In the early 20th century, Gertrude Battles Lane established herself as a well-respected editor in the magazine publishing industry. Born in 1874, she graduated from Thornton at age 16. In Boston, she was assistant editor at the American Biographical Dictionary Co. and a writer for the Boston Beacon. She then joined the staff of the Woman's Home Companion, assuming the position of editor-in-chief in 1912. Under her leadership, the Companion grew from the nation's fourth-largest woman's magazine to its largest, with a circulation of 3 million in 1938. During World War I, she served on Herbert Hoover's Food Administration. In 1929, Lane became vice president of the $25 million Crowell Publishing Co. the only woman on the executive staff. She retained her Saco ties, frequently visiting family or attending Thornton reunions. Lane died in 1941 and is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

See a list of past recipients