Grace L. Hewell, 89, a retired social worker and federal education specialist, died March 7 of congestive heart failure at Providence Hospital in the District. She was a resident of the District and Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dr. Hewell was born in Chattanooga and graduated from Spelman College in 1940. After receiving a master’s degree in social work from Atlanta University in 1943, she enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps and became a second lieutenant while serving in Germany. From 1945 to 1950, she was a service club director with the U.S. armed forces in Europe.

She received a master’s degree in 1952, a master’s degree in public health in 1954 and a doctorate in education in 1958, all from Columbia University.

She worked as a social worker with the St. Louis Housing Authority in the early 1950s and then became a public health educator with the New York City Department of Health.

She moved to Washington in 1960 to work as a program coordination officer at the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now Health and Human Services). She was assigned to the office of the assistant secretary for legislation.

During the first session of the 89th Congress in 1965, she was appointed education chief for the House Committee on Education and Labor, chaired by Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (D-N.Y.), who had been her pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City.

The 89th Congress was labeled “the education Congress” because of the passage of 15 education bills. However, a conference committee reached an impasse on provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 that would expand continuing education programs and would provide greater opportunities for historically black colleges to compete for federal funds.

Dr. Hewell helped Powell break the impasse and in the process forced the federal government to begin closing the gap between white and black education in the United States.

Wil Haygood, Powell’s biographer, described in a 1993 Boston Globe article how the New York congressman used his power and knowledge of the rules to make it more difficult for Southern House members to mass against the bill before it reached the House floor. Haygood, now with The Washington Post, quoted Dr. Hewell as saying: “It was the hardest job I ever had. Two or 3 o’clock in the morning I was on the floor of the House.”

Powell and President Lyndon B. Johnson considered the comprehensive education bill a magnificent achievement. So did Dr. Hewell.

She was an adult education program officer in the Office of Education for the New York region from 1967 to 1978 and later a consultant on educational telecommunications for the Department of Education.

She was a commission member for UNESCO’s Fourth International Conference on Adult Education from 1975 to 1980.

Dr. Hewell served on the executive board of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and was a life member of the National Council of Negro Women. When she retired from government service, she established a second residence in Chattanooga and helped then-Sen. Al Gore clean up a creek that had been described as “the most polluted and contaminated” in the South.

There are no immediate survivors.
Source: Joe Holley, Washington Post, Thursday, April 10, 2008; Page B07

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Approximately 80 people attended the 2007 Knee/Wittman Achievement Awards and the 2007 NASW National Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony and Reception on Friday, February 1, 2008, at The Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. The evening opened with welcoming remarks from NASW Executive Director and NASW Foundation President Elizabeth J. Clark who recognized the NASW Social Work Pioneers®, chapter executive directors, national board members and NASW staff who were in attendance. This was the 16th year that the Knee/Wittman awards have been given to recognize individuals who are models of excellence and have made significant contributions in the field of health and mental health. Award namesake Ruth Knee, who served as the host for the evening, also addressed the gathering, noting the “professional and caring contributions” of the award recipients. Milton Wittman was represented by his son, Perry Wittman.

Betsy Vourlekis was recognized with the Knee/Wittman Lifetime Achievement in Health and Mental Health Practice Award, Teresa DeCrescenzo received the Outstanding Achievement in Health and Mental Health Policy Award, and Dorothy V. Harris was honored with the NASW National Lifetime Achievement Award during the event.

DeCrescenzo has long been recognized as an icon in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. She founded Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS), a non-profit agency that provides comprehensive services for youth, particularly those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender who live in out-of-home care. Betsy Vourlekis has contributed to social work research and practice on the national and international levels and has had a career spanning many areas. NASW President Elvira Craig de Silva presented Dorothy V. Harris with the NASW Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been a leader in child welfare initiatives that focus on improving child welfare systems.

NASW Pioneer Esther Glasser died Saturday, February 2, 2008 in Arlington, VA

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Click here for her husband Mel Glasser’s NASW Pioneer Biography

GLASSER Esther K. Glasser (Age 91) On Saturday, February 2, 2008, Esther K. Glasser, of Arlington, VA. Mother of Stephen A. (Lynn) Glasser, Amy H. (Lawrence) Corey and Robin (Frank) Hudson. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at the Arlington Funeral Home, 3901 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to: Glasser Family Scholarship Fund, in honor of Esther and Melvin Glasser, Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ 07003 or the National Association of Social Workers Foundation, Suite 700, 750 First ST. NE., Washington, DC, 20002, website: www.naswfoundation.org

Published in The Washington Post on 2/2/2008.

