Kaschmann, Truda

This interview covers Truda Kaschmann's life growing up in Germany, her family's departure upon the Nazi rise to power, and settling into America in both Boston and Hartford. In Hartford, she taught dance to support her family (including her parents and in-laws who came from Germany in 1936). She taught at the Hartford Conservatory starting in 1935 and at the Hartford School for Women starting in 1940. As of the 1982 interview, she was still teaching. Was on many school's dance faculty (Miss Porters, Simmons, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Wellesley, Radcliffe, Smith College, St. Joseph, Ethel Walker School, Apprentice Theater at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, YWCA, Hartford, Junior College, Putnam School in Wallingford, Connecticut State Teachers College). Was in high demand because she was the only one qualified to teach at the college level-called Ms. Modern Dance of Connecticut.

Related to founders of Temple Beth Israel, had to join there as a result. Not happy about it because they didn't welcome the "foreigner" and were embarrassed because she was a dance teacher.

Volunteered during World War II to help keep up the morale of women defense workers by teaching dance.

Taught Jackie Onassis Kennedy at Miss Porters; the first lady invited her former teachers to visit the White House on May 11, 1962.

This file contains many newspaper clippings and other items documenting Truda Kaschmann's career teaching dance, as well as information concerning the 1982 interview.

There are several photocopied photographs as follows: -JHSGH President Del Garber (sp?), Truda Kaschmann, Gloria Bein conducting interview, January 24, 1982. See original in Photos/JHSGH/Programs/Misc. -