The Baby Fold’s history is paved with epic stories of heroic women dedicated to the wellbeing of children. In honor of National Women’s History Month, please enjoy their stories.
Nancy Mason
Nancy Mason moved to Normal in 1865, just after the Civil War, wanting her children to receive a college education at Illinois State Normal University. She built a two-story, 9-room home at 309 North Street, where today sits a parking lot between ISU’s Watterson Towers and the Redbird Spirit Shop (formerly The Alamo II). Nancy was known locally as a faithful servant, “a kind, motherly lady, whose acts of charity and good deeds are known to the people of the twin city.” In 1899, she opened her home to the local deaconess women who operated the Deaconess Hospital, now known as Carle BroMenn Medical Center.
On May 1, 1902, the home was officially recognized by the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit, with the name “Mason Deaconess Home for Aged.” The deaconess women soon welcomed abandoned and orphaned children into their safe haven, and the home was commonly known as the “baby fold”, in reference to Jesus as the Good Shepard.
On the morning of December 18th, 1902, Nancy Mason passed away in her loving home at 309 North Street; she could not have imagined the countless lives she would eventually touch with her generous estate gift. Today, The Baby Fold's Mason Hall honors Nancy’s generous spirit and houses our Human Resources, Finance, and Quality Improvement departments. View Nancy Mason's story here.
Nellie Randle
Nellie Randle, born in Oregon on June 1, 1878, was The Baby Fold’s first full-time superintendent. She was a natural caregiver, raising her 7 siblings after their mother died at a young age. After graduating from nursing school, she felt called by God to serve at the Mason Home in Normal. She brought with her a mere ten dollars and The Baby Fold’s first child, Baby Harry, who was found in a Chicago basement.
When Randle arrived at the home in 1905, there was no bathroom or furnace and cooking was done on a coal range, burning a corncob to start the fire. In just 7 months Randle made significant updates, including adding a furnace, bathroom, and gas stove. In August of 1907, the agency’s annual report showed great progress, including $1,961.15 in donations. During that year, the home welcomed 59 children; 39 were under 2 years old and 17 were less than 1 month of age.
In 1908, Randle was hospitalized with pneumonia and was later diagnosed with tuberculosis. She never returned to The Baby Fold, but later moved to India and married a missionary. View her story here.
Dr. Lucy Rider Meyer
Dr. Lucy Rider Meyer was a physician and Chief Superintendent of the Chicago Training School, which trained and assigned superintendents to The Baby Fold, including Nellie Randle and Tompie Asher. Meyer’s generosity was instrumental in Randle’s success. Meyer won five dollars from an Ivory Soap contest after submitting the following jingle, “The air for the wing of the sparrow, the bush for the robin and wren; but when Ivory makes the lather that washes a million men.” Meyer wanted to use the award for a good cause, and in turn, announced her own contest.
She would give the full five dollars to the student who gave the best three-minute speech about her new work, with the student body judging. Nellie Randle presented a compelling presentation, quoting scripture, and won the five dollars, which was used for milk and medicine for Baby Harry. Learn more about Dr. Meyer here.
Tompie Asher
Tompie Asher was recently honored in March of 2024 as one of "21 Women Who Shaped Bloomington-Normal" by WGLT.
Tompie Asher was sent to Mason Home as a temporary replacement after Nellie Randle's unexpected departure. Asher’s ‘temporary assignment’ lasted 27 years. She fearlessly lead the agency through the first World War, the Great Depression, pandemics, and more. Asher was born in Missouri on April 10, 1868, and was a schoolteacher before coming to the Mason Home. When she arrived at the home in 1908, one of her first orders of business was settling all debts and operating on a cash-only basis.
After moving the agency to Willow Street she continuously expanded to serve more children, adding additional rooms and spaces only after securing the funds. After new rooms were added, Asher welcomed the community to donate furniture and items to furnish the new space.
In 1928, Asher was the first woman nominated for The Pantagraph’s Community Service award. Nominations poured in, recounting Asher’s selfless devotion to children. One nomination read, “Hundreds of these little ones would never have known a mother’s love had it not been for Mother Asher,” and another asks, “Can a greater service be rendered in a community than that of caring for helpless, homeless children?” We think not. Finally, in 1934, the prestigious award was bestowed upon Asher.
The following year, Asher announced her retirement and settled in a small home on The Baby Fold’s farm. Tompie’s namesake, Asher Hall, now houses our Development and Public Relations department, overlooking a Hammitt School Playground. View her story here.
Gwendolyn Hammitt
Gwendolyn Hammitt became The Baby Fold's Assistant Superintendent on November 15, 1939, after Tompie Asher's retirement. She was a graduate of Illinois State Normal University and had taught home economics at Holy Trinity High School and dietetics at St. Joseph's Hospital in Bloomington.
Hammitt worked to bring The Baby Fold into the 20th century by helping to hire professionally trained staff, setting up a record-keeping system, and improving buildings. She collaborated with nutritionists from Chicago to bring The Baby Fold its first systematic nutrition plan. The state inspector commended Hammitt's work, with reports showing the children had proper food and carefully balanced diets. Additionally, and to much delight, she redecorated the children's dormitories.
Gwendolyn Hammitt retired in 1974. Today, the Hammitt name is synonymous with The Baby Fold and its Hammitt Schools for children with intensive special education needs.
Emma Blackman
Emma Blackman, MSW was known as the "The Adoption Lady." Hired in 1942, she was The Baby Fold's only social worker at the time, and the only trained social worker in Bloomington-Normal. Blackman held several roles at The Baby Fold: interviewing birth parents, counseling expecting mothers and fathers before and after delivery, and coordinated adoption planning with all parties including doctors, nurses, lawyers, and judges. Blackman interviewed and counseled birth parents and couples seeking adoption. And after the adoptive placements, she worked with the families to ensure successful transitions.
Judith Hogberg
Head nurse Judith Hogberg, R.N., graduated from the School of Nursing at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. She came to The Baby Fold in January of 1940, hired as a nursery supervisor and supervisor of health services. She had previous experience at the Chicago Nursery and Half Orphanage and also as a private duty nurse. Hogberg's specialties were contagion and isolation techniques.
At The Baby Fold, she oversaw the diet of the children ages two weeks to five years. She also managed a training program for others who cared for the children. Nursing staff devoted three hours each morning to health check, promptly identifying suspected illness. Hogberg supervised the physical care of children under the direction of The Baby Fold's physician.
Hogberg was a native Bloomingtonian, growing up in the West Olive Methodist Church where her family was very active. Hogberg invested over 31 years caring for children at The Baby Fold.
Grace Harris
Grace Harris arrived at The Baby Fold in 1911 and stayed for 35 years, caring for an estimated 1600 infants and children during her time. Harris received her Deaconess training at the Chicago Training School andstarted her work at The Baby Fold as a “Mother” of a “family” of six children. Eventually Harris became a head nurse and throughout her devoted career, held every type of position The Baby Fold had to offer. Grace Harris retired in 1946.
