Gertrude I. Johnson (1876-1961) was a college-educated American teacher and co-founder of Johnson & Wales Business School.
Gertrude I. Johnson (1876-1961) was a college-educated American teacher and co-founder of Johnson & Wales Business School.
Gertrude Irene Johnson was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania in 1876.[1] She attended Pennsylvania State Normal School (now Millersville University of Pennsylvania) in Millersville, Pennsylvania, graduating 1895.[2]
After receiving a master's degree in 1897, Johnson taught in public schools, then worked in a bank for five years, before returning to teaching at Bryant and Stratton Business School in Providence, Rhode Island (now Bryant University).[2] It was there she teamed up with her old Pennsylvania Normal School classmate Mary T. Wales, who was also teaching at Bryant, to found their own business school.[2]
In 1914, with fellow teacher Mary T. Wales, she co-founded Johnson & Wales Business School in Providence, Rhode Island.[2] It has grown into the present-day Johnson & Wales University, with two campuses in the United States.
With Mary in poor health, the two women sold the business school in June 1947[2] and retired together in Warwick, Rhode Island.[1] Mary died of cancer in 1952.[2] After Mary's death, Gertrude returned to her hometown of Norristown, Pennsylvania and died there in 1961.[2]