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Philo T. Farnsworth, the "father of television"(1) gave to the world the most powerful communications form of the century, "unparalled in scientific development".(2) However, in the quest to bestow recognition on Farnsworth, historians have overlooked the unique partnership Farnsworth had with his wife, Elma "Pem" Gardner Farnsworth. She, too, played an important role in the pioneering of television. George Everson, who worked to raise funds for the earliest television laboratory experiments and authored the first publication on the life of Philo T. Farnsworth, noted in passing that "[n]o small part of Farnsworth's success is due to his charming and beautiful wife, Elma Gardner Farnsworth."(3) A contemporary journalist writing about the laboratory experiments in Fort Wayne, Indiana, described Elma's role as mother and housekeeper and then noted, "As a matter of fact she even helped make the first tubes for the small company."(4) Philo himself put it more directly: "My wife and I started this TV."(5)
Recent studies have described the important role that women have played in journalism history.(6) A study in the life of Horace Greeley alluded to the role of his wife in forcing him out of the home and keeping him in the offices of the New York Tribune where he provided editorial leadership for the nation from 1845-1872.(7) The wife of Joseph Pulitzer encouraged him to buy the New York World in 1883.(8) The wife of Cyrus H.K. Curtis helped originate the popular Ladies' Home Journal.(9) The wife and daughter of Adolph Ochs were influential in the development of the New York Times.(10) Life magazine was created as the result of the "enthusiastic urging of Clare Booth Luce on her husband."(11) "The Feminine Touch in Telecommunications" briefly reviewed the role of women in wireless telegraphy and concluded by noting that "the advances in the state of communications art have found women working side by side with men to make history."(12) Such history has been quietly criticized as being superficial, melodramatic, and no more than personal anecdotes. However, the studies do provide insight into the often neglected role of women in history and particularly the history of electronic media. As Susan Henry suggested, "New information on women in journalism history has important implications"(13) for history as it provides an "added dimension for...