Following the school year taught by Rose Riley, Hazel Ann Fitgerald taught for 3 school terms: 1914 - 1915, 1915 - 1916 and 1916 - 1917.
Hazel was one of the exceptions of the typical rural school teacher that taught for a short period of time before marrying and then retiring from the teaching profession as mentioned in the article from the post of September 13, 2020. Hazel had made a career of teaching.
Hazel Ann Fitzgerald was born to Mary (Bowler) and James Fitzgerald on September 13, 1891 (129 years ago yesterday) in Milan township, DeKalb county, Illinois. Hazel first appears on the 1900 US Census living (lines 16 - 22) with her parents and siblings Harold, Jennie and John in Afton township, DeKalb county, Illinois.
Based upon the census data, it appears the Fitzgerald family lived on the Ellwood property, located in Section 11 of the Afton township plat map of 1905. Hazel lived near her teaching predecessors, Ethel Mosher and Mary Jordan.
By 1910, the Fitzgerald family had moved to Kingston township, DeKalb county, Illinois. Hazel was living (lines 51 - 60) with her parents, James and Mary and Hazel's siblings, Harold, Jennie, John, Elverene (Elva), Nellie, Clifford and Howard.
Hazel was 18 at the time the census was taken on May 10th and 11th and is not listed as being employed.
While World War I was raging in Europe, Hazel and her students purchased Thrift Stamps in an effort to support the American troops according to the February 18, 1918 issue of The DeKalb Daily Chronicle on page 3. The article mentions Hazel was teaching at the Rowe school southwest of the village of Malta, located in Malta township, which adjoins the northern border of Milan township. This confirms that following the spring school session of 1917 teaching at the Browne school, Hazel remained in the area and continued to teach nearby.
While teaching, Hazel was attending the Northern Illinois Normal School, also known as a teacher's college. Eventually the name would change to Northern Illinois University. The DeKalb Daily Chronicle reported Hazel's attendance on page 3 of their July 9, 1918 issue.
By 1920, according to the US Census Hazel and her family had moved from Kingston township to Milan township. Hazel was living (lines 33 - 44) with her parents, James and Mary, siblings Harold, Jennie, John, Elva, Nellie, Clifford, Howard, Gerald and her uncle, Gerald John.
Hazel is listed as being employed as a teacher for a country school.
Hazel is employed as a school teacher for a public school and her sister Jane is listed as a music teacher.
The 1940 US Census lists Hazel as living (lines 13 - 17) in Rockford with her mother, Mary and siblings Nellie, Gerald and Clifford.
Hazel is still employed as a public school teacher.
Hazel Ann Fitzgerald passed away July 12, 1969 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois. Her memorial and obituary can be viewed here.
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