Spofford, Grace Harriet (1887–1974)
Spofford, Grace Harriet (1887–1974)
American music educator. Born Grace Harriet Spofford, Sept 21, 1887, in Haverhill, MA; died June 5, 1974, in New York, NY; dau. of Harry Hall Spofford (salesman) and Sarah G. (Hastings) Spofford; attended Mount Holyoke College, 1905, and Smith College, 1909; studied piano at Peabody Conservatory of Music, 1913, and organ, 1916.
Taught piano at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, and gave recitals (1910–12); worked at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD, teaching piano (1916–18) and serving as executive secretary (1917–24); wrote music criticism for newspaper, Baltimore Sun (1923–24); was 1st dean of Curtis Institute of Music (1924–31); worked as executive secretary for Olga Samaroff's Layman's Music Courses, as manager for Curtis String Quartet, and in radio music education, in NYC (early 1930s); was associate director of New York College of Music (1934–38) and lecturer on music at Katherine Gibbs School (1936–59); was director of Music School of Henry Street Settlement (1935–54), creating model for similar schools; served 3 terms as elected chair of music of International Council of Women (1954–63).