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class of 1927 inducted in 2002

Virginia Redford Athlete, Coach & Educator Virginia Redford, Class of 1927, was known as a regional tennis celebrity in the 1940's. She attended Skidmore College where she earned a B.S. in 1931 and the University of Pennsylvania where she earned an M.S. in 1940. She returned to Cheltenham where she taught physical education. She was appointed assistant department chair in 1961 and later served as department chair of the girls' physical education department. She coached hockey and tennis at Cheltenham High School for many years. Her prowess as a coach is best reflected in the number of All-American and All-Philadelphia hockey players that came through the Cheltenham program while she coached. Some of these included Sue Wagner Lubking, Adele Boyd, Nancy Wood Dennery, Joan Moser and Sandy Wood Wilkes. Miss Redford's sports enthusiasm soared beyond the Cheltenham playing fields. She achieved recognition throughout the Philadelphia area in both tennis and squash. She won the Middle States Lawn Tennis Association's Clay Court Tournament in 1942, and in 1943 she won the women's singles. Ms. Redford also received numerous tennis awards from the Philadelphia Rifle Club. A natural athlete, Miss Redford joined the Germantown Cricket Club where she triumphed in her debut appearance (1941), after having played for only three months. In 1942, she upset the favorite, Mrs. Bolton Earnshaw, in the opening round of the Philadelphia Women's B Squash Championship at Germantown Cricket Club. Born in West Virginia, Miss Redford spent the majority of her life in Elkins Park. She moved to Meadowbrook after retiring in 1972. Miss Redford died July 15, 1997, at the age of eighty-eight.