Mrs. Anna Trowbridge Viall Case earned her place in Akron history with her service to the public schools by being on the Board of Education longer than any other woman up to that point. She also earned a place in history for her service to the community through involvement in various civic organizations. Her contributions were so great, in fact, that the Beacon Journal named her Akron’s Woman of the Year in 1938.
During her 24 years on the Board of Education–10 as president–Case brought about many innovations. She promoted the employment of African-American teachers; she helped formulate programs to help mentally handicapped students; she worked to coordinate services between the Summit County Mental Health Association and the schools so that troubled pupils could get the help they needed; and she pushed for expanded vocational and recreational facilities for Akron schools. When she retired from the Board of Education in 1957, the Akron school system was better because of her association with it.
Part of her success revolved around her personal style. Case made it her business to be familiar with everyone associated with the schools, from the custodians to the principals, from the bus drivers to the teachers. She disliked controversy. She allowed everyone to have their say and tried to work out compromises. She also had strong administrative skills, following through on her many responsibilities.
Case also served as president of the Akron and Summit County Federation of Women’s Clubs at a time when the organization faced real crises. Inez Crisp had resigned as president, citing health reasons, but political charges loomed in the background. Not only was Case able to rebuild the group but she also expanded its membership. In 1926, the end of her term, the Beacon Journal marveled at the Federation’s successes. “Mrs. Case has served as head of the local federation for the last two years and during that time the organization has enjoyed its most successful years, also increased its membership more than one-third.” Case then went on to a statewide position in the organization — vice president of the northeast district of Ohio Federation. As vice president, she oversaw 16 branch federations, which represented 162 separate clubs. Upon her election as vice president, the following comment was made about Case: “Truly a woman who undertakes to steer this largest of all women’s organizations through a two-year term of office is making a sacrifice worthy of a real citizen.”
Case also became the vice president of the Travelers’ Aid Society, third vice president of the Women’s Association of the First Congregational Church and president of the New Century Club. In addition to being a charter member of the Woman’s City Club, she was also director and chairman of committees in that organization.
She served on the executive board of the Akron Home and School League. She was also an associate member of the Akron branch of the National Story Tellers’ League and she was head of the women’s committee to organize a speaker’s bureau to help the Community Chest campaign. The Community Chest was the forerunner of United Way.
Case was also on the educational publicity committee and the chairman of the board “to aid the Better Akron Federation in the work of all its agencies.” She was a member of the College Club, the League of Women Voters and president of the Young Women’s Christian Association from 1917-1919. In 1925, she was appointed to vice president of the Ohio Public Health Association, which brought her back to her educational and personal roots.
Anne Trowbridge Viall was born in Tallmadge, Ohio, in 1883. She attended Lake Erie College, originally planning to be a teacher. During her senior year, however, she shifted her career plans to social work. In 1905 she was a district visitor for Cleveland’s Associated Charities, delivering milk tickets and eggs to TB patients in the Haymarket district, primarily Polish and Hungarian immigrants. In 1908, she was named city supervisor. Her career ended in 1911 when she married Claude Case, a veterinarian at the Akron Veterinary Hospital, and moved to Akron. The couple, who resided at 26 Orchard Road, had one son.
Photo courtesy of The University of Akron Archives.
–Janelle Baltputnis