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42 The GUIDE to YELLOW SPRINGS 2019 – 20 YELLOW SPRINGS NEWS High Quality Early Care & Education Programs Before & After School Program • For children ages 6 weeks to 12 years • Small teacher-to-child ratios • Child-centered curriculum • Enrichment programs • Trained & Experienced Staff • Conscience Discipline Trained Teachers • Emphasis on Enironmental & Outdoor Education • For children grades K–6 • Safe, stimulating, child- centered and educational environment • Homework support • Yellow Springs Community Library collaboration • Title XX accepted • Both indoor & outdoor times • Snacks & free play Learning, growing & playing together in the village for over 75 years! Community Children’s Center For more information contact Malissa Doster at 767-7236 or email at yschildrenscenterdirector@gmail.com www.ysccc.org • 320 Corry St. • P.O. Box 42, Yellow Springs (937) 376-4570 • (937) 436-1717 www . eldridgeroofing . net PHIL ELDRIDGE Owner 220 XENIA AVE. third shop from the street in Kings Yard YELLOW SPRINGS, OH 45387 PH 937.767.1966 sameckenrode @ gmail.com Now in our 24 TH YEAR in downtown Yellow Springs— centrally located next to Ye Olde Trail Tavern’s north deck in beautiful Kings Yard! A gallery store for readers and writers open daily 11 to 6 This article was originally published in June 2018. By DIANE CHIDDI STER Twenty years ago, villager and women’s rights activist Gene Trolander gathered together like-minded friends to bring to life a vision she held dear: a park to celebrate the lives of Yellow Springs women. “Over and over Gene said, ‘Women are the people who take care of the world. They need to be honored,'” said Deb Hen- derson, one of the original creators of the Women’s Park of Yellow Springs. Not long after the park was launched, Trolander died. But the park lives on, and is thriving. July is the height of the park’s beauty, according to organizers, the month when its cornflowers and black-eyed Susans burst into bloom. The park contains a host of col- orful plantings, including coreopsis, blue false indigo and blue mistflower, chosen both for their beauty and their role as pollinators. “When the flowers are in bloom, the park is the most gorgeous place in town,” said villager Evelyn LaMers. And nestled among the flowers are three areas that hold the heart of the Women’s Park — more than 800 hand-crafted ceramic tiles that honor Yellow Springs women. Each tile honors a specific woman, with a few words of description chosen by the person who purchased the tile. Women’s Park thrives at 20 “Animals. Reiki. Heart of the Little Art” says the tile for Jenny Cowperthwaite Ruka. “Leads by Example” reads the one for Julia Cady. “No Retreat. No Surrender.” says the tile for Julia Reichert. Last week, several of the organizers and current gardeners met in the park to talk about the park’s creation. They are proud of it, the women said, emphasizing that it all began with Trolander. A fierce feminist, Trolander was an early childhood educator whose respect for women was linked to her sense of their importance in caring for children and the home, according to Henderson. Following a visit to Florida, where Trolander saw a park dedicated to women, she returned to the village inspired to create such a park here. Known for her energy, forcefulness and charisma, Trolander organized friends and fellow feminists to help her. Her friends weren’t surprised that when Trolander asked Village Council to give the group land for the park, Council agreed. Council then donated a long, narrow strip of land next to the bike path. Support was also received from Women, Inc., a local feminist group at the time, and the Yellow Springs Com - munity Foundation. The original organizers were Trolander, Henderson, Connie Crock- ett, Phyllis Jackson and Emily Fine. Today there are more than 800 tiles recognizing women in Yellow Springs and beyond. Some are dedicated to anonymous women, or famous ones, such as Eleanor Roosevelt. But most honor the women of Yellow Springs. In July 1998, the Yellow Springs News covered the Women’s Park launch: “Motherhood, friendship, love, dancing, laughter and music are among the themes embedded in the commemorative tiles installed in the new Women’s Park snuggled between Corry Street and the Little Miami Scenic Trail … At the dedication ceremonies Sunday, people of all ages meandered along the path past benches where storytellers, in costume, portrayed historical figures … Every few minutes someone was com- pelled to read aloud the name of someone they recognized, some touching sentiment, some illuminating phrase: ‘The old witch on High Street,’ ‘prison camp survivor,’ ‘loved music, loved to dance’… Twenty years after the launch of the Yellow Springs Women’s Park, organizers are proud of their creation. Located on the Little Miami Trail Bike Path going south out of Yellow Springs, the park catches the eye of those passing by on foot or via bicycle. “Anytime I’m here, people stop by to look,” Henderson said. “They say ‘thank you.’”  ♦ YS NEWS ARCHIVE PHOTO Evelyn LaMers, Phyllis Jackson and Gene Trolander showed off tiles honoring Louise Odiorne, Andrée Bognar and Jane Baker, three of the 800 now installed.