The collection includes biographical materials (copies), two of her undated papers, published papers (reprints) about her work and teaching, a ¾-inch umatic (videocassette) excerpt of a TV Speech 101 Demo Lecture she gave at the National Speech Association Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, 1964, and a 2-inch quad tape of CMU TV footage of her speaking, 1962-1964, probably in her Speech 101 classes. Please note: The Clarke does not currently possess equipment to play the recordings.
Biography:
Jean Binkley was born July 29, 1919. She drove daily to attend high school in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, because she wanted to study a wider variety of courses than those offered in her hometown of Winn. She earned a B.A. from Michigan State University in 1941. She taught at Owosso High School, worked as a laboratory technician at Anheuser-Busch Brewery during World War II, married Mr. Mayhew, started a family, and earned her M.A. from the University of Michigan, all before coming to Central Michigan University (CMU).
In April 1952, Mrs. Mayhew, as she was then officially identified in CMU publications, was hired at CMU as a part-time pathology clinician. She became an instructor in fall 1953, and was promoted to the rank of assistant professor in the Speech department in July 1954, associate professor in July 1962, and full professor during the 1970-1971 academic year. Professor Mayhew was the first lecturer for the Speech 101 classes which were held in Warriner Auditorium to accommodate huge classes of 1400 students. Importantly, she pioneered the use of televised instruction. Between 1960 and 1970, Mayhew taught over 30,000 students. Mayhew developed her own handbooks to teach them.
Mayhew served on all the committees of the Speech Association of America and as vice-president and president of the Michigan Speech Association.
She published numerous articles in professional journals and her work was published by the Michigan State Department of Education.
Mayhew retired from CMU in 1981, receiving professor emeritus status and the Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan Speech Association. She remained actively involved with CMU as well as volunteering, and playing golf.
Because of her distinguished career and pioneering television work, Mayhew was researched and featured by the Women’s Studies department in 1992 in the She Made A Difference Exhibit.
As of 2013, she resided in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
(This information is from the She Made A Difference Exhibit, the 1962 Chippewa yearbook, and the collection.)
For a departmental history involving the speech unit, see the finding aid or catalog record for CMU. Dept. of Communication Disorders.
