This small village was the heart of a thriving berry and fruit area. Her father C. E. Newhouse organized and managed a cooperative cannery. Her mother, Hattie Rush, taught in her native state of Minnesota where she met and married Clint Newhouse when he came from Wisconsin to take up a land claim. They moved to Oregon in the late 1800's.
Elementary education was in a two-room school. She graduated from the Quaker Prep school in Newberg which Herbert Hoover once attended. B.A. fromWillamette University in 1927. (Major - History, Minor- Mathematics). She took her first geology course there in 1925.
Travel and camping began early. Twice before 1914 she traveled with a community covered-wagon train over the Coast Mountains to a beach camp north of Cape Kiwanda. Several camping trips were made in the Columbia Gorge.
Campfire and 4-H activities were early interests and she was a leader at Camp Namanu (east of Gresham) and Camp Sealth on Vashon Island. At the latter she made a friend who asked her to accompany her to Japan. (In 1930 the ticket cost $100.21) A college friend in Peking, China, requested her to fill in for a teacher on leave. 1930-33 she was a leader of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by Mrs. Herbert Hoover and for which Pearl Buck was a director. (Lots of camping in geological settings.)
Taught mathematics and Latin in Chehalis, Washington before going to China, English in Wei Wen Academy (Chinese boy's Middle School), mathematics in Peking American School and Latin for English majors in the Peking Women's University. At least half of the American school students were Chinese preparing to attend American Colleges.
Returning to Oregon in 1933 (depression years) her Oregon teacher's certificate had to be renewed and a year of (so-called) education courses required. Travel was achieved by taking summer courses up and down the Pacific Coast: Oregon Agricultural College (OSU), University of Washington, University of California, University of Southern California, and University of Oregon. Having had little knowledge of the Orient when she went there - courses in geography and geology were sandwiched in when possible.
1935-41 - taught geography (also mathematics, history and Latin - not all the same year) at St. Helens, Oregon.
Mount St. Helens played an interesting part in her life. At Chehalis the hotel was The St. Helens and most of the field trips and picnics were to Mount St. Helens. At St. Helens, Oregon, the mountain was viewed across the Columbia River. Then for the over 30 years she taught at Gresham, Oregon, Mount St. Helens was on view driving to and from her home at 4709 N. Willamette Blvd. She always told her students that many of the Cascade volcanoes were not dead but, like many others, never dreamed one would erupt in her lifetime - but Mount St. Helens did May 18, 1980.
During W, W. II she taught geography for the A. S. T. P. at the University of Oregon. During that time she completed work for her M. A. She was then offered a position as graduate assistant in the Geography Department while working on Ph. D, but was told that no woman would be offered a position as professor in that field at the University and, as at that time, no other Oregon college taught geography and as she wanted to stay in Oregon, she went back to full time high school teaching and taught college courses in geography at summer school and in evening classes at Monmouth (now Western Oregon College), U. of O. Extension (Portland), Lewis and Clark, Concordia, U. of O. (Eugene), Mt. Angel, P.S.U., and for the Oregon System of Higher Education (mostly at P. S. U. and Gresham).
Physical geography was always a basic interest. Ruth Keen, whom she met at the University of Oregon often invited her to GSOC lectures, banquets, Camp-outs and to give slide lectures. Joined GSOC in 1972.
From 1952 - attended IGU (International Geography/Geology Union) meetings where field trips were led by geography and geology professors. These meetings, held every four years, were at Washington, D. C., London, Stockholm, Montreal, Moscow and New Delhi. For New Delhi and Moscow, she went around the world. Slide lectures, about places visited, have been given at GSOC meetings and for many other organizations and for schools and colleges.
1959-60 - Fulbright exchange to Wallasey (near Liverpool) Girls Grammar School.
1975-78 - Vice president and president of East Multnomah County Retired Teachers. Also led their tours (over 100 - mainly to places where she had led college and high school geography field trips) and served on the board since 1972.
Fellow - National Council for Geographic Education.
Board - 1. English Speaking Union 2. U.S. China Peoples Friendship Association 3. American University Women 4. Overseas Educators 5. Pacific Coast Geographers 6. Oregon Geographers.
Member - Oregon Historical Society, University Park Methodist Church, State and National Retired Educators.
1937 - her brother moved to Wedderburn (near Gold Beach). First drove through this area in 1933 when Highway 101 was largely two planks with turn outs and all rivers were crossed by ferry except the Rogue which had been bridged. These facts plus studying the Tyee formation which has spectacular outcrops in Ruth Keen's seminar influenced the choice of southwestern Oregon for the 1986 President's Geological Tour/Campout.
1985-87 - Real challenge - serving as vice president and president of the Geological Society of the Oregon Country. The help and support of the past presidents made the years rewarding.
