Falconer, Martha Platt (1862–1941)

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Falconer, Martha Platt (1862–1941)

American social worker. Name variations: Martha Platt, Martha Falconer. Born Martha Platt, Mar 17,1862, in Delaware, Ohio; died Nov 26, 1941, in East Aurora, NY; dau. of Cyrus Platt (jeweler) and Jeanette (Hulme) Platt; m. Cyrus Falconer (employee of Santa Fe railroad), Mar 21, 1885; children: 1 daughter, 2 sons.

Advocate of rehabilitation, rather than incarceration, of delinquent and homeless young women, who influenced treatment of juvenile delinquency; worked at Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society (1898), becoming assistant superintendent; participated in Chicago Woman's Club, and was among the 1st probation officers of Cook County Juvenile Court; served as superintendent of girls' division of House of Refuge (later Sleighton Farm) in Philadelphia, PA (1906–19); worked in social welfare program of women's New Century Club, and helped found Philadelphia Training School for Social Work; was director of department of protective social measures of American Social Hygiene Association in New York City (1919–24); was executive secretary of Federation Caring for Protestant Children in NY (later Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, 1924–27); appointed by Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt as a delegate to International Conference of Social Work in Paris (1928).

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