For
outstanding business leadership and
community interest without prejudice,
goes the Chronicle Award of Merit this
week to Mrs. Ada Hollinger Sperry.
Progressively
active in business and alert as though
she were many years younger, Mrs.
Sperry reveals only that she was
blessed with birth. She is a strong
advocate of accepting life for its
wonderful advantages and that; one’s
age is, no barrier to progress and
accomplishment. To this conclusion she
has proved her point by owning and
managing one of the town’s most
thriving, businesses.
Mrs. Sperry
spent her earlier schooling in
Washington County, Maryland. She
specialized in science, English and
mathematics at Goucher College in
Baltimore and came to Emmitsburg in
1900. In 1912 she married Ralph S.
Sperry at Calaria, Iowa.
Having faith
in the industrial development of the
town the couple opened an automotive
service here and from a humble
beginning developed one of the finest
garages in the community. She actively
influenced the business progression
and eventually, in 1927, established a
Ford new car and truck agency here.
The business flourished and is today
unexcelled in both service and,
supply.
Mrs. Sperry
has two nephews, one of them being
John J. Hollinger, well known locally.
The nephew and his son, John S., were
actively associated in the garage and
auto agency.
Since her
husband’s demise in 1952, Mrs. Sperry
has conducted the establishment in
exemplary business fashion. She is a
member of the Soroptomist Club
International a member of the
Republican Central Committee of this
district and a member of the Chamber
of Commerce. She advocates progress
for Emmitsburg and believes the
district should be extended with the
town limits of Emmitsburg being
expanded to a reasonable distance to
include many residents not included in
the corporation limits.
Mrs. Sperry
was extremely active in keeping the
senior high school here during World
War II when it appeared for a time
that the school would be a victim of
consolidation proceedings.
Emmitsburg’s
leading business woman is a firm
believer in religious freedom and goes
to the church of her choice, regularly
believes in women being active in
business and politics and that they
should be properly rained to be
helpful in any capacity suitable for
their participation. She also believes
that youth should be educated and
given a chance to succeed, and that in
doing so, less crime would be imposed
on our communities. She also believes
that inactivity and the lack of
opportunity is youth’s greatest
handicap. In Mrs. Ada H. Sperry we
find strength of character, spirit and
he kind of courage that our
forefathers possessed in the
development of our country. To her we
extend, congratulations for a Job well
done!
If you knew Mrs. Sperry, and would like to see
her remembered in the next History of
Emmitsburg, Please send us
any stories or antidotes about them to us at:
history@emmitsburg.net
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