Furniss "Florence" Cohen, TCI 1927
Furniss “Florence” (Cohen) Walker (1906-1980) is our next notable alumna. She graduated from Shortridge High School in 1924 and the Teachers College of Indianapolis in 1927 with a two-year intermediate school diploma. The Teachers College of Indianapolis had been founded in 1854 by Eliza Blaker and merged with Butler University in 1926.
In this yearbook entry from Shortridge High School, class of 1924, Florence was cited as "A girl who proved a good listener in Economics. And when called upon, she most generally had an answer of some kind. Knows her stuff."
After her graduation, Florence became a schoolteacher and was a lifelong Indianapolis resident. Furniss was a teacher at Indianapolis Public School 37 for 39 years and at School 77 for one year. She retired in 1968 and passed away in November 1980. Beyond her teaching, she served as a deacon of Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church, and a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and Alpha Wives Club.
