Emily Montague Bishop (born Mulkin; November 3, 1858 – November 22, 1916) was an American lecturer and teacher who specialized in topics such as clothing, body language, and physical fitness. She was known as one of the leading editors and writers on these subjects in the United States, often using the name Emily M. Bishop. She was also an early supporter of women's right to vote. Some of her published works include Americanized Delsarte Culture (1892), Self-expression and Health: Americanized Delsarte Culture (1895), Interpretive Forms of Literature (1903), Seventy Years Young, or The Unhabitual Way (1907), Daily Ways to Health (1910), and The Road to "Seventy Years Young": Or, The Unhabitual Way (1916).
Early life and education
Emily Montague Mulkin was born on November 3, 1858, in Forestville, Chautauqua County, New York. Her father was Asa L. Mulkins, who lived from 1827 to 1893, and her mother was Ann E. (De Witt) Mulkins, who lived from 1827 to 1861. She attended Forestville High School for her education.
Career
After leaving school, Bishop worked as a teacher for four years and served as an assistant principal at the union school in Silver Creek, New York. She then spent several years studying Delsarte work in various cities.
After getting married, she moved to Black Hills, South Dakota. Bishop was chosen as superintendent of public schools in Rapid City, South Dakota, becoming the first woman to hold this position in the Dakota Territory.
In 1885, she was invited to create a Delsarte department at the Chautauqua School of Physical Education in the Chautauqua Assembly, New York. She led that department for four seasons, and it became increasingly popular. By 1891, it was the largest single department in the Assembly. Her work at Chautauqua led to many public lectures and teaching opportunities. She gave talks on literature and physical culture at places such as the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, the Mechanics Institute in Rochester, New York, and in major cities across the United States and Canada. She created and performed political readings called "Dramatic Scenes from the United States Senate," which made her famous nationwide.
She wrote articles for several magazines and published books, including Americanized Delsarte Culture.
Personal life
In 1884, she married Coleman E. Bishop, who was the editor of the Judge newspaper in New York.
She also lived in New York City and in Washington, D.C., in addition to the Dakota Territory.
Before she became ill, Bishop joined the Women's Democratic League and spoke at meetings to support President Wilson. She died on November 22, 1916, at New York Hospital in New York City. She was 58 years old.