Amy Morris Homans Lecture

Although untrained in physical education, Amy Morris Homans was one of the early leaders in the profession. Homans was educated in history, literature, and languages as a child. After serving as preceptress at the Oak Grove Seminary from 1867 to 1869, Homans spent the next eight years teaching as well as serving as principal of schools. In 1877, she accepted an executive secretary position with Mrs. Mary Hemenway, a wealthy Boston philanthropist. Influenced by Baron Niles Posse and intrigued by the benefits of exercise, Mrs. Hemenway funded the establishment of exercise programs in Boston Public Schools. In 1889, Hemenway opened the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics (NBSG) and appointed Homans the Director. During the autumn of 1889, the two women hosted the famous “Conference in the Interest of Physical Training.” Homans continued as Director and Professor at NBSG. With a curriculum heavily steeped in the sciences, Homans arranged for the courses to be taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1909, Homans was successful in transferring NBSG to Wellesley College which was one of the first programs, in 1917, to offer a graduate program. Homans, who retired in 1919, was both feared and revered by students for her commitment to high standards of academics, physical skill, and personal, as well as, professional behavior. She was elected to the American Academy of Physical Education in the third Charter Fellowship Group as member number 12. The American Physical Education Association (APEA) recognized her leadership in 1931 by giving her the first Honor Award and Homan’s was also recognized as the founder of the Association of Directors of Physical Education for Women, which eventually become the National Association of Physical Education of College Women.

Amy Morris Homans Lecturers

1967 Eleanor Metheny
1968 Minnie L. Lynn
1969 Ruth Abernathy
1970 Rosalind E. Cassidy
1971 Leona Holbrook
1972 Laura J. Huelster
1973 Marion R Broer
1974 Catherine L. Allen
1975 Celeste Ulrich
1976 Aileene S. Lockhart
1977 Anita Aldrich
1978 Camille Brown
1979 Phebe M. Scott
1980 Anne E. Jewett
1981 Madge Phillips
1982 Betty Spears
1983 Edith Betts
1984 Margaret J. Safrit
1985 Beverly June Becker
1986 Barbara E. Forker
1987 Herberta M. Lundegren
1988 Roberta J.Park
1989 Linda L. Bain
1990 Mary L. Remley
1991 Marianna Trekell
1992 Janet C. Harris
1993 Waneen Wyrick Spirduso
1994 Roberta S. Bennett
1995 Hally B. W. Poindexter
1996 Joan Paul
1997 Karen P. DePauw
1998 Joanna Davenport
1999 Wilma M. Harrington
2000 Judith A. Bischoff
2001 Beverly F. Mitchell
2002 Emily Wughalter
2003 Susan Hall
2004 Susan Kovar
2005 Deborah Tannehill
2006 Roberta Rikli
2007 Diane Gill
2008 Marilyn Buck
2009 Jan Rintala
2010 Jackie Lund
2011 Alison Wrynn
2012 Gloria Napper-Owen
2013 Barbara Anne Boyce
2014 Lynda Ransdell
2015 Camille O’Bryant
2016 Dolly Lamdin, 50th Amy Morris Homans Lecture
2017 Betty Block
2018 Anna Marie Frank
2019 Doris Corbett
2020 Tara Tietjen-Smith
2021 Martha James
2023 Jerono Phylis Rotich
2024 Carrie Sampson Moore