By Bronwyn Page
From the Archives
When we look back at the people who shaped Hutchinson, not just its buildings, but its opportunities and the paths available to everyday people, we often overlook the quiet change makers. Adela (Adele) Hale is one of those figures whose influence deserves far more recognition than it’s received. Her story is one of determination, service, and a deep belief in the power of practical education.
Born in 1907, Hale grew up in a world where women’s professional options were limited, yet she pushed forward anyway. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1930 with a degree in business, an impressive achievement for a woman of her time. Right out of college, she became the private secretary to Emerson Carey, one of Hutchinson’s most prominent businessmen. She held that position until his death in 1933, gaining firsthand experience in the professional world she would later prepare others to enter.
After Carey’s passing, Hale found herself responsible not only for her own livelihood but also for supporting her mother and sister, who lived with her. To help make ends meet, she began teaching secretarial skills out of her home, offering typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping lessons to local students. It all began at her kitchen table, just one woman sharing her skills, and it turned into so much more.
In 1935, she officially opened the Adela Hale School of Business at 111 N. Walnut. Just two years later, the school moved into the Hoke Building, where it operated from 1937 to 1940. I love this detail because it ties her legacy directly into a building that still stands as part of our downtown story. Long before the Hoke Building became what we know today, it was home to a school that launched careers and changed lives.
Her college grew steadily, eventually producing hundreds of graduates who went on to work in offices across Reno County and beyond. By 1950, enrollment had reached around 250 students, a remarkable number for a privately run business school. While the school moved locations over the years, Hale’s approach never changed. Students remembered her as steady, organized, and deeply committed to their success. She wasn’t just teaching clerical skills; she was giving people confidence, professionalism, and a sense of belonging in the workplace.
In an era before community colleges expanded their vocational programs, Hale filled a crucial gap. She trained young adults just starting out, parents returning to the workforce, and people seeking new beginnings. Her work helped modernize Hutchinson’s workforce from the inside out.
When she passed away in 1996, her obituary simply referred to her as the “retired Adela Hale Business College owner.” But that title doesn’t capture the full truth. She was a mentor, a path‑maker, and an instructor of opportunity.
In Hutchinson’s story, Adela Hale stands as a reminder that leadership can be found with in anyone and sometimes it looks like a determined woman, a typewriter, and a belief that every person deserves a chance to succeed.
Bronwyn Page is the Director of Operations at the Reno County Museum. She can be reached at bronwyn@renocomuseum.org.