New class inducted at Women's Hall of Fame

SENECA Flood - Seneca Waterfall is a teensy community, but essential ' s one that has played a uppermost role agency American history.
Undeniable was 161 oldness ago that the primogenial parley for sex ' s rights was open imprint Seneca Cascade and 40 age ago that the concept for the Civic Masculinity ' s Lobby of Fame inaugural took root.

The induction incident took region on Sunday afternoon at the Brand-new York State Chiropractic College to wrap up a protracted weekend of celebrations.

Shirley Hartley and M. Dale Steen were among the founding members of the auditorium of fame that sits consequence the emotions of downtown Seneca Cascade.

Steen then took the idea to her friend Hartley. Hartley said this was in 1968 - 69 and that within four years, the hall of fame had been established and has since gone on to honor a total of 236 inductees, including those honored Sunday.

“I can ' t believe it has been 40 years, ” Hartley said. “But we have come a long way baby. ”

Ginny Ryan, a news anchor for WHAM - TV in Rochester, served as emcee and reflected on what Hartley said and how all the inductees and the women honored Sunday have helped pave a path.

“These are 10 outstanding inductees, ” Ryan said. “They paved the way. All of these women were before Google, before GPS, before cell phones and they never got lost. It is a great honor and I am very humbled and very honored, because without them coming before me as leaders, without the convention that took place here 161 years ago, I would not be able to be standing here today. ”

The inductees touched on many fields from the arts to law, but all shared the common thread of helping change the world and make improvements in the struggle for equality.

The class of 2009 included:

• Louise Bourgeois, a world renowned artist.

• Mildred Cohn, a scientist and biologist, who helped further the understanding of enzymatic reactions.

• Karen Decor, a nationally - recognized attorney and activist who is one of the most celebrated leaders of the women ' s movement.

• Susan Kelly - Dries, who has worked tirelessly to enact legal protection on behalf of battered women and children.

• Allie B. Latimer, a civil rights leader and activist.

• Emma Lazarus, a Jewish immigrant and American poet, who used her writing to advocate for a Jewish homeland and to fight against anti - Semitism.

• Ruth Patrick, a scientist, who was a pioneer in limnology, the study of the phenomena of freshwater bodies.

• Rebecca Talbot Perkins, a highly successful business woman and philanthropist.

• Susan Solomon, a leader in the field of atmospheric science.

• Kate Stoneman, the first woman admitted to practice law in New York.