Charlotte Kemper
(Loosely translated from Portuguese)
Great educator in Campinas and Lavras
Charlotte or Carlota Kemper was the third missionary educator sent to Brazil by the Presbyterian Church of the Southern United States (CPSU), after Arianna Henderson and Mary Videau Kirk. She was born in Warrenton, in northern Virginia, not far from Washington, on August 21, 1837, being the granddaughter of a colonel of the Prussian army who emigrated to the United States. Her parents were called William Samuel Kemper and Sarah Humphreys Kemper. Lotty, as he was known to her intimates, received a solid education in her home state, having studied in the cities of Charlottesville and Richmond. In 1847, her father was appointed director of the University of Virginia, created by the great statesman Thomas Jefferson. Of a somewhat introverted temperament, Charlotte was endowed with an intelligence exceptional. She studied algebra, geometry, Latin and Greek language and literature, German, Italian, French, and later Hebrew, as well as piano, guitar, and singing. She experienced the horrors and humiliations of the Civil War. With the defeat of the confederates, all valuable assets of the family were confiscated. An officer from Elmira, New York, in her presence, boxed her piano and sent it to his wife.
She worked as a private teacher and taught in some schools, teaching for twelve years at the Augusta Women's Seminary (later Mary Baldwin College) in Staunton, Virginia. She was strongly influenced by the Dabney family, including the illustrious theologian and professor Robert L. Dabney (1820-1898) and his nephew John W. Dabney (1850-1890), who was a missionary in Brazil.
In 1882, at the age of forty-five, while teaching at Staunton, the dream of being an educating missionary came true. The Executive Committee of Missions hesitated to accept a missionary at that age, but, in view of her excellent health, preparation, knowledge of languages, and dedication to studies, decided to open an excep-tion, in response to an appeal from Rev. Edward Lane, Charlotte decided to come to Brazil with him and his family to replace missionary Arianna (Nannie) Henderson, who was sick. They arrived in Campinas in early February 1882. He led the girls' school International College, in Campinas, was the purchasing superin-tendent of the institution, and taught a wide variety of subjects. It is stated that D. Pedro II, visited the college, and expressed great admiration for his rare talent.
In December 1889, after a vacation in the United States, Charlotte returned to Brazil with Rev. Lane and Mary Parker Dascomb, another notable educator who was in the country since 1869. The group also included two new missionaries, the Revs. Frank A. Cowan and Samuel Rhea Gammon. Charlotte guided the latter in the study of language, was a reviewer of their sermons and articles and since then has always been associated with them in educational work. At the beginning of 1892, yellow fever reappeared in Campinas. Lane insisted that the other workers go elsewhere, but he and Charlotte remained in the city to care for the sick and comfort the dying. On the 18th of March, Charlotte was affected by the fever and almost perished. Rev. Lane gave her assistance until she recovered, and then on the 22nd, he became ill, passing away on the March 26th. As no minister was available for the funeral, Charlotte, still convalescent, instructed the gard-ener to memorize Psalm 23 to recite it together to the grave.
At the end of that year, because of the epidemic and the losses suffered, the International was transferred to Lavras, in the south of Minas Gerais, becoming later the Institute Gammon, which has been providing relevant services to the community. In Lavras, Carlota spent the rest of her life. In addition to being the treasurer of the Southern Brazilian Mission (later, Mission East) and running the new school, she spent a lot of time visiting families and doing evangelistic work. She became known to the mission staff as "Aunt Lotty" (Aunt Carlota), such was her kindness and solicitude. The "old lady who walked quickly "always had words of affection and encouragement for each one. She really came to be known in school and in the city as "Miss Goodness." In 1895, after the Rev. Gammon returned from the United States, already married to his cousin Willie and set up his own house, D. Carlota moved in with them, as if he were a member of the family, and so she remained until the end of her life. It seems that it was on this occasion that she suffered a crisis of paralysis that left in her face its permanent mark.
