2010_carstensen_johnson_allred

Dr. Mildred Carstensen Johnson Allred Inducted 2010 - Class of 1941

Growing up in Batavia, New York, Mildred attended Robert Morris Elementary School before moving with her family into the Secor Gardens addition of Lucas County's Adams Township. While her four younger brothers and two sisters graduated from DeVilbiss High School, Mildred belonged to the first class to be bused to Woodward High School from Nathan Hale Junior High. Mildred could not join any of Woodward's clubs that met after school as her father worked nights and she monitored her brothers and sisters. While bussing curtailed a few of her after school activities, it did not prevent her from joining the Nightingale Club, which knitted scarves for British soldiers. Mildred enjoyed the Douglas Meadows Riding Club and several other school activities on Saturdays. With her mother's acute illness a constant worry, Mildred would miss weeks of instruction at Woodward to prepare meals and care for her siblings while her mother was hospitalized.

Many of Mildred's friends from the Secor Gardens area remained lifelong friends. Patty Hammontree, Marion Haupricht, and Gertrude Young shared playing intramural basketball in those

green regulation gym suits. Noon movies in Woodward’s auditorium, hall passes, favorite teachers, football games and graduation are memories of Woodward that Mildred will never forget. Mildred claims that her sense of humor came from Miss Abair, and, as seniors in the home economics class, they always made and served the finger foods for the various women’s organizations that met at Woodward. Miss Tippet made social studies come alive, and Mildred's fear of public speaking was solved by a very understanding and compassionate Mr. VanTassel. A major assignment of his class was to prepare a talk to be given in front of the class. When Mr. VanTassel called on Mildred, she stood up, and fainted right next to her seat. After a hurried trip to the nurse's office, Mr. VanTassel spent several missed lunch periods talking to her about the fear of public speaking. At the next opportunity to give her talk after her fainting episode, Mildred sailed through concluding with a round of applause from the class.

Graduation from Woodward brought higher education at The University of Toledo, where Mildred obtained her Bachelor of Education degree, then began her teaching career at Bedford High School. She later received her Master of Education degree from UT and embarked upon a 33-year teaching career at The University of Toledo Community and Technical College. During this period, she also earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Dr. Allred retired from teaching in 1996 as a full professor and received Emeritus Citation as Professor Emerita.

While teaching at UT, Dr. Allred was an active faculty member, serving on a host of committees. She also served on numerous Ad hoc committees, various panels, gave many speeches and book reviews, was published in the Journal of Secondary Education, Parchment, and developed Social Science curriculum for model Technology Program for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She also served on the committee and was one of three people who did the research that established UT's Eberly Center for Women.

By leading and participating in countless civic and professional organizations, Dr. Allred has given and continues to give generously of her time and talent for the betterment of her Toledo Community. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors.

Recently widowed, Dr. Allred enjoys time with her two sons, David Michael Johnson and Dennis Lee Johnson, along with her two grandchildren two great-grandchildren.