Mildred Muscio
Florence Mildred Muscio (1882-1964), feminist, was born on 28 April 1882 at Copeland, New South Wales, eldest daughter of Jane (born McLennan) and Charles Fry, telegraph master. She was educated at Sydney Girls' High and the University of Sydney, graduating BA with first class honours in logic and mental philosophy (1901), and MA (1905). With her sister Edith, she published Poems (1906). She worked as a teacher while completing her studies, and was principal of the Brighton College for Girls, Manly, from 1906-12.
She went to England where she taught at Crosby, Lancashire, and at Windsor, sharing a flat with Dr Elsie Dalyell. On 31 March 1915 she married fellow Australian Bernard Muscio, demonstrator in experimental psychology at Caius College, Cambridge University. There were no children to the marriage. The Muscios returned to Sydney in 1916 but in 1919 went back to Cambridge where Bernard became organising secretary and lecturer for the Industrial Fatigue Research Board. In 1922 he was appointed Challis professor of philosophy at the University of Sydney. Mildred was president of the Sydney University Women Graduates' Association (1923-26), the Sydney University Women's Union (1927-28), and was later an executive member of the Sydney University Settlement. She shared her husband's interest in industrial psychology and after his death in 1926 helped form the Institute of Industrial Psychology. She lectured in psychology for the University Extension Board.
From her return to Sydney in 1922 Mrs Muscio was associated with the New South Wales National Council of Women. She became press secretary in 1924 and president from 1927-38. She was federal president in 1927-31 and led the Australian delegation to the Vienna conference of the International Council of Women in 1930. She was an excellent committee-woman, quick to sense majority opinion and skilled at drafting resolutions. She led a vigorous campaign on equal guardianship and was a strong supporter of professional training for social workers. Appointed to the Commonwealth royal commission on child endowment in 1927, with John Curtin she submitted a minority report calling for its immediate introduction. In 1929 she was a founding member of the Board of Social Study and Training at the University of Sydney which initiated professional training in social work. She served on the government committee inquiring into the system of examinations and secondary education in 1933. At the 1934 inquiry into the New South Wales Child Welfare Department she stressed the importance of training welfare officers and urged the establishment of counselling clinics.
Mrs Muscio was especially active on behalf of crippled children. She was a long serving vice-president of the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children. She worked also for the Racial Hygiene Association, the Australian Red Cross Society, the New South Wales Bush Nursing Association, the Australian Aerial Medical Services, the Travellers' Aid Society, and the League of Nations Union. She was appointed alternate delegate to the League's General Assembly in 1937. She served for many years on the council of Ascham School where her sister Eva was senior mathematics mistress (1917-45).
Mrs Muscio was appointed OBE in 1938. She remained active in the Society for Crippled Children after she had relinquished her other offices. She died at Ryde on 17 August 1964. A gifted speaker, fluent and logical, she was admired for her organising ability, generosity, impartiality and 'sympathetic spirit'.
Meredith Foley and Gillian Fulloon.