Her affection for the candidates for the ministry was proverbial and there were many future church leaders who passed through her hands, like the Revs. José Ozias Gonçalves (1874- 1922) and Pachoal Luiz Pitta (1889-1960). When Mary Baldwin passed away, patroness and principal of the college in which she had taught in the United States, Charlotte received an inheritance of ten thousand dollars, which he spent on the construction of churches and the maintenance of young students. This little great woman collaborated decisively with the Gammon Institute, more prominent in the region, and with the local Presbyterian church, often in strong opposition. For twenty years, she was responsible for the preparation of Sunday School lessons, which were used in Brazil, Portugal, and other places. She wrote the book "O Cego Bartimeu" and translated several texts used in the school of Lavras. In 1908, in recognition of her efforts, the mission gave its name to the school of girls (Colégio Carlota Kemper). The new building, inaugurated in 1927, was built by a donation received by her from the women's societies of the Virginia Presbytery.
D. Carlota was also known for her versatility and great culture. The illustrious men who entered her house were far from supposing that this modest woman who was there, and who listened to them silently, would be able to give them lessons in matters which they considered themselves masters. She knew in-depth Latin, as well as Greek and Hebrew. As a hobby, She enjoyed reading the Latin classics, solving trigonometry, and making calculations. There became some famous episodes in which she resolved complicated mathematical problems that certain prepared men were having difficulties solving. Ancient and modern history was another of her specialties.
She was considered by many who knew her the most cultured woman in Brazil. Her biographer is a young colleague, Myrtle (Margarida) Sydenstricker, who says that, despite her brilliance and intellectual vigor, she was feminine in everything: she appreciated beauty and delicate things. The harshness or the softness of the silk pleased him. She was never dressed exaggeratedly but dressed well; with simplicity but with good quality material. When her old age grew accentuated and the ascent of the long street that led to the church became fatiguing for her, Dr. Gammon ordered a car from the United States to come in order to transport her and other weak people to the worship and Sunday school, It was with reluctance that she submitted to it, fearing to be misunderstood. In fact, when a member of the church criticized the use of horses on Sunday, D. Carlota never used the car. She was known for her sense of humor, which made her mock her own physical appearance, and for being extremely methodical. She was imperturbable to take a program of activities: studying in quiet hours, teaching schedules, and, moreover, living for others: instructing, consoling, evangelizing, and helping. When the lack of sight began to prevent her from teaching, she began to spend
part of your time on visits.
Ten days before she became ill, D. Carlota walked the premises of the new college that had her name. Her comment was: "The new Kemper is ready; the old Kemper can die. " During her final illness, she found herself surrounded by all who loved both Brazilians and Americans. Your "nephews and nieces" of the Mission Leste came to visit her, several times. Mrs. Rosa Mabel Maxwell was treating her for five weeks. The consecrated missionary passed away at the age of 90, Sunday, May 15, 1927. Dona Carlota, in her lifetime, was honored in many ways. The City of Rio de Janeiro gave its name to one of the streets of that capital. Her major contribution was the beneficial influence she had on several generations of young Brazil-ians, as well as her eloquent testimony, with words and with life, about the power of the gospel.
Bibliography:
• Lessa, Annaes , 338.
• Ferreira, History of IPB , I: 212s, 329s, 363s, 489-98; II: 134-36, 262-65.
• Júlio C. Nogueira, "D. Carlota Kemper, " The Puritan (28-05-1927), 1.
• Daisy Sydenstricker. Carlota Kemper , trans. Jorge Goulart. São Paulo: Sao Paulo
Publisher, 1941.
• Clara Moore Gammon. Thus Shines the Light: The Life of Samuel Rhea Gammon , trad.
Jorge T. Goulart, 2nd ed. São Paulo: Editora Cultura Cristã, 2003 (1st ed., Lavras:
Press Gammon, 1959). Title of the original: So Shines the Light.
• Bear, Mission to Brazil , 22, 25, 107.
• Edward Lane III, "Footprints of Faith: Story of Edward Lane".
• "Professor Charlotte Kemper's biographical summary":