Kate Gleason
A pioneer for women in
engineering
Nicole Varble
http://www.winningthevote.org/KGleason2-big.html
Early Years
The Gleason Works Factory
Born Nov. 25 1865
 William Gleason,
father and owner of
The Gleason Works
 Gleason Works
becomes gateway to
engineering

http://www.gleason.com/images/gleason1865.jpg
Nicole Varble
Influences
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http://www.gleason.com/images/williamgleason.jpg
William Gleason was said to
“[have] a sympathetic interest
in women’s emancipation and
an evangelical zeal to acquaint
his children- sons and
daughters alike- to the marvels
of engineering.” (Weingardt
107)
Susan B. Anthony: “…she
impressed one fact upon me
while I was growing up: Any
advertising is good. Get praise
if possible, blame if you have
to. But never stop being talked
about.” (Weingardt 108)
Nicole Varble
http://ncwhs.oah.org/images/YoungSusanB.jpg
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1877- Death of half
brother breeds
unfortunate opportunity
1884 graduated high
school
Cornell University, a state
grant school
Called back to Rochester
on account of “struggling
company”
1890 named Secretary
and Treasurer of The
Gleason Works
“Marie Curie of machine
tools” (Weingardt 108)
Nicole Varble
The Journey
Remained at The Gleason Works until 1913
 1914 joined Ingle Machine Company and
demonstrated her business capabilities

http://wally.rit.edu/Images/ritphotos/screen/00504.html
Nicole Varble

1914
– German Engineering
Society
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1916
– Rochester Chamber of
Commerce
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1917
– Rochester Engineering
Society
– President of East Rochester
National Bank

1918
– American Society of
Mechanical Engineers

1919
– American Concrete
Institute
Nicole Varble
http://www.winningthevote.org/KGleason3-big.html
An Attitude for Success

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“To be really happy you
can not accept the easy
berth; you must ever
strike out into new
industrial battle grounds.”
(Ross)
“When I recall stories told
to me by women
struggling for a place in
other professions, I insist
that engineers are in a
class apart.” (Weingardt
109)
http://wally.rit.edu/Images/ritphotos/screen/00504.html
Nicole Varble
And Innovative Thought
“My girlish ambitions were fiercely personal. I
felt keenly that girls in this world were accorded
second place, and I resent being second.”
(Bennett)
 Her motto: “If I can I will.” (James 51)

Nicole Varble
Final Years

1930
– World Power Conference in
Germany as ASME
representative
– At age 65!

“I want to live until I’m
one hundred and work
until the last minute.”

Death in 1933
Nicole Varble
http://www.gleason.com/history_tgw.html
Lasting Legacy

1929
– Land donated to RIT

1947
– Kate Gleason Hall is
dedicated

1951
– Estate given to RIT by
Gleason trustees

1998
– Engineering Building
named Kate Gleason
College of Engineering
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/RIT_building__Kate_Gleason_Hall_with_Sundial.jpg/783px-RIT_building_Nicole
_Kate_Gleason_Hall_with_Sundial.jpg
Varble
http://www.csc.cs.colorado.edu/~matthew/rit/general/DSCN0920-l.jpg
Nicole Varble