Jessica Spalding Todd

Jessica Spalding Todd was born in 1869 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. She was one of four siblings.

In 1887, Todd enrolled in Geneva College in Beaver Falls, but did not graduate. In 1901, Todd became the principal and critic teacher in the intermediate grades in Platteville, Wisconsin. In 1908, she was made the assistant director of the training school in Platteville.

In 1912, Todd moved to Monmouth and began working as a supervisor of critic teachers for the Monmouth Training School at Oregon Normal School (ONS). Todd quickly saw the need for a dormitory on campus and worked together to petition the state for funds to build a women’s dormitory.

With the new dormitory completion in 1913, Todd became the first Dean of Women, and the first Director of Dormitories. While in these positions, Todd was in charge of the school-owned dormitory, as well as all of the sanctioned boarding houses in Monmouth and the dormitories that were associated with rural centers for practice teachers. Through her frugal efficiencies and tight budget she kept enough savings to build the Senior Cottage in 1917 when the dormitory was seeing its first addition. The Cottage doubled as the Dean of Women’s office and her residence during the rest of her tenure at ONS.

While serving as the Dean of Women, Todd was known for her strict nature and interest in teaching female students how to be proper women. Alumnae tell stories of how she would close and lock the front door at the exact time of curfew leaving them saying good night to their dates on the porch. Over the years, her many talents for teaching, listening, organizing, and directing garnered much respect among students and throughout the academic world. She was said to have saved more than one girl from family, social, or financial shipwreck. Todd had the ability to see all sides of a question, she was loyal, and never known to betray or exploit a confidence.

In June 1926, Geneva College honored Todd with an honorary baccalaureate in recognition of her exceptional work at ONS. Upon her retirement in 1931, the Oregon State Board of Education unanimously agreed to rename the dormitory which she had run in honor of her.

Todd Hall remains in use today, housing various faculty offices, classrooms and the campus day care. Jessica Todd’s ghost is rumored to roam the halls of the building and play pranks in the Cottage.

Jessica Spalding Todd was living in Ford City, Pennsylvania in 1944 when she died after having a stroke.