Isabel Scribner Stearns, 1935. Taken at the time of her receiving the Mary Garrett Graduate European Scholarship
Isabel Scribner Stearns is not well known in her native state, except perhaps among those in philosophy or educational circles. She was born in Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire in 1910 to a privileged family–her father was an attorney, and her maternal grandfather was a physician. If she was still alive, she would be 104 today.
Daughter of Hiram Austin-9 & Elizabeth Scribner (Brown) Stearns, Isabel grew up in the large house at 681 Union Street. Even into the 1950’s she is shown in the city directory as residing here. She graduated from Straw School (in the 1923 graduating class), and probably also from the Manchester High School. She was a cousin to Henry H. Stearns, Mayor of Manchester from 1885-1886.
She went on to become what Alfred North Whitehead called “the most talented female philosopher in America.”
