Washington Female Seminary
Encyclopedia
The Washington Female Seminary was a Presbyterian seminary for women operating from 1836 to 1948 in Washington, Pennsylvania
.
The movement to create an institution to teach women began in 1835 and the Seminary opened 1 year later in 1836. The two founders were abolitionist F. Julius LeMoyne and Alexander Reed.
It was formally chartered by the legislature in 1839.
The first principal was Mrs. Francis Biddle of Philadelphia, who left in 1840. Sarah B. Hanna (a student of Emma Willard
) was Principal from 1840-1874. Miss Nancy Sherrard followed as Principal.
By 1886, attendance hovered around 100 to 150 students. During the 19th century, it was "one of the best known and most noted institutions of its kind in the state." The curriculum included both a preparatory course, which generally gained admission to the finest women's colleges, and a regular course, with studies in music, art, and elocution
. It was one of the few schools that taught The Bible from a literary
point of view.
Rebecca Harding Davis
, who graduated in 1848, is its most famous graduate.
John Leighton Stewart
served as a trustee.
After the Seminary closed, its building was purchased by Washington & Jefferson College
and re-named McIlvaine Hall.
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
.
The movement to create an institution to teach women began in 1835 and the Seminary opened 1 year later in 1836. The two founders were abolitionist F. Julius LeMoyne and Alexander Reed.
It was formally chartered by the legislature in 1839.
The first principal was Mrs. Francis Biddle of Philadelphia, who left in 1840. Sarah B. Hanna (a student of Emma Willard
Emma Willard
Emma Hart Willard was an American women’s rights activist who dedicated her life to education. She worked in several schools and founded the first school for women’s higher education, the Troy Female Seminary in Troy, New York...
) was Principal from 1840-1874. Miss Nancy Sherrard followed as Principal.
By 1886, attendance hovered around 100 to 150 students. During the 19th century, it was "one of the best known and most noted institutions of its kind in the state." The curriculum included both a preparatory course, which generally gained admission to the finest women's colleges, and a regular course, with studies in music, art, and elocution
Elocution
Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone.-History:In Western classical rhetoric, elocution was one of the five core disciplines of pronunciation, which was the art of delivering speeches. Orators were trained not only on proper diction, but on the proper...
. It was one of the few schools that taught The Bible from a literary
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
point of view.
Rebecca Harding Davis
Rebecca Harding Davis
Rebecca Blaine Harding Davis was an American author and journalist. She is deemed a pioneer of literary realism in American literature. She graduated valedictorian from Washington Female Seminary in Pennsylvania...
, who graduated in 1848, is its most famous graduate.
John Leighton Stewart
John Leighton Stewart
John Leighton Stewart was a prominent American businessman and newspaper publisher of the Washington Observer and Washington Reporter newspapers in Washington, Pennsylvania....
served as a trustee.
After the Seminary closed, its building was purchased by Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
and re-named McIlvaine Hall.