Guest columnist Carole Medal: Library exhibit features close-up look at fascinating women in local history

An exhibit at the Gail Borden Public Library's main library in Elgin is titled "Elgin: A Women's City Without Many Pictures."

Honoring women from yesterday and today, this exhibit is based on a book written by E.C. "Mike" Alft of Elgin, "A Women's City." Alft was a teacher, former mayor and Elgin historian who wrote about the fascinating Elgin women trailblazers who helped shape the city for future generations.

This exhibit puts fascinating women featured in the book in the spotlight.

Emeline Church Borden encouraged husband entrepreneur Gail Borden to open the Elgin Milk Condensing Company in 1865. After Gail Borden's death in 1874, Emeline's two sons, and Gail Borden's stepsons, donated a building for a public library with the stipulation that it always be called Gail Borden Public Library.

Twenty-one other local women of the past are highlighted including prima ballerina Lisa Boehm, who staged "The Nutcracker" in Elgin for 33 years, and Adellia Green, active in the work of the Fremont Center and the NAACP.

Because some of these women were not recognized for their accomplishments at the time, photos of several do not exist or cannot be found. The result is an exhibit bringing the stories of these women with silhouettes in the place of photos. It is a reminder that in the past, and perhaps continuing somewhat today, women's accomplishments may not have been recognized as they should have been.

This concept of the lack of coverage of women in the past lends this exhibit to segue into the accomplished women journalists of the present.

Journalism professionals interviewed by local high school students for the exhibit included former political editor of NBC 5 News Carol Marin, WTTW co-anchor Brandis Friedman, Daily Herald Assistant City Editor and Diversity Editor Madhu Krishnamurthy, Kane County Public Information Officer Julie Mann, Chicago Tribune visual journalist Stacey Wescott and Amy Carr, recent editor-in-chief of Chicago magazine.

You can find their fuller bios as well as their entire interviews at gailborden.info/womenhistory.

• Carole Medal, of Arlington Heights, is executive director of Gail Borden Library in Elgin.