Mary Mason Lyon Blazed the Trail for Women’s Colleges in the US By Elizabeth Fortin

Lyon’s Early Life Born on February 28, 1797 in Buckland, MA Attended school until she was 13 years old Received her first teaching job at the age of 17, but realized she needed more education herself Left teaching and again picked- up her studies at the Sanderson Academy in Ashfield, MA Pursued and excelled in Chemistry, a male dominated discipline photo on previous slide:

Pioneering Female Education Taught and managed schools in New Hampshire and Massachusetts Worked at the Ipswich Female Seminary in Ipswich, MA Lyon tried to create an environment offering women the opportunity for higher education Eventually Lyon raised enough funds, despite financial crisis, to open her own, new school female-seminary.html

Mount Holyoke Female Seminary In 1836 Lyon chartered the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, MA The following year the doors opened to the first class of 80 women Lyon made it her mission to challenge her students more than other women’s schools at the time

Why Mount Holyoke Was Different Lyon instituted two major innovations in women’s education: – Strict academic entrance requirements – A rigorous curriculum free from domestic practices This became the model for future women’s colleges like Wellesley and Smith

Why Mount Holyoke Was Different “[The seminary] …is to be principally devoted to the preparing of female teachers. At the same time, it will qualify ladies for other spheres of usefulness. The design is to give a solid, extensive, and well- balanced English education, connected with that general improvement, that moral culture, and those enlarged views of duty, which will prepare ladies to be educators of children and youth, rather than to fit them to be mere teachers, as the term has been technically applied.” –The Board of Trustees

Why Mount Holyoke Was Different Most women’s schools at the time were established upon a small pool of wealthy donors Lyon traveled New England soliciting donations from women she was acquainted with Mount Holyoke was established as the first women’s institution whose endowment was “public”

Lyon’s Belief System Lyon wove her beliefs into the teaching of Mount Holyoke She drew from, and combined, two popular ideologies at the time: – Disinterested Benevolence – Republican Motherhood

Lyon’s Belief System Disinterested Benevolence – Theological ethic of Samuel Hopkins – Belief that self-love is the root of all sin – Self-love is fought by seeking to serve and love others in the community Republican Motherhood – The belief that patriots’ daughters need to uphold the beliefs of Republicanism – Women have civic duties to attend to as mothers – Encouraged the education of women “She promoted women’s education as the means by which women might best fulfill their maternal responsibilities to the nation…” (Porterfield, 11).

Conclusions Lyon rationalized women’s education in the community using politics and religion She created an intellectual space for women of many different backgrounds, especially financial She provided a holistic education to women who would go on to be leaders and educators throughout the country Her legacy is seen today in connection to all women’s colleges, including Barnard

"Go where no one else will go, do what no one else will do" -Mary Mason Lyon

Bibliography Crenshaw, James L. Defending God: Biblical Responses to the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Oxford UP, Print. "General View of the Principles and Design of the Mount Holyoke." Hathi Trust Digital Library. Harvard University, n.d. Web. 10 Feb "The Original Seminary Building." Mount Holyoke College. Mount Holyoke College, n.d. Web. 12 Feb Porterfield, Amanda. Mary Lyon and the Mount Holyoke Missionaries. New York: Oxford UP, Print. Post, Stephen. "Disinterested Benevolence: An American Debate Over the Nature of Christian Love." JSTOR. JSTOR, Fall Web. 10 Feb