Person:Henrietta Roos (4)

BIOGRAPHY: Education: Armour Institute, Kindergarten Teacher Chicago IL Event: HIST Chicago IL Note: Notes for HENRIETTA ROOS: Clara Lowenburg Moses, on Henret Roos, daughter of Theresa Mayer Roos, as told in "My Memories": "Henret, a very canny philosopher ,even as a child believed in letting every one live and order his own life and insisted on living her's her way too. She was an amazing personality, full of love and kindness and charity, gay and happy, and so neat and efficient, helping Aunt Theresa before she went to school,as well as when she came home. A favorite with every one, she had enough character to stand up for her rights, and tho Aunt Theresa wanted her to give up her work for a year and to go to New Orleans and go out in society and perhaps meet and marry some one south, Henret was determined to finish her course and go to work and earn her own living. She and Helen Zuckerman had joined Lincoln Center, run by that great teacher and philosopher, Dr . Jenkins Loyd [Lloyd] Jones and was studying with him, helping in his Sunday School. They were also interested in the great work that Jane Addams was doing at Hull House and Henret could not see life any longer as a frivolous game -apastime- until she found a husband. She had felt too much the humiliation of having all her life accepted the charity given a "poor relation" not to want to prove to herself and her family her ability to provide bountifully for herself and her mother too,if necessary. "( p. 55,56)

BIOGRAPHY: After Aunt Theresa and Uncle Joe's death, Clara Moses recounts Henret's misfortune, in "My Memories" "Henret needed the money that Uncle Joe had left her and the life insurance that Aunt Theresa had left, as the doctor declared she had cancer! She had worked so hard at school and at home and had carried on so bravely, and in another year would have earned her school teacher's pension, but she got worse and worse and after two dreadful operations had to treat herself as an invalid. Orray never left her when not at work. She was the bravest person I've ever seen. " ( p. 83)

DEATH: Clara tells of Henret's death in "My Memories": "My darling Henret Knight was very sick that summer; all the X-ray treatments for cancer had been of no avail and she was gradually getting worse. She had moved into a smaller apartment, so I went on to Chicago and took a room in the same house so as to be with them. She and Orray were as devoted as ever. How can I write of my darling Henret -the only really perfect person I ever knew, who loved her neighbor as herself, wanted nothing as passionately that she would not give it to another. So gay, so childlike in her pleasures, so happy in others' happiness, so sympathetic, so fair and so liberal in thought and deed, so neat and sweet and pretty, even in the clothes she had to accept from richer relatives, so in love with and considerate of her husband, who never made as much money as she did, with her teaching. She was a leader in the school, in the church, Lincoln Center, where she was married and buried. Many Chicago families still tell how she educated their children, saved the boys and girls and made their live sworth while. Orray and Henret dreaded the separation they saw ahead of them. She was so brave, going on with her little house, keeping and fighting off the bad days.. Every afternoon, we went out to dinner in the neighborhood, not too far for her to walk and on the hot summer nights we sat out on the midway pleasance. Aunt Ella came too for a visit while I was there and Henret said it was such a happy time with her best loved people with her. Her friends in Chicago were so kind, especially the Rosenfels.

DEATH: The Websters sailed in October and the Henret was so very ill, I could be of no use. Aunt Mellie came and stayed with Aunt Ella and Orray. She had spent the summer at John's house in Hubbard Woods. Henret had to have a day and night nurse and she and Orray loved being alone when she could see and know him. My heart was broken over her going. One of the people I loved best in the world and whom I knew loved and understood me. Emma Knight, Orray's sister was teaching school in Wantika and often came in and stayed over night with one of us. She too, had found out what a beautiful, noble and lovely person Henret was and how she ennobled every life she touched with her all embracing, unselfish love. She died while we were at sea." ( p. 93,94)