampton Morgan 2006 Durr, Virginia FosterVirginia Foster Durr Weatherly, Mary Celesta JohnsonMary Celesta Johnson Weatherly 2007 McKee, FranFran McKee Myers, Martha CrystalMartha Crystal Myers 2008 Parks, Rosa McCauleyRosa McCauley Parks 2009 King, Coretta ScottCoretta Scott King
2010s	2010 Burks, Mary IvyMary Ivy Burks Smith, Margaret CharlesMargaret Charles Smith 2011 Anderson, Evelyn DanielEvelyn Daniel Anderson Stovall, Ada RuthAda Ruth Stovall 2012 Nina Miglionico 2013 Frances C. Roberts 2014 Hazel Mansell Gore 2015 Kathryn Tucker Windham 2016 Anne Mae Beddow Sarah Haynsworth Gayle

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