Within the framework of the Month of the Working Woman, the Municipality of La Plata elected the “Six Wise Men from Plata”, women referents of local culture and protagonists of scenarios and contexts that shaped the genesis of the city. The act was held this Wednesday at the Dardo Rocha Passage and the initiative aims to give new meaning to the contribution that six important women made to the history of La Plata, through science, teaching, law and militancy in defense of social causes.
“The idea is to replicate the concept of the ‘Six Wise Men’ to honor the role of these figures in the construction of our city”pointed out the Secretary for Victim Assistance and Gender Policies, Ileana Cid. And he added: “These are personalities who have protected the rights of women and defenseless people in search of equality.”
In this way, they became icons for their role in La Plata Margrete Heiberg de Bosepioneer of experimental physics in Argentina and defender of women’s rights; Matilde Alba Swann, a lawyer who worked tirelessly to improve the situation of defenseless people in the legal framework; and Hanny Stoecker de Simons, deputy director of the Public Library of the National University of La Plata for three decades. In the same way, they obtained their recognition Delia Etcheverrya teacher who fought for equal access to education; Ernestina Rivademar, art curator and first director of the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts; and Maria Abellajournalist, writer and founder of “Nosotras”, the first feminist, literary and social magazine in Argentina.
The project “Seis Sabias Platenses” and the presentation of each of the honorees took place this Wednesday in the Pasaje Dardo Rocha auditorium. In addition, in the hall of the cultural center an exhibition was set up with their images and reviews and audiovisual material produced by the local secretariat was projected.
WHO ARE THE WISE?
Margrete Heiberg Bose (1866 – 1952)
Pioneer of experimental physics in Argentina. She studied Exact Sciences at UNLP. She was in charge of the first courses in experimental physics in Latin America. Her students were the first doctors in Physics in Argentina. She advocates for women’s rights.
Matilde Alba Swann. 1912 – 2000 (Matilde Kirilovsky de Creimer)
Lawyer. At the age of 21, she graduated as a lawyer at the UNLP. She was a consultant on childhood issues. She was a war correspondent for the newspaper The day in the Falklands War.
Delia Etcheverry (1898 – 1981)
Teacher and Pedagogue. She studied at the Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences. She provided school support in La Plata, Berisso and Ensenada. She was persecuted for her ideas and detained on several occasions.
Maria Abella (1866 – 1950)
Journalist and writer. She used the media to make a place for herself in the public sphere and corrupt with the domestic tasks that were attributed to women. In 1912 she founded “Nosotras”, the first feminist, literary and social magazine in Argentina.
Hanny Stoecker de Simons
Librarian. She was deputy director of the Public Library of the National University of La Plata from 1919 to 1949. She contributed to the organization system that still works in the library and that is different from all libraries in the world. She collaborated with the dissemination of culture through the regulation of home loans.
Ernestina Rivademar
Art curator. She was the first director of the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts. Currently the museum library bears her name.
