PrefaceThis is a story about May Theilgaard Watts (1893-1975). The daughter of Danish immigrants, she grew up in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood, becoming as much a product of her environment as the plants and trees she revered. Her gardener father fostered a love for and knowledge of plants. Her family valued music, art and education. Her vision of a wondrous and connected natural world grew from these significant seeds of influence.
This is a story about May Watts seeing more when others saw less. It was a time when women's choices were few. Women newly graduated from high school were expected to become teachers. It was not a surprise when Watts started her teaching career in the one-room schoolhouses of rural Illinois. It was a desire for more that drove her to spend her summers attending the University of Chicago where she studied the infant science of ecology and earned her college degree. |
This is a story about the vision of May Watts and her talents as an ecologist, educator and advocate for trails. It is a story of
her courage, charisma and creativity. It is a story that is as interconnected as the ecosystems she defined. Come take a walk with me as we explore and see more through the vision of May Watts.