Evalyn Jean Tilford Claugus was a pathbreaker in social studies education in Ohio, the recipient of a number of honors and awards in academics, a bride after retirement and a major influence on history and social studies curriculum in the state of California.

        She was born in Cincinnati in 1920 and graduated from Withrow High School in 1938. Upon graduation, her father, a Presbyterian minister, gave her $100 and told her it was all he could give her toward her education, except sympathy, love and a good home.

        Mrs. Claugus combined her dad's gift with scholarships and wages and put herself through the University of Cincinnati. She graduated in 1942 with honors in history and was awarded a Phi Beta Kappa. She was also awarded a fellowship to remain at UC another year to learn teaching.

        Mrs. Claugus' first position was teaching social studies at Withrow High School and she completed her bachelor's in education in 1943 and her master's in 1949.

        In 1952, she was named one of the recipients of the 1952-3 fellowships of the Fund for the Advancement for Education by the Ford Foundation.

        She took a leave of absence for a year and left for Europe where she made a comparative study of European governments. She visited 14 countries, conducted interviews and attended schools.

        After teaching at Withrow for 11 years, Mrs. Claugus became an associate supervisor of social studies for the Cincinnati Public Schools in 1956. She was made an administrative supervisor of social studies in 1970.

        Mrs. Claugus was active in a number of scholastic and social service organizations. She was a member and served as a past president

        of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional honorary society of women educators.

        In 1969, she was elected a director of the National Council for Social Studies. She was elected vice president in 1972 and president in 1975.

        In 1973, she was named associate coordinator for CPS' school-community relations. She was known as a troubleshooter and problem-solver for many teachers and administrators as well as keeping teachers and parents informed of school district activities.

        Her biography has been included in Civic Women, a book on major women contributors to the development of social studies education in the United States during the late 19th and 20th centuries by Professor O.L. Davis Jr. and Dr. Margaret S. Crocco of Teachers College, Columbia University.

        She also co-authored a history textbook with Dr. Paul Broiler.

        Sarah Greenholz, a long-time friend and mathematics supervisor at CPS, said that during her career with the schools, Mrs. Claugus alternated her summers with travel and vocationally oriented jobs.

        “In order to better serve the pupils and teachers with whom she worked, Jean felt the need to understand working conditions and life of persons working in a variety of fields,” said Mrs. Greenholz. “She filled temporary assignments — waitress, warehouse work, sorting orders and reorders — all in the days before computers. Her professional identity was never revealed to her summer co-workers ... Jean worked and learned and appreciated.”

        After 32 years of service to the CPS, Mrs. Claugus retired in 1976 but took on a new adventure by marrying Harold Claugus, the manager of a Procter and Gamble plant in Sacramento, Calif. She moved to Sacramento where she and her new husband shared their love of music, opera, camping and gardening.

        She soon returned to the education field by volunteering to work with the California State Department of Education and helped achieve changes in that state's education program.

        For ten years, she monitored Board of Education meetings, reviewed about 4,000 bills annually, helped establish school libraries, assisted in developing curriculum outlines and served as vice chairman of a state committee for history and social studies.

        “Jean always kept in close touch with her many Cincinnati friends and returned to Cincinnati at least once a year,” said Mrs. Greenholz. “She had a great sense of humor and was very brilliant.'

        Mrs. Claugus died August 2 in Sacramento of a stroke. She was 82. Her husband died in 2000.

        She is survived by a sister, Judy Tilford Hicks, of Studio City, Calif.

        A funeral service was held at the East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento, where Mrs. Claugus was buried. Memorials may be made to a charity of choice.

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