Hope (Shoemaker) Swenson

Birth: She was born around 1911 in Missouri.  

Family Information:

Daughter of R.V. Shoemaker and Maud (Shoemaker) Van Nuland.

Sister of Ruth, Isom and Ward Shoemaker.

Her father later married Anna (Shutt) Shoemaker and she became step-sister of Zelma and Royall Thompson.

Her mother later married Anton Van Nuland.

She married Clyde Swenson in April 1931 while living in the colony.

Description:  

Pre-Colony History:

Home in Colony:

In 1930 she was living in the colony proper at New Llano, LA.

In November 1932, Clyde and Hope were among the "Newllano Expeditionary Force" which was the first group going to man the Gila unit.

Job in Colony: In September 1928 she was on the college faculty along with: Lowell H. Coate - Superintendent and instructor in Sociology, Economics and Public Education; E.C. Bennett - English and History; Benjamin Roe - Scientific Agriculture; Guy F. Rogers - Mathematics; Eugene Hough - Psychology; F. Hamel - Spanish, German and Latin; Mary Erma Wilson - Voice and Piano; R.B. Snyder - Director of Orchestra, Wind and Stringed Instruments, Chorus and Ensemble; Geo. T. Pickett - Industrial Science; Daisy Daugherty - Domestic Science; Edna Mae Coffin - Manual Art, Sculpture and Architectural Drawing; Austin McLane - Journalism; Nell Rogers - Botany; Hope Shoemaker - Shorthand, Typewriting and Book-keeping; Mr. Daugherty - Intermediate Grades; Mrs. A.E. Bennet - Primary Grades; Esther Allen - Health and Hygiene; Mary H. Atworth - Librarian and Instructor in the Art of Expression; Anna Tabb - School Nurse, Dr. J.P. Kimmel - College Physician; Alice Pickett - Girls Counselor; Theodore Atworth - Oil and Watercolor Art; Alma Wilson Bell - Dramatic Art.

In April 1929 Hope Shoemaker, Laura Synoground and Pauline Eggleston prepared and served the evening lunch and the Mesdames Carroll, Maki, Oberlitner and Swenson and Dick Condon provided a fine dinner at the hotel.

In July 1929 she was "reigning supreme, being the general office worker, stenographer, filing clerk, telephone girl, and in hours of rest she help[ed] peel tomatoes, cut corn and other things for the cannery."

In 1934 she was elected to the Council for the Gila location.  

Other Info: She was often part of the program at the theater and a senior member of the Glee Club.

In April 1928 Miss Wilson was teaching piano classes to several boys and girls in the colony. The Girls' Melody Way Club had had twelve weeks of classes and included Hope and Ruth Shoemaker, Beatrice Jensen, Lynn Rogers, Rhea Mae Baldwin, Irene Hewitt, Vivian and Iris Busick, Mary and Myrtle Gregerson.

In 1929 she sang first soprano as a member of the Senior Glee Club along with Zelma De Fausell, Kathleen Bridwell and Jennie Black; second sopranos included: Ruth Shoemaker, Blanch Porter, Beatrice Jensen, Ruth Kingsbury and Florence Aiton; and alto was sung by: Gertrude Maki, Laura Synoground, Allie Belle Hewitt, Bonnie Enfield and Lois Brattland. In July 1930 she visited the Rice Ranch along with Mrs. R.W. Banta, Mrs. Charles Brannon, Ernest Kimball, George and Bee Jensen, Laura Synoground, Royall Thompson, Lois Thompson and Sextus Garrett.

In November 1930 she was part of the re-organized Girls Glee Club which included: Florence Aiton, Nellie Bradshaw, Verda Bradshaw, Madeline Van Buskirk, Ethel Clark, Zelma De Faussell, Gladys Kimball, Ruth Kittle, Hope Shoemaker, Ruth Shoemaker, Laura Synoground, Dorothy Thompson, Sylvia Tuber and Ruby Nesnow, pianiste.  

Post-Colony History: In 1973 she and Clyde were listed in the Arizona City Directory under Swenson's Radio and TV Service.  

Death: She died 1991 in Arizona.  

Sources: Photo Archives; US Census: 1920; "Vernon Parish Democrat": February 28, 1929; "Llano Colonist": April 14, 1928, September 15, 1928, March 2, 1929, April 13, 1929, April 20, 1929, April 27, 1929, July 20, 1929, July 19, 1930, November 8, 1930, April 25, 1931, November 19, 1932, December 10, 1932, June 24, 1933 (The Story of Llano), April 14, 1934; 1973 Arizona City Directory; US SSDI