Dorothy L. Titchener papers

Collection

Identifier: BUSC-1977-005

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection includes news clippings, speech transcripts, letters from public officials, certificates of appreciation, &c. documenting Dorothy L. Titchener's service on the Binghamton Housing Authority from 1953 until 1972. Also present are some clippings of her earlier activities as a playwright and author, and which document her role in other Binghamton-area civic and philanthropic organizations. Each folder contains a note outlining its contents in some detail.

Dates

Creation: 1932 - 1982

Creator

Titchener, Dorothy L., 1897-1982 (Person)

Biographical Note

Dorothy Lampton Titchener (1897 - 1982) was born in Washington, D.C., and was involved with radio and newspaper journalism beginning in high school. In 1920 she married Paul F. Titchener (1891 - 1963) of Binghamton, son of the founder of E.H. Titchener & Co., a metal manufacturing firm.

In Binghamton Mrs. Titchener (as she insisted on being known) was involved with the Girl Scouts, the Christmas Seals, the March of Dimes, the Mothers' March, the Advertising Club, the Binghamton Civic Club, the Junior League of Binghamton, the Shakespeare Club, and the Mondy Afternoon Club. She served as president of the Broome County Federation of Women's Clubs and of the New York State Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, and sat on the New York State Women's Council.

As president of the New York State Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, in 1952 Mrs. Titchener urged the executive committee to support women nominees for vice president on both parties' tickets that year: she supported Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine on the Republican side, and Judge Sarah T. Hughes of Texas on the Democratic side. The national federation endorsed the plan. Senator Smith's name was not officially put into nomination at the Republican convention, but Judge Hughes was formally nominated for the Democrats before Senator John Sparkman was ultimately selected.

In 1953 Mrs. Titchener was appointed to the Binghamton Housing Authority as the first woman to hold that position; in 1960 she was promoted to chairman, a position she held until her retirement in 1972. In 1969 she served as president of the New York State Housing and Community Renewal Officials Organization, and was the national public relations chairman for the Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

Mrs. Titchener was also a commentator on Binghamton radio stations WBNF and WENE for some two decades, and wrote articles on local history among other topics. In 1976 she published a book of her poetry, "Seasoning."

She died in Binghamton on August 10, 1982.