Ima Winchell Stacy

Ima Winchell Stacy (May 22, 1867 – August 11, 1923) was an American educator from Michigan who became known for her work in retail education and personnel training. She moved to Minneapolis as a child, and graduated from the University of Minnesota before beginning her career as a teacher. Stacy directed the education and personnel programs at the Dayton Company in Minneapolis, where she developed one of the first formal salesmanship training schools in the United States. In 1919, she joined the faculty of New York University’s School of Retailing, where she organized and led programs in salesmanship and retail training. She was also active in civic, religious, and alumni organizations, and supported woman suffrage.

Early life and education Ima Caroline Winchell was born at Colon, Michigan, on May 22, 1867. She came to Minneapolis in 1872, when her father, Newton Horace Winchell, was appointed state geologist and a professor at the University of Minnesota.

She graduated with highest honors from the university in 1888. She relocated to the East Coast in 1919 and started the new job in that year. It entailed the teaching of salesmanship, store organization, and methods of training, as well as the placing of the students in stores for practice experience. She spent most of her time in research work in retail establishments. She planned the courses, made out the bulletin, got the teachers, and shouldered the full burden of executive duties for the first summer school devoted to the teaching of retail selling in 1920. NYU awarded her a Master of Arts degree three years later in appreciation of her work.

Stacy served as Vice President of the New York Club, and served on the Board of the General Alumni Association of the University of Minnesota. She favored woman suffrage and served on the local committee when the National American Woman Suffrage Association held its annual meeting at the First Baptist Church, Minneapolis on May 30 to June 5, 1901.

Personal life Winchell family. Ima is in the back row, fourth from the left. On October 25, 1889, she married Francis N. Stacy (d. 1951), a writer and journalist, Burial was at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis. She was survived by two daughters and a son.

Selected works "Salesmanship Training" (text)