Centre County Historical Society President Sets Example for Young Women

Katie O’Toole, president of the board of governors for the Centre County Historical Society, has been making a difference in the community for years.

I recently met with O’Toole during set up for the exhibit, “Unraveling the Threads of History,” which opened March 19 at the Centre Furnace Mansion, where the historical society is based. The exhibit features samplers from central Pennsylvania.

Samplers were a popular way of teaching young girls to sew and to create pieces to beautify their homes. The samplers featured Bible verses or life lessons to be passed on, as well as colorful scenes.

Prior to joining the board of the historical society, O’Toole worked for 24 years at Penn State Public Broadcasting, where she was a producer, writer and host of children’s current events programs. After that, in 2004, she returned to school to pursue master’s and doctorate degrees. Part of her research was in the area of radio in the 1920s and 1930s and how athletics migrated from the university setting to commercial radio.

O’Toole joined the CCHS board in 2010 and starts her third year as president this spring.

There are many needs with an old building such as the Centre Furnace Mansion, and the CCHS always needs donors to help keep up with repairs and support programs. With possible cuts in the National Endowment for the Humanities looming, member support is more important than ever, according to O’Toole.

O’Toole helps with plants sales and the popular Christmas at the Centre Furnace Mansion Sale, and has volunteered at the Old House Fair. That event is coming up Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, at the American Philatelic Society, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte.

Asked about changes she would like to see for the CCHS, O’Toole said, “We want to encourage more young people to become interested in history. There has been some resurgence of interest by young people regarding the historic architecture in Centre County.”

Getting the word out and drawing new people to the CCHS is key to its success going forward. “The old post office at the Philatelic Society is very interesting, and young people need to hear the stories. I have done three podcasts now,” she said.

Her latest, ‘The Ironclad Agreement,’ was done with historian Lee Stout and focuses on iron making, the Centre Furnace and connections to Penn State.

O’Toole teaches international reporting, podcasting and media history at Penn State and has a treasure chest of information to pass on to her students. She recently took a group of students to Panama. If the trip becomes material for a podcast, it will be one to anticipate.

She is one of those women who can inspire the younger generation. She has accomplished all that she has while raising six children with her husband, Gary Gray. She said there are three weddings coming up and she has two grandchildren and two on the way.

March is Women’s History Month and March 8 was International Woman’s Day, which featured the theme ‘Be Bold for Change.’ Congratulate women such as Katie O’Toole who have made a difference in their communities and created a pathway for younger women.