Dorothy S. Ashton was the sister of Sarah Ann Hobson, who preceded her as Clerk of the women's Ohio YM. DSA served several years as Matron of the Boarding School. She was somewhat controversial in her day because of her "liberal" approach to Wilburism: she wore black clothing at a time when most Ohio Friends wore brown, and she recognized 12/25 in a minimal way. Succeeding generations of Ohio Friends mostly adopted these traits of hers, so that by the middle of the 20th century most plain dressed Ohio Friends wore black clothing. Olney first closed classes on 12/25 in the 1920s, and over time more and more Ohio Friends families set the day aside too.
Sources: EAQG 4:477, 509, 797, 846, 1133, 1138 |
