[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MIRIAM GOBSTOOB CANTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, October 12, 2000 the 
name of the Louis Wirth Experimental School in Chicago's Hyde Park 
neighborhood will be changed to honor one of its founders: Miriam 
Gobstoob Canter.
  Almost one year after Miriam died, it will be a fitting tribute to 
the life of a most remarkable woman who devoted much of her life to 
public education.
  Miriam Gobstoob was born in 1923 in Boston, Massachusetts. She 
attended Boston University and joined the Women's Air Corps in 1944. 
She devoted herself to the war effort and was a part of the successful 
effort to integrate her company.
  After the war, and her honorable discharge, she joined the first all-
women's Jewish War Veteran's Post. She became a commander of that post 
and later in life commander of the Chicago Jewish War Veteran's Post, 
the only woman to command two such posts.
  In 1956 she married David S. Canter and moved to Chicago where she 
dived into work, family and community activism.
  Their children, Marc, Evan and Anna drew Miriam into a lifetime 
commitment to education including President of the Kenwood-Ellis 
Cooperative Nursery School, President of the Shoesmith School PTA, 
President of Wirth School PTA, President of Kenwood High School PTA, 
President of Metro High School PTA, Community Representative of Wirth 
Local School Council.
  She was recognized with awards including the Distinguished Service 
Award for 25 years of service to public education at Wirth School and 
the Achievement Award for 10 years Service for Local School Council 
participation.
  There were many other facets to Miriam's love of community and 
country.
  She worked for over 20 years at Michael Reese Hospital, was a 
founding board member of the Michael Reese Health Plan and the Women's 
Health Initiative. She was active in protecting the rights and 
interests of hospital workers.
  Miriam made her home a center for activism and was fiercely active in 
the struggle for civil rights, banning nuclear weapons and in 
opposition to the war in Vietnam. From freedom marches and peace 
meetings to fund-raising events and making sandwiches no job was too 
big or too small for Miriam.
  She was awarded (posthumously) the Unsung Heroine Award by the Cook 
County Women's Commission.
  Miriam's home was a joyous place to visit. She was a hostess par 
excellence, and, according to at least one eye witness was a key player 
in the greatest little floating mah jongg game in Chicago.
  Miriam is survived by her husband, three children, six grandchildren 
and uncounted friends, neighbors and coworkers. She will be remembered 
not only because her name is affixed to a public middle school, but 
because her name in indelibly engraved in the hearts of all those who 
knew her.

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