Biography:

Lela Osgerby, Educator, Librarian

A former East Tawas resident, who made Sand Lake her home after more than one-half century in the teaching profession, is credited with forming a state-wide association in 1941 which continues to influence young people of the state.

When she celebrated her 80th birthday here in 1965, Miss Lela Osgerby was still going strong. An inveterate traveler, she was still driving her own car to Florida and on various trips during the year.

She has since passed away, but the name of Miss Osgerby will long be remembered in state library circles—mainly through her efforts, the Student Library Assistant Association of Michigan (SLAAM) was organized and youngsters enrolled in the association still take an active part in operation of libraries in state high schools.

Miss Osgerby's father served as superintendent of schools at Mayville, Marlette, East Tawas, Fenton, and Howell. She attended school here and later attended Columbia University, the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago while studying for her degrees in library science.

She began her teaching career in Millersburg in 1909 and ended it in Bellevue in 1961, where she taught for 22 years. As a high school English teacher and librarian, she has an extraordinary rapport with her students, having the facility of not only being an excellent teacher, but a good friend and confidante to students as well.

Under her influence the Bellevue High School Library was established in 1933, and shortly after that she initiated a SLAAM program in that school which is now an accepted practice in most Michigan schools.

The "Osgerby Plan", which was accepted by the state, is one in which students meeting certain requirements assist with the librarian duties during the school year.

As a reward for their assistance, Miss Osgerby conducted a tour for these students at the end of each school year. Three other adults--the school principal, a mother and the bus driver--besides Miss Osgerby, accompanied the students.

During the tours, numerous historic and literary sites east of the Mississippi River and some west of it were visited, making history and literature live for the students.

The bus was provided by the high school and money for the trips was earned by various projects during the year and the individual savings of the students.

In addition to her duties as a teacher and librarian, Miss Osgerby acted as sponsor for the senior class for 12 years and coached all their plays. She also served on the Services Commission of the Michigan Educational Association for three years during that time.

In 1942, Miss Osgerby had a severe heart attack and was medically advised that her teaching days were over. After she had been immobilized for five months the students literally stormed the doctor's door to plead for her return to the school, promising that they would carry her everywhere.

In February 1943, the doctor bowed to the students' demands and allowed Miss Osgerby to return to her teaching and library work. The students, true to their promise, carried their beloved teacher upstairs and downstairs the rest of that year.

She always believed that this love shown by her students healed her.

In 1949 the Bellevue High School Library staff held a Lela Osgerby testimonial dinner at which time it was said, "Seldom has a small school been so fortunate as to have in one teacher a combination of firm leadership, limitless energy, lively interest in everything about her, and a warm understanding of young people."

After retirement from teaching, this person with a "lively interest in everything" was in great demand.

She served in Albion for a year as school librarian after which she retired from school work entirely.

The next year was spent in Paw Paw where she helped reorganize the county library, and the following 10 years she acted as city librarian in the Petoskey Public Library.

August and September of 1964 saw Miss Osgerby in the British Isles during which time she toured England, Scotland, and Wales. She spent some time in Lincolnshire, England, home of her ancestors where three towns are called Osgerby.

She was an active member of the Michigan Library Association, the Michigan Education Association, and the American Association of University Women, as well as the National Retired Teachers' Association.

During her retirement years at Sand Lake, Miss Osgerby was often called upon to speak at district meetings of the Student Library Assistant Association of Michigan and was the principal speaker at a meeting held in November 1965 at the Alabaster headquarters of Iosco-Arenac Library.

In addition to her teaching-librarian career, Miss Osgerby was active in the Lyceum League of America and was an officer in the last club of that organization in the United States—Independence Club No. 1408 of Whittemore. (Incidentally, the last living member of the Lyceum League of America, which gave this country its "Pledge of Allegiance", is Alice Goupil, now 100 years of age, who is a resident of Provincial House Nursing Home in Tawas City.)

It is well to remember the outstanding contributions made by such educators as Lela E. Osgerby, who was an inspiration to Michigan young people throughout her long life. Should the Iosco Historical Society ever establish a "hall of fame" to honor those persons who have made important contributions to the state, her name should be enshrined at or near the top of the list.

(The Times, Tawas City, Michigan, sometime after her death in April 1972.)

Obituary:

Osgerby, Miss Lela E.
Frankenmuth Convalescent Center

Passed away Saturday, April 22, 1972 at St. Mary's Hospital, Saginaw. Age 85 years.

She was born May 13, 1886 in Mayville [Michigan]. She was a member of the National and Michigan Retired Teachers Association. She taught school in the following: State of Nebraska and New Hampshire. In Michigan, Onaway, Petoskey, Caro, Vassar, and retired from Bellevue Public Schools in 1961 after teaching a total of 31 years. While in Bellevue, she was responsible for beginning the Library Science Studies and Lab in Michigan. In 1966 she retired as librarian at the Petoskey Public Library.

She made her home during the summer at Sand Lake, near East Tawas and in Bradenton, Fla. during the winter. She was a member of the OES and of the United Methodist Church in Bradenton.

Surviving are one brothers, one sister, and a sister-in-law, Torrey G. Osgerby, Alpena; Mrs. Esther J. Lakatos, Reading, Ohio; Mrs. Carrie Osgerby, Richmond, Ind.; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral will take place 1:30 p.m. at the Achenbach chapel, Reese. Rev. Edgar Smith will officiate with burial in Riverside Cemetery, Vassar. Friends may call at the chapel.

(Saginaw News, Monday, April 24, 1972, p. A5.)