An Autiobiography

Jo Fay Ricketts (nee Gunn)

My life seems to divide itself into four chapters, each built about my life in a different part of the country:

1. Mississippi (21 years)

• Born on January 2, 1909 in Helena, Arkansas (across Miss. River from mother's home).
• Grew up in Grenada, Mississippi, finishing grade and high school there (salutatorian).
• Was active in Girl Scouts and extra-curricular activities (went to camp each summer).
• Graduated from Millsaps College with B.A.
  
• Was very active in athletics and dramatics ( favorite part was Jo in "Little Women")
  
• Spent summers during college in camps as councelar (Miss., Tenn., Ala., North Carolina, and Montclair, New Jersey.
  - never dreamed would live in N.J.!)

2. Missouri (15 years)

• Employed as Girl Scout Executive Director on Completion of Girl Scout professional training at Macy Training
  Center, Pleasantville, N.Y.
• Included among duties was the directing of summer camp(for 9 years including war period was in charge of large camp on
  Lake of Ozarks with 100 girls and 40 staff).
• Met and married Robert E. Ricketts on June 1, 1936 (he was high school principal; we both were quite active in community
  activities and had too many well meaning "matchmakers" in the begining of our acquaintance).
• Spent vacations with Bob at University of Chicago where he got his Masters Degree.
• Built first house and moved into it August 1941(had all new furniture most of which we still have).
• Initiated as P,E,O.in Chapter BW the spring of 1935; State Convention held in Jefferson City in May of that year; dimited
  to Chapter FS which met in eve.
• Continued professional training (Girl Scouts, seminars, etc).

3. Illinois (10 years)

• Moved to Evergreen Park, Illinois, where Bob was employed as Supt. of Schools.
• Became half time member of National Field Staff of Girl Scouts, based in Chicago, working in metropolitan Chicago and
  doing special jobs for Nat. Org.
• Dimitted to Chapter GI in Beverly Hills, adjacent to Evergreen Park.
• Had mother and father with us until their death (one in 1947, the other in 1952).
• Had a number of wonderful trips including two to Mexico during this period.

4. New York and New Jersey (4-1/2 years)

• Came to Teachers College, Columbia University,for Bob to get his doctor's degree.
• Transferred to Executive Staff, National Headquarters of Girl Scouts.
• Lived in Bogota, N.J., for year Bob served as Supt. of Schools.
• Moved to Paterson when Bob became Professor of Education at Paterson State College; he is now Director of Graduate
  Division.

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