Gladys Olds Reed (1899-1988) was for many years the Pelham correspondent for the Amherst Bulletin’s precursor, the Amherst Journal Record.
She played an important role in Pelham’s civic life as well. For 31 years she was a 4H leader in Pelham, leading “Quests of Spring,” sewing, cooking, garden, flower and “any kind of club you can think of.”
Together with Dorothy “Dolly” (Page) Ward (1893 -1964) she ran a card party to raise enough money for window screens and doors for two Pelham schools.
Gladys Reed, Sally Shepard and Marion Robinson started the Pelham PTA (Parent Teacher Association) around 1928-1929. Mrs. Reed moderated the first meeting but did not want to be president; instead, to “bring the fathers out” they thought “it would be nice to have a man to head it up.” So they elected Raymond Robinson as Pelham’s first PTA President.
Gladys Reed also was president of the Pelham Women’s Club two or three times which already had gone out of existence by the time she was interviewed in 1980. (See Oral Histories, pp. 252- 277).