Florence Johnson began her teaching career as a pupil teacher at the South Preston State School in 1900. An excellent teacher, she was appointed head of Arcadia South State School in 1906. An active unionist she joined the Victorian Lady Teachers' Association in 1908, helped form the Victorian Women Teachers' Association in 1917 and was elected president. When the Lady Teachers' Association merged with the Women Teachers' Association in December of that year, she was elected vice-president.
Her organisational skills were acknowledged when she left her teaching position to become became secretary of the Victorian State Service Federation and campaigned for equal pay for women teachers in addition to improved conditions for members of the Mental Hospital Nurses' Assoication and for female typists and clerks in the public service. In March 1921 she resigned to become Assistant secretary of the Victorian State Teachers' Union and remained in that position until March 1924 when she became paid secretary of the reformed Women Teachers' Assoication.
In 1927 with a colleague she formed the Victorian Federation of Mothers' Clubs. After her unsuccessful attempt to stand for parliament she resumed her teaching career.
She died in Malvern of mitral valve disease in November 1934.

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Johnson, Florence Ethel (1884-1934)', in Australian Dictionary of Biography Online, Australian National University, 2006, http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090488b.htm.