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NASW Social Work Pioneer Betty Broadhurst died Monday, December 31^st , 2007 in Fort Collins, Colorado
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Click here for her Social Work Pioneer Biography

Dr. Betty P. Broadhurst, 88, a Denver, Colorado native passed away peacefully December 31, 2007. Dr. Broadhurst practiced social work and was an educator for over 50 years. Her higher education began at Colorado College, graduating in1940. She then received her MS in Psychiatric Social Work from Smith College in 1942, and was a caseworker in one of the first child guidance clinics in the country. Betty served as an officer in the Women’s Reserve of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1943-1946. Later, she wrote a collection of writings about her Coast Guard assignments and about different WWII social work experiences published by the Columbia University Press. After WWII, Dr. Broadhurst held several positions in clinical social work with the Veterans Administration, Yale Medical Center, Jewish Family and Children’s Service in Denver. Due to her extensive involvement in international social work, Betty received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1953. For two years she was an instructor and consultant at the University of Vienna School of Social Work. Dr. Broadhurst’s teaching positions included the University of Denver, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Colorado State University. She received her DSW from Columbia University in 1964. Dr. Broadhurst was a Professor Emeritus in the Social Work Department at Colorado State University. Throughout her teaching career Betty has maintained and developed international social work opportunities and learning experiences for her students and exchange scholars. This led to her extensive involvement with the Experiment in International Living. Leading groups to Europe and organizing the Experiment in Denver, making this one of her most unique accomplishments. Dr. Broadhurst led tours to Cuba, Mexico, and other Central and South American countries, as well as lecturing on subjects such as the accomplishments of East Indian women, mass communication, and social change. Betty was an avid traveler her entire adult life, photographing most of her adventures. She won awards for her photographs of native life, human interest, nature and countryside. Betty is survived by her sister (Sue) Mrs. Douw Fonda, 5 nieces and 1 nephew, and 14 grand nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Colorado College- Attn: Development Office of Colorado College, P.O. Box 1117, Colorado Springs Co. 80901-9897, or charity of your choice. A celebration of Betty’s life will be held on Wednesday, January 9 @11:00 a.m. at the Fort Collins Senior Center with a reception to follow. A private family service will be held in Denver, date pending.

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Over eighty NASW Pioneers and guests attended the third annual NASW Pioneers program and luncheon on October 20, 2007, at the Women’s National Democratic Club in Washington, D.C. Bernice Catherine Harper was Chair of the planning committee with members Catherine Harris, Beryl Carter Rice, Joan 0. Weiss, Kenneth S. Carpenter, Jessie Smith, Elizabeth Watkins, Steve Hornberger, Norma Gray Jones, and Barbara Soniat. The theme of the program was “Thinking Globally: Living Locally in the 21′ Century.”Ruth I. Knee brought greetings to the group as did NASW President Elvira Craig, Jessie Dowling Smith reported on NASW’s Legacy Project. She reported that approximately $7500 in donations was received during 2006-2007 for the Legacy Project, which was half of what had been received the previous year. Ruth Knee indicated that 27 Pioneers had been nominated as Pioneers during the year, 8 of whom were in attendance, including Joan Levy Zlotnik, Steve Hornberger, Patricia Martin-O’Meally, Laura Morris, David Kennedy, Samiora Beckwith, Milagros Tecala and Janet Williams. She also indicated Pioneers Del Anderson, Glenn Allison, Barbara Hodges, and Janet Sainer who died during the year.

Beryl Carter Rice introduced the speaker of the morning, Carl G. Leukefeld, DSW, Professor, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky. Dr. Leukefeld spoke on the program theme, “Thinking Globally: Living Locally in the 21′ Century.” Joan Levy Zlotnik, PhD, was the discussant. A panel after lunch discussed “Meeting Basic Human Needs Through Practice, Research, and Professional Education”. Panelists included Douglas D. Glasgow, PhD, Helen Z. Reinherz, PhD, Honorable Tommy Wells, and N.G. (Cindy) Jones, PhD.

Pioneers traveled from California, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia, New York, Boston, Maryland, and the District of Columbia to attend the meeting. Several were heard to say “I want to come back again next year” which pleased the day’s planners. Several times throughout the day those attending were encouraged to view the NASW Foundation’s Pioneer website, and to continue to send nominations for new Pioneers to the Foundation office.