Olive Mast Pennegar

Letters
April 20, 1927
July 9, 1930
October 9, 1936

Handwritten Excerpt

1904 Program:

Present address: 337 Chestnut Street, Coatesville, Pa.

July 1929 Alumnae Quarterly:

In sending us news of her friends in 1903 Olive Mast Pennegar modestly refrains from telling us anything about herself. We judge however from her kindness in writing us that she makes of life a friendly gesture and is consequently just as busy as the rest of us. She is still living in Coatesville, Pa.

July 1930 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar and her daughter Frances were with us. Olive is busy with home, church, and club work.

November 1932 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar writes that much of her time is devoted to the duties of her home which necessarily have increased during the "repression.'" The flowers have been a great pleasure to her this summer, "with their smiling faces." Work in the various departments of the church, YWCA and clubs in Coatesville, Pa., fill all her spare time. She says: "Hattie Taylor Channell lives near me now and occasionally we take an 'evning off' and have a real talk-fest. Our daughters are good friends and graduated in the same class in high schol. My daughter Frances is a second year student at the School of Industrial Art, Philadelphia, Pa."

May 1938 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar writes that she is "still living in Coatesville, Pa., making a home for my husband, daughter, and brother. My father died in January and his passing has made a much felt vacancy in our home. Actively engaged in church duties, a member of the board of directors of the Y.W.C.A., chairman of education of the same institution, and working on special committees, I find it difficult to 'live on twenty-four hours a day'. My daughter is home and also busily engaged in club and community activities."

July 1939 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar attended Reunion, reporting on her home, family, and garden. She is interested in church and the Y.W.C.A.

Summer 1949 Alumnae Quarterly:

"Claire said on her card, 'Write some items of yourself and family, even tho' it may seem trivial to you.' Trivial it will have to be, for my life isn't the kind to make the printed page. However I make no apology, for I am trying to do what seems to be my lot to the best of my ability.
Like Nancy Nulton Larrick I am gradually getting out of things. For six years I was on the Y.W.C.A. board, and refused to allow my name to go on the ballot again when I learned I was slated for the next President. That would have been an almost full time job.
Then for three years I held an office at the Women's Auxiliary of one of the Convocations of the Pennsylvania Diocese. Emily Hoskins Gawthrop '02 was President and I was Secretary. It was most interesting work, but we both refused re-election, as we felt that younger ones should be assuming those responsibilities. However I still have much to do in my own local Parish. This Lenten season I assisted our rector in the study of the history of our beautiful Prayer Book, the 400th anniversary of which we are commemorating this year. It was a very interesting project.
Our old home, much too large now, and yard take up much of my time and strength, as leisure hours are at a premium for me.
Right after our delightful reunion last June, I went tothe hospital for an operation which had been pending for some time. Everything went along splendidly and I was home ina week's time.
Our family is still together, my daughter and husband both making a good contribution to the church and community.
It is your privilege to omit anything you wish. I may have written too much. But I couldn't turn you down, even tho' I had no 'Thrills' to write about!"

Summer 1951 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar was not in time for the last QUARTERLY> She sends word from Coatesville, Pa.:"You would pick on me for a news item! Howeer, I can't turn you down; I know what it means to have cooperation in what you are trying to put over. Then, too, we like to have news of our class members, even, as you say, if it is not important to world statesmen.
As for myself, I am still plodding along in the same way. It is the same old story you all are familiar with and could repeat verbatim. Home and church sandwiched in with some enjoyable events such as a visit to the beautiful gardens on the eastate of Pierre du Pont. They are beyond description. He has done so much for the benefit and pleasure of his fellow man.
Then I recently heard a most sparkling and challenging address on 'Human Destiny' by Dr. Clausen, a retired Baptist preacher and noted lecturer, no doubt well known to you Baptist girls. How to be an 'Intelligent Failure' was the theme of his talk, giving us a new approach to a formula of life.
Since my last news item I have had a hemorrhage in my right eye, caused by high blood pressure, but I am thankful to say the trouble has cleared up very well, although I still ahve to be careul, take all the rest I can and eliminate some activities, which is so hard to do in this busy age.
Last summer at Grove Hall, Ocean City, N.J., we had quite four Goucher girls there at one time: Miss Kimball, from Washington, D.C., Miss Emily Gulick '20, Fan Osterstock '02 and myself. It was very interesting. Miss Gulick has had a very interesting career.
Hope I shall be able to meet you all face to face two years hence. We must conserve our strength for that great event.
If this is too late, Claire, for the next issue, put it in the net one. Am sorry to be so late replying but the past month has been such a very busy one I couldn't get it off sooner. I have given up ever trying to get caught up. If it were not for that very tired feeling, I might. Are you the victim of it yet?"
Well, Olive, I was- but since the Heins Family of five have been here with us the past ten months, I simply had to get over it!! There's nothing like having some young-ones around to stir up one's abilities. - Claire Ackerman Vliet

