Education
Mr. Batson sent Florieda to live with relatives in Alabama and New York, and she attended Rosemary Hall Academy (later Choate Rosemary Hall) in Connecticut.
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Florieda Batson
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Mistress Batson died when Florieda was 3, and Florieda"s two older brothers died in accidents. At Rosemary, Batson learned hurdling as well as playing field hockey and basketball. She quickly became the leading American short-distance female hurdler.
Batson was undefeated between 1919 and 1921 and set United States. records in the 60-yard high hurdles (90 seconds) and the 100-yard low hurdles (144 seconds).
After graduating from Rosemary, Batson enrolled at Smith College. In 1922, she was invited to join the team of 13 United States. women attending the 1922 Women"s Olympics, an event organized by French women"s athletics pioneer Alice Milliat.
The team, mostly consisting of East Coast prep school and college students like Batson, chose her as captain. At the Paris games, Batson sprained her left ankle when she hit a hurdle during the team"s first practice.
