Grace Martin Highley (1895–1985) was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame for laying the foundation for child welfare practices across the state. Her descendants, Karen Lockhart (granddaughter), Cheryl Zimiga (granddaughter), and Toni Hansen (great-granddaughter), recently joined Steve Flanery, South Dakota Hall of Fame Board Director, for a conversation about Grace’s lasting impact in South Dakota.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Grace’s early life working doing welfare work during the Great Depression
- The leadership Grace showed that set an example for other state’s welfare programs
- The lasting impact her work has had, still seen today.
“The best thing you can do is listen to the child.” – Grace Martin Highley
Early in her career, Grace took on the position of Relief Worker for the Fall River County Commissioners, where she was to decide which families should be given federal money to buy food. The first family she visited lived in a cave, had nine children, and only milk from six goats and flour. This experience solidified her lifelong dedication to the welfare of children in the state, and by 1939, she became the director of South Dakota Child Welfare. For 21 years, she built a nationally-recognized program based on the needs of children and on goals and professional training–which did not exist in 1939.
Learn more about Grace Martin Highley on her Legacy Page here: https://sdexcellence.org/Grace_Martin_Highley_2022
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