GWEN DEW 1927 - Historical Albion Michigan

With this being the middle of the football season and lots of Albion fans rooting for the University of Michigan Wolverines, we are historically reminded that Albion was once represented at a game on “center stage” in the 1920s, via Gwendolyn Dew.

Gwendolyn (1903-1993) of course, became a noted world traveler and journalist, who also designed the FTD running Mercury logo. Her father, Arthur Dew operated Dew’s Floral House, which is now Clark’s Flowers.

Gwendolyn was a 1919 graduate of Albion High School, and continued her schooling at Albion College. She transferred to the University of Michigan late in her college career, where she received a degree in journalism in October, 1924.

While serving as FTD Florists public relations manager, Gwen Dew participated in the dedication ceremony of the new University of Michigan stadium on October 22, 1927, in which the Wolverines played Ohio State. There she presented U of M captain Bennie Oosterbaan (later the football coach at the U of M) with a large bouquet of FTD flowers in front of thousands of fans.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a classic photograph of that event. On the right end is “Miss Ohio State” and the captain of the Ohio State team with another bouquet. On the left is Gwen, with Bennie holding the large bouquet.

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