Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Emma Lea PUSEY
Warner Elementary School is named after Emalea Pusey Warner. Mrs. Warner was born in 1853. Although she was born in Yorklyn, she lived for many years at West Fourteenth Street. In 1873 she married Alfred Warner, and they had five children. Mrs. Warner was very active in her community. Throughout her life she was able to accomplish many things. A few of her accomplishments are:
* In 1889 she helped organize the Wilmington New Century Club and became chairman of the education committee which helped to get kindergarten programs, school lunch programs, carpentry shops, home economics, libraries, and penny savings banks established in Wilmington schools.
* In 1911 Delaware was the only state not to have a college for women. She worked hard to get funding for the Women's College which is now the University of Delaware. She then became the first woman to be named to the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware in 1927.
* She was associated with issues related to women's education. She helped organize the Delaware Branch of the League of Women Voters and became president of this group in 1924.
* She was president of the Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (S.P.C.A.) for 21 years.
For all the wonderful things she did, Mrs. Warner became known as the "Grand Old Lady of Delaware". She died in 1948 and is buried in the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery. We here at Warner are proud our school is named after a woman like Mrs. Warner.
by Katelyn Sweltz
Emalea Pusey Warner was a major force in the establishment of the Women’s College of the University of Delaware. In 1911, she was appointed as the Chair of a committee organized by the State Federation of Women’s Clubs, which lobbied and organized the effort to start a Women’s College in Delaware. Following a call by Delaware College President Harter to garner interest in higher education for women in Delaware, Mrs. Warner began lobbying the Delaware Senate, Delaware College, and private businesses for funding to build and open a Women’s College in Newark.
In 1928, Mrs. Warner was appointed to the University of Delaware Board of Trustees. She served on the Board until 1942 and was the first woman to hold such a position. In 1934, as part of the University's Centenary Celebration she was awarded the University of Delaware Medal of Honor for her distinguished service to both the Women’s College and the University.
Warner Hall, formerly known as Residence Hall and one of the original buildings of the Women's College campus, was renamed in her honor in 1936.
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