"Americans and Their Games" – Sports in American History. Part III: The Tales of Gender and Women's Rights
"Americans and Their Games" – Sports in American History. Part III: The Tales of Gender and Women's Rights
Almost hiding in plain sight, sports are as important to American culture and history as our political system, our churches, and the media.
Sports – "the games Americans play" – are, perhaps to the surprise of some, one of American society's great engines of social progress. In this chapter of his "Americans and Their Games," Jefferson Society Scholar-in-Residence Andrew Roth explores the powerful role sports played in women's quest for equality. From Catharine Beecher and "bloomer girls" challenging the 19th century's "The Cult of True Womanhood" to Susan B. Anthony championing bicycling as an expression of female freedom to Hellen Wills Moody and "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias to "A League of Their Own" to Title IX and the rise of women's sports at all levels of American society, learn how sports redefined the meaning of "true womanhood" in American culture. While hardly a level playing field, sport is the great social leveler providing opportunity for all. In pursuit of victory, sports in American society became one of the prime engines in The American Tapestry Project's story of the ever-expanding definition of the "We" in "We the People."
Location: Jefferson Educational Society - 3207 State Street, Erie, PA 16508
Date/Time: Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Admission: $10/person or $15 with a guest
Parking: lot behind building, State Street, 33rd Street, 32nd Street, French Street
As a Scholar-in-Residence at the Jefferson Educational Society (JES), Roth is working with his colleagues to enhance the Jefferson Civic Leadership Academy by including an academically oriented research component to the program. At the JES, Roth is also doing research on and preparing presentations about “1968: The Far Side of the Moon and the Birth of the Culture Wars”, which is a component of a larger research project on “The American Story: What Binds Us Together as Americans.” Previous work at the JES has included presentations on “Xander Hamilton: From St. Kitts to Weehawken to Hip-Hop Hit: The Life of Alexander Hamilton”; “George Washington: Primus Inter Pares”; “On Leadership: Towards a Practical Theory of Leadership”; “An Unlikely Trio: Washington, Lincoln and The Jesuits”. Roth also teaches graduate level leadership courses on “Leadership: Theory and Practice” and “Leading Change: The Leadership Challenge.” Lastly, he works with independent colleges on strategic visioning, strategic planning and enrollment management.
In 2016-17, Roth served as the Interim-President of St. Bonaventure University leading the transition from Sr. Margaret Carney to Dr. Dennis DePerro. During his brief tenure, he helped the University implement its strategic plan, created an Operational Efficiency Task Force to address systemic budget issues, fostered significant conversations on campus about the University’s identity, oversaw an increase in enrollment, approved the consolidation of student support services, initiated two campus beautification projects, and instituted Martin Luther King day as an observed holiday.
Previously, he served as president of Notre Dame College, from 2003 until his retirement in June 2014, upon which he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for his leadership and was named President-Emeritus. During his presidency, Notre Dame College experienced a transformational growth that became the subject of three separate doctoral dissertations. At Notre Dame, in addition to establishing a number of intercollegiate athletic programs, Roth established a Nursing program, an Academic Support Center for students with learning differences, an Abrahamic Center to foster inter-faith dialog, a “Books That Changed the World” discussion forum, and other academic programs.
Prior to Notre Dame College, Roth served for almost thirty years at Mercyhurst University (nee College), where he was a tenured faculty member; a coach – he founded the women’s soccer team; and for over twenty years a senior administrator: Director of Admissions, VP for Enrollment, Vice-President of Academic Affairs, and Dean of the College. Roth holds degrees from John Carroll University, Case Western Reserve University, Gannon University and the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is also engaged with various civic organizations in Cleveland and Erie. When not working on his various projects, he enjoys reading, working out, and cycling on Presque Isle. He is married to retired banker Judy Owens Roth; they have three children and seven grandchildren.
