Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt
Encyclopedia
Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt (1858–1929) was the first graduate of the University of Washington
and the first woman superintendent
of the Pierce County
School District.
. She was born to Jonathan Warren and Ruth Jane Kincaid McCarty. Jonathan and Ruth were two of the original settlers of the town of Sumner, Washington
. They were married on January 7, 1855 in the Sumner area. Clara was the second of five children: Charles C., Laura Candace, Mary Estelle, William W., and Frank Truman. In the years following their marriage, Jonathan and Ruth, along with Ruth’s family moved to Fort Steilacoom
when Sumner was threatened by Indians
. While in Fort Steilacoom
, Ruth had Clara in 1858. In 1859, Clara’s family went back to their settlement to find it completely destroyed by the Indians
. They started a new farm, and Clara’s father worked as mailman servicing Seattle and other places around the area, as well as keeping up the farm. When Clara reached her preteens, she and her family moved to Seattle so that she and her siblings could receive a better education there. Here, Clara’s father was a storekeeper.
in Pierce County.
, now known as the University of Washington
. She was the first person to successfully graduate from the University, let alone the first woman graduate. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree
in science. At the time, the Territorial University
was located in what is now downtown Seattle, wedged between 4th and 6th Avenues on the west and east and Union and Seneca Streets on the north and south. In 1861, the first University building had four floors, and thirty-five rooms. Tuition was thirty dollars per year when Clara attended the University. After graduating from the University, Clara taught in various schools, and then she attended the University of California
. In her honor, McCarty Hall, a dormitory
on the current UW campus is named after her.
of Pierce County
Schools. With this achievement, she was the first Superintendent of Pierce County
Schools, as well as being the first woman to hold office in the Washington Territory
.
secretary and also working actively in her church and historical society. She died in 1929, at 71 years of age.
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and the first woman superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
School District.
Early life
McCarty was born in 1858 in Steilacoom, WashingtonSteilacoom, Washington
Steilacoom is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2010 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right...
. She was born to Jonathan Warren and Ruth Jane Kincaid McCarty. Jonathan and Ruth were two of the original settlers of the town of Sumner, Washington
Sumner, Washington
Sumner is a city in northern Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 9,451 at the 2010 census. Nearby cities include Puyallup to the west, Auburn to the north, and Enumclaw to the east.-History:...
. They were married on January 7, 1855 in the Sumner area. Clara was the second of five children: Charles C., Laura Candace, Mary Estelle, William W., and Frank Truman. In the years following their marriage, Jonathan and Ruth, along with Ruth’s family moved to Fort Steilacoom
Fort Steilacoom
For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom ParkFort Steilacoom was founded by the U.S. Army in 1849 near Lake Steilacoom. It was among the first military fortifications built by the U.S. north of the Columbia River in what was to become Washington...
when Sumner was threatened by Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. While in Fort Steilacoom
Fort Steilacoom
For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom ParkFort Steilacoom was founded by the U.S. Army in 1849 near Lake Steilacoom. It was among the first military fortifications built by the U.S. north of the Columbia River in what was to become Washington...
, Ruth had Clara in 1858. In 1859, Clara’s family went back to their settlement to find it completely destroyed by the Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. They started a new farm, and Clara’s father worked as mailman servicing Seattle and other places around the area, as well as keeping up the farm. When Clara reached her preteens, she and her family moved to Seattle so that she and her siblings could receive a better education there. Here, Clara’s father was a storekeeper.
Family
Clara married John Henry Wilt (1852–1907) in 1882. Together, they had one child, Clara May Wilt.Accomplishments
Clara was a woman of many firsts. She is even recognized for purchasing the first typewriterTypewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
in Pierce County.
University of Washington Graduate
In 1876, Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt graduated from the Territorial UniversityUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, now known as the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. She was the first person to successfully graduate from the University, let alone the first woman graduate. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in science. At the time, the Territorial University
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
was located in what is now downtown Seattle, wedged between 4th and 6th Avenues on the west and east and Union and Seneca Streets on the north and south. In 1861, the first University building had four floors, and thirty-five rooms. Tuition was thirty dollars per year when Clara attended the University. After graduating from the University, Clara taught in various schools, and then she attended the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. In her honor, McCarty Hall, a dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
on the current UW campus is named after her.
Superintendent of Pierce County Schools
On November 2, 1880, Clara was elected SuperintendentSuperintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
Schools. With this achievement, she was the first Superintendent of Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
Schools, as well as being the first woman to hold office in the Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
.
Later Years and Death
In her later years, Clara worked a lot in her community, including working as a YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
secretary and also working actively in her church and historical society. She died in 1929, at 71 years of age.
Sources
- "Descendants of Joseph Kincaid." Genealogy.Com. 2007. The Generations Network. 11 June 2008
- "Historic Timeline." Town of Steilacoom. 11 June 2008
- "History of Sumner, WA." 2006. City of Sumner. 11 June 2008
- "History." Welcome to the University of Washington. University of Washington. 11 June 2008
- Krohn, Thirza. "Faculty and Students in the Early Years At the U." University of Washington: a Pictorial History. 20 Nov. 2007. University of Washington. 11 June 2008
- Krohn, Thirza. "Territorial University." University of Washington: a Pictorial History. 20 Nov. 2007. University of Washington. 11 June 2008
- Kueter, Vince. "Seattle Through the Years." The Seattle Times 13 Nov. 2001. 11 June 2008
- Lange, Greg. "University of Washington Graduates First Person, a Woman, in July 1876." HistoryLink.Org. 5 Nov. 1998. History Ink. 11 June 2008
- Long, Priscilla. "Clara McCarty is Elected Superintendent of Pierce County Schools on November 2, 1880." HistoryLink.Org. 17 Jan. 2003. History Ink. 11 June 2008
- "Origins." Town of Steilacoom. 11 June 2008
- "Our History." Town of Steilacoom. 11 June 2008
- "Place Names." Town of Steilacoom. 11 June 2008
- Ryan, Amy M. The Sumner Story. Sumner, WA: Sumner Historical Society, 1988.