Hansl, Eva Elise vom Baur, 1889-1978

Eva Elise vom Baur Hansl, woman's editor and pioneer in women's radio broadcasting, was born to Elise Urchs and Carl Max vom Baur on 29 Jan 1889 in New York City, the youngest of five daughters and a son. She attended the New York Collegiate Institute and after graduating from Barnard College in 1909 became a member of the Intercollegiate Bureau of Occupations, one of the earliest organizations concerned with employment for women. From 1911-1916 she reported the progress of the early feminist movement for the New York Tribune and the New York Evening Sun; at the latter she was editor of the women's page from 1912-1916. In 1915-1916 she directed a course of public lectures at New York University on vocations for women, and from 1916-1918 she organized the League for Women's Vocational Opportunities. She was an associate editor of Parents magazine and organized play-schools and parents' study groups in Princeton and Summit, New Jersey and in Greenwich, Connecticut.

In 1916 she married Raleigh Hansl, from whom she was later divorced. When her two children, Barbara and Raleigh, were grown, she returned to journalism with the Education Department of the New York Times. Her efforts on behalf of the education and employment of women continued for the next four decades. In 1936 she founded Trend-File, a reference service on women's interests and activities, which she maintained for many years. Her long interest in women's activities led to broadcasting when she supervised the research, promotion, and production of three network radio series: "Women in the Making of America" and "Gallant American Women" for NBC, in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Education (1939-1940), and "Womanpower," for CBS in cooperation with the War Manpower Commission (1942-1943).

In 1941 Hansl left New York City to work in Washington with the War Manpower Commission, but after that returned to New York City which remained her home for the rest of her life. From 1947-1950 she was a member of the committee of the World Center for Women's Archives, Inc. in New York City. She lectured at New York University and Columbia University, and wrote several books including Minute sketches of great composers (1931), Artists in music today (1933), Trends in part-time employment of college trained women (1949), and many articles in popular periodicals.

Hansl died on 11 Apr 1978.

From the guide to the Eva vom Baur Hansl Collection of Women's Vocational Materials, 1927-1967, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)