Elizabeth and Leon Stern papers

Elizabeth Gertrude Stern was born February 14, 1889, in Skedel, Poland. Her family immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1892, where her father was a rabbi. She earned a bachelor's from the University of Pittsburgh, and then served as a school principal, executive director of two settlement houses, and as head of cultural work at Wannamaker’s in Philadelphia. In later life she was involved in many Quaker and philanthropic organizations; she was a member of 12th Street Meeting at her death. Stern was a writer for the Philadelphia Sunday Record, the New York Times, the New York Evening World, and the Philadelphia Public Leader using the pen name Eleanor Morton. She was the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including My Mother and I (1917), I am a Woman -- And a Jew (1926), Josiah White: Prince of Pioneers (1947), and The Women Behind Gandhi (1953).

Leon Thomas Stern (1887-1980) was a noted American penologist and prison reformer. He earned a bachelor's from the University of Pennsylvania and a social work degree from the New York School of Social Work. Leon was the director of education and chief probabtion officer at the Philadelphia Municipal Court. He served as director of the Pennsylvania Committee on Penal Affairs and Regional Director with the Deputy Attorney General of the US in a national survey of crime. He had a major role in the drafting of the plan for the Pennsylvania State Parole Board. He was involved with the American Correctional Conference and various committees of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting related to prison reform. He was a member of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting.

Elizabeth and Leon met at the New York School of Social Work. They married in 1911 and had two sons, Thomas Leon, born in 1913, and Richard LeFevre, born in 1921. They co-authored the book A Friend in Court (1923). Elizabeth Stern died in January, 1954. Leon Stern died August 1, 1980.