The Daily Bulletin Archive

The fascinating story of Katheryne T. Whittemore—who has been described as the “founding mother of Buffalo State College,” the “grand lady of geography,” and most recently “Buffalo State’s real-life Indiana Jones”—will be retold by Stephen Vermette, professor of geography, on Thursday, March 10, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Technology Building 160. The event, held in honor of Women’s History Month, is free and open to the public.

The story follows Whittemore’s professional journey from 1921 through 1962, starting with a world tour as a single unattended female, through her 37-year teaching, research, and administrative career at Buffalo State. A few vignettes include her recruitment to one of the few geography departments in the country that welcomed women and recruited them at the graduate level; her identification as a “flapper” by her employer; a Great Depression–era dilemma that may have cost her her job; keeping geography an independent entity on campus; and the honors and respect she received for her service to Buffalo State.

Dr. Vermette conducted his research on Whittemore’s professional journey with assistance from Daniel DiLandro, head of archives and special collections, and Hope Dunbar, special collections archivist, in E. H. Butler Library.