Jessie Lillian Clark was born in Kingston, New York on
November 2, 1863. She taught several years at the
Kingston academy and in grade schools in New York
from 1887 to 1892. In September of 1892 she
succeeded George C. Young as music supervisor of the
Wichita Public Schools. In that capacity, she rapidly
rose to prominence, organizing a high school chorus in
1893, a high school orchestra and mandolin club in
1899. Miss Clark was active in the Music Department of
the Kansas State Teachers Association, serving as its
chair in 1903. She was on the nomination committee
and was secretary pro-tem of the Music Education
Department of NEA in 1912. Ms. Clark was one of the
organizers and founders of the Music Supervisors
National Conference at Keokuk, Iowa in 1907.