Summer 1952 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar, like the rest of us, is anticipating our 50th reunion. "When I look at the calendar and see how rapidly time is passing, I realize it will not be long until we all are 'Baltimore-bound' for our 50th reunion. It is a startling thought!
In spite of the winter months which have given us a variety of weather, we have had an interesting season of activities. Coatesville is the 'meetingest and banquetingest' place I know of. It has been very enjoyable from the standpoint of good fellowship and has also been very stimulating mentally for we have had such good speakers.
Hope to see you in June, 1953, if strength and purse hold out."

Fall 1952 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar has had hemmorhages of the eye, so that she is in the hands of both oculist and physician. - Anna Slease

Spring 1954 Alumnae Quarterly:

Olive Mast Pennegar was having trouble with her teeth when she wrote, but evidently was not letting it interfere with her many duties, for she says, "I am so thankful that I can make the daily rounds, eat and sleep well. It was good to hear from you, Eda, but I don't relish the idea of sending you any material about myself, for the 1903 book." It seems that others are equally reluctant, Olive, but they are gradually capitulating and sending it in.

Spring 1955 Alumnae Quarterly:

We bring these notes to a close with the sad news of the death of one of our dear classmates, Olive Mast Pennegar. Those of us who were at the reunion will remember how much she seemed to enjoy the visit; few of us realized that her health was very poor at the time, and so it is hard to think of her passing away. Her smile was as ready and her interest in all that the others were doing was as quick as ever, and we shall always remember her so. It will be of lasting comfort to think of that last visit with such a faithful member of the class. To her husband and to her daughter we send our heartfelt sympathy.

IN MEMORIAM
OLIVE MAST PENNEGAR
When we look back and check the long list of home, church, and community activities with which Olive Mast Pennegar busied herself, it does not seem possible that one woman could do it all. Her services in each field were given so freely, so easily, and with so little fanfare that we just didn't realize how great the load she carried. Then, too, her ready sympathy seemed to make light of all she did. There was nothing of the air of doing her duty about her; one does not speak of a flower doing its duty; and she, like the flower, grew beautifully in her place.
In the community she was interested and active in the S.P.C.A. - a friend to every stray dog or cat that crossed her path, - in the Red Cross, the Visiting Nurses and the United Charities. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Y.W.C.A. for more than six years, and chairman of its Educational Department for four years, doing much to organize and direct its efforts. Her association with Trinity Episcopal Church was long and intimate: Director of the Needlework Guild for years, President of the Altar Guild for fifteen years, during which period she reorganized and cleared away its debt, Sunday School teacher for over thirty years, seldom missing a Sunday, Secretary of the Convocation of Chester for four years, President of the WOman's Auxiliary for more than six years, Founder of the Church Service League and its advisor for eighteen years. All this made her something like a mother to the whole church. In addition she was a great student of the history, organization, and functions of the Episcopal Church and became something of an authority on those subjects.
Her death leaves an empty place that cannot be filled, not just because her responsibilities were so numerous, but because she discharged them all with so much gracious tact and understanding. -EDA BRIGGS FROST

Summer 1956 Alumnae Quarterly:

I have had 2 friendly and welcome letters from 1903 daughters; one was from Olive Mast Pennegar's daughter, Frances, who is doing much to fill her mother's place. She is interested in amateur dramatics from the staging and make-up side, a phase of play production that is not always appreciated. SHe hopes to go to the West Coast for a visit this summer.

Winter 1958 Alumnae Quarterly:

Frances Pennegar, daughter of Olive Mast Pennegar, writes of her busy life, carrying on her own, and some of her mother's activities. "I miss reading the Quarterly, hearing all about the trips, the activities, and the interesting things Mother's friends were doing. Daddy and I are still living in the same place - the house which Grandfather built long ago."