Celebrate women's gifts

Have you ever heard of Frances Perkins? Or Mary Engle Pennington? What about Virginia Apgar?

Frances Perkins served as U.S. secretary of labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first woman to hold a U.S. cabinet post. She championed many of the policies that were part of the New Deal.

Born in 1872 and called "The Ice Lady," Mary Engle Pennington studied refrigeration and how best to keep foods fresh and safe to eat. She set scientific standards for food safety and designed home refrigerators and refrigerated railroad cars. Thank her next time you open your refrigerator.

And while you may have heard of the Apgar Score that identifies newborns at risk, you may not know that it was developed by Virginia Apgar, born in 1929. Although her surgical skills as a doctor were excellent, Apgar was discouraged from becoming a surgeon and focused her attention on anesthesiology—which led to her developing the Apgar Score.

Of course, you've heard of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She's the wife of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, right? Yes, she is. You'll also remember her as the mother of the kidnapped baby, their first child. But did you also know she was an aviator herself? And a first-class navigator? She has written many books as well, the most famous of which is Gift from the Sea.

So many women have made an impact down through history. We've heard of so few of them. And though we recognize the names of some, we may only know them as the spouse of someone famous. March is Women's History Month. It's a good time to delve into our history and discover all the wonderful gifts women have added to the world. Let's celebrate those. And celebrate you, with all your gifts too!