Biography

Margaret Sellers Woodward Ostrom is proud to have grown up on a 250-acre farm in Kennett Township, southern Chester County, PA. Located on the north side of Woodward Road about 1/8 mile from its intersection with Hillendale Road, the John Jackson Woodward Homestead was built c. 1835 and four generations of Woodwards lived there. Unfortunately it was destroyed by an arsonist in 1992. The farm seemed isolated during Margaret's growing up years of the late 1930s and early 1940s because of the deprivations of World War II; for example, the rationing of gasoline and tires made travel difficult. But farm life offered benefits that today are no longer taken for granted nor as easily obtainable as they were then: clean air, pure well water, tranquility, natural vistas, fresh farm produce free from additives and contaminants, room to roam, and lots of pets.

"Margie" attended the Kennett Consolidated School in Kennett Square, PA for all 12 years and credits excellent teachers throughout as her role models and inspirations. She studied piano and cello, was a Girl Scout, helped a lot around the house, took her younger brother and sister berry picking and on picnics to the back creek on Norway Road, and finally graduated in 1952 with honors and prizes in English and French. She wanted to study political science at American University in Washington, DC, but her father said $1000/year was more than he could afford. (Yes, the three zeros are correct!) In those days, children did not protest nor argue with parents! And so, with just 3 weeks before the fall semester, she asked her father if $600/year at nearby West Chester State Teachers College in West Chester, PA would be satisfactory. He agreed.

She breezed through West Chester's teaching program in 3 years, thankful to find a few good professors, one of whom suggested she apply for a Fulbright teaching assistantship in France. She was dubious of her chances but followed the laborious application process that included making an audio tape of her reciting Le Corbeau by La Fontaine. Margaret was one of 50 lucky national winners and left in September 1955 aboard the Liberte for a week's transatlantic voyage to France. She spent two unforgettable years there, first in Avignon, then in Nice. In addition to her teaching duties as assistante d'anglais at the lycees, she received a diplome de civilisation et litterature francaises from the University d'Aix-Marseille. She was lucky to discover Provence years before Peter Mayle and with a French boyfriend with a car, probably had more fun! For details, you will have to wait for the book!

Returning to the States in 1957, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Graduate English Studies, on a full scholarship and then for two summers in the 1970s, the Middlebury College Graduate School of French on a partial scholarship. For most of her teaching career, she was an adjunct professor of English and French at various times at Widener University, Villanova University, West Chester University, and Delaware County, PA Community College. In the spring of 1989, she experienced her most unusual professional assignment as a teacher of English for West Chester University in Fukuoka, Japan. She was one of five faculty chosen to inaugurate the Japan campus on the island of Kyushu. The cultural shock provided the basis for a popular talk once back in the United States, "The Paradox of Madame Butterfly in Present-Day Japan." Between 1987-99, she presented well over 100 talks to social, service, and retirement groups. Other titles included "The Radiance and Splendor of Versailles," "Monet's Home at Giverny," "The Washington National Cathedral," "Japanese Businessmen: Dying for a Living," "The Story of English," and "That Happened 100 Years Ago."

Now professionally retired, she enjoys history, especially genealogy, gardening, reading non-fiction, C-Span's Book TV, good films, traveling, contact with her many cousins and friends, and last but definitely not least, her home and family, comprised of husband Ed, son Laurence, and daughter-in-law Danielle. Unfortunately, best buddy and family member for 14 years, Putsie cat, was relieved of her suffering on July11, 2000. She is sorely missed.