Early life and education

On March 5, 1916, Edith Kinney Gaylord was born in Oklahoma City to Inez Kinney and E.K. Gaylord. Her father owned The Daily Oklahoman newspaper and founded the Oklahoma Publishing Company. This early exposure to journalism shaped her later career path. 

Edith Kinney Gaylord (center) with sister Virginia and brother Edward. Year unknown. Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.

Gaylord graduated from Classen High School in Oklahoma City and attended Colorado College before graduating from Wells College in New York in 1937 with degrees in English, French, and social studies. She was one of the few women with the opportunity to attend college during a time when even few men graduated with a college degree.

Old Classen High School, where Edith Gaylord attended. 1930. Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society.

Why do you think Gaylord wanted to go to college? What kind of opportunities does a college degree provide?