National League of American Pen Women

ARC Frances Burt Memorial Scholarship.
Frances Burt, born March 23, 1917, was a farm girl from Brodhead, Wisconsin. In 1935, she graduated from Green Country Normal School., a training school for elementary teachers, and began teaching in a one-room rural schoolhouse. At that time, only single women could be teachers. In 1941, she was forced to disclose her two-year secret marriage to Oren Burt and resign teaching. In 1954, France and Oren moved to Sacramento. Over the years, Frances was involved in many things: Tuesday Club member, editor of the club’s monthly newsletter, she taught art in her home as well as at the YWCA and Sacramento City College, presented poetry readings , and wrote articles for Sacramento newspapers. She held office in the Sacramento Regional Arts Council, chaired the Festival of the Arts for four years and served as docent at the Old Schoolhouse Museum in Old Sacramento. This scholarship is presented by the Sacramento Branch of the NLAPW in memory of Frances and her devotion to the arts.