Major Contribution to Ravenna Schools
When Jane Jenkins celebrated her 90th birthday in April 1978, no one suspected that for many generations to come, Ravenna High School students would benefit from her warm generosity. A vibrant lady all her life, she began her “business” career by helping her father, a blacksmith, shoe horses. During her school years, she worked at various jobs from newspaper work to picking strawberries. Even before graduating from high school in 1906, she had a full time job at the Ravenna Lamp Plant. Most of her adult life Jane Jenkins was an important part of some business. She worked for B.F. Goodrich, The Davey Tree Expert Co. and, for a long time, the M. O’Neil Company. She also served as secretary to the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs and as a Deputy Clerk of Courts. Jane Jenkins retired in 1956 at age 68, after a very productive working career, but that did not end her community involvment. She kept active in her church, the First Congregational of Ravenna, the Junior Tuesday Club, the Order of Eastern Star and still managed to be an honorary member of Ravenna Sorosis. After her death in 1984 and having no children or close family, Jane made the Ravenna Schools one of the benefactors of her generosity . Giving of herself in life, as she did upon her death, Jane Jenkins will long be remembered for her bequest to students of Ravenna High School who are selected and so honored as Jenkins Scholar recipients.