Kentucky College for Women

Title

Kentucky College for Women

Date

1865-1926

Description

This collection contains materials pertaining to the Kentucky College for Women (KCW). KCW can trace its origins back to 1854 when the state legislature granted a charter to "earnest Christian men who desired for the young women, not only of this community, but of the state at large, educational advantages similar to those afforded young men in the historic Centre College." The school was to be known as Henderson Female Institute. A board of trustees was elected and efforts began to raise funds for the new institution and select a site. In 1859, the college began erecting a four story brick building, and in the same year selected Professor A.E. Sloane as its president. The school opened in September, 1860, under a new name - Caldwell Female Institute - and with high hopes for a rapid expansion.

The Civil War delivered a harsh blow to the young institution as the school struggled to attract students and remain solvent. Sloane resigned in 1864, and Professor Augustine Hart assumed the presidency for one year. Rev. L.G. Barbour succeeded Hart in 1865 and brought the school into new-found prominence. Barbour resigned in 1874. Later that year the school came under the control of the Second Presbyterian Church. In 1876, the institution underwent another name change, and would now be known as Caldwell Female College.

Catastrophe struck in April 1876 (during the presidency of Professor Hussey), when Caldwell's building and most of its components were destroyed by fire. The insurance money from the fire gave the trustees some hope of reopening the school, but the school remained closed until 1880 when Caldwell purchased the property of the Danville Classical and Military Institute (current site of Danville High School). Finally, in September 1881, Caldwell reopened with Rev. John Montgomery as president. In 1885, Caldwell consolidated with another local girls' school, Bell Seminary, retaining the name of Caldwell Female College. The name was shortened to Caldwell College as early as 1887.

Charlotte A. Campbell took over as president in 1886, and served until 1897, when she was succeeded by Dr. John C. Ely. Ely served until 1902, to be succeeded by John C. Acheson - the only Caldwell president to serve two terms. During Acheson's first term, the school grew and a major building program was instituted which resulted in the construction of the gymnasium, Morgan Hall, and East Hall. In addition, the curriculum was expanded beyond elementary and college preparatory work to include fully accredited Junior College work.

In 1913, the charter was amended and the school became Kentucky College for Women. During the same year Princeton Collegiate Institute of Princeton, Kentucky consolidated with KCW in Danville. When Acheson resigned in 1914, Mrs. Richer served a very brief term and M. Marshall Allen assumed the presidency in 1915.

By 1922 KCW offered four years of standard college work leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Acheson returned to the presidency in 1922, and the college seemed to be prospering as never before. Still, funding problems remained, and Acheson resigned in 1925. Paul B. Boyd was named president in 1925, but KCW's days as an independent institution were numbered.

In 1926, the school opened as a department of Centre College, and formally consolidated with Centre in 1930. The Women's Campus was vacated in January 1962 when the two campuses consolidated and the women students took up residence in new dormitories on the Centre campus.

Language

English

Rights

Materials before 1923 are in the public domain. All rights reserved for those materials published from 1923 on.

Collection Items

Archery students
Group of four Kentucky College for Women archery students; identified on back of photograph as (l-r) Margaret Hamlett, unidentified, Dorothy Lancaster, Nancy Campbell.

Bell Seminary alumni
Undated photograph of a group of Bell Seminary alumni. Identified on back as (1st row, l-r) Sadie Cook Parry, [?] Duke Lanton; Clara Lee McGrorty Bryce, [?] Salton Chestnut; (2nd row, l-r) [?] McDowell, Sophie Bright Logan, Josie Smith Robertson,…

Caldwell College basketball team, 1907
Photograph of the Caldwell College Wahpanoochis intramural basketball team from 1907. Members identified as (l-r) Grace Dyer, Mary Ashby Cheek, Lucie Waller (capt.), Mary Brown, Bessie Goss.

Caldwell College campus
View of the Caldwell College campus circa 1900, showing the main building (West Hall) and the smaller chapel.

Caldwell College campus
View of the Caldwell College campus, circa 1910, showing the main building (West Hall) and the smaller chapel.

Caldwell College Class of 1898
Studio portrait of the Caldwell College graduating class of 1898. Members identified as (l-r) Eva Jones, Margaret Sallie, Willie Sallie, Marie Spears.

Caldwell College Class of 1899
Studio portrait of the Caldwell College graduating class of 1899. Identified as (top) Pattie Nichols, Minnie Ingram, Alice Van Meter, Effie Thurmond, Edith Fuller, Fleecie Bosley, Mary Hackley; (middle) Agnes Nichols, Sara Cecil, Miss Ledyard, Bessie…

Caldwell College Class of 1905
Portrait of the Caldwell College graduating class of 1905.

Caldwell College students
Photograph of three Caldwell College students identified as (l-r) Louise Bohon, Emily Letcher, and Josie Mae MacGoodwin. Photograph dates circa 1900.

Caldwell College students
Group of four Kentucky College for Women students identified as (l-r) Martha A. Butt, Katherine Letcher, Frances Allen, and Jane Letcher. Photograph dates circa 1912.

Caldwell College students
Group of six unidentified Caldwell College students.

Dancers, 1930
Posed outdoor photograph of a group of Kentucky College for Women dancers. Photograph dates circa 1930.

Drama production, 1912
Outdoor photograph of the cast in costume for the 1912 Caldwell College production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The photograph is labeled "The whole cast of 'A Mid Summer Nights Dream' - given June 1st, 1912"

Drama production, 1915
Outdoor photograph of the cast in costume of an unidentified Kentucky College for Women drama production. Dates from circa 1915.

East Hall community room
View of four students sitting in the community room in East Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1925.

East Hall sun room
East Hall's sun room on the Kentucky College for Women campus, circa 1920.

Gym class
Photograph of an unidentified group of Kentucky College for Women students posing in a gym class.

KCW dining room
View of the dining room located in East Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920.

KCW dining room
View of the dining room located in East Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920.

KCW dormitory room
View of a dorm room in East Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Back of photograph is labeled "Suite shared by two students in East Hall". Photograph dates circa 1920.

KCW gymnasium
Exterior view of the gymnasium on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920

KCW gymnasium construction
View of the Kentucky College for Women gymnasium during construction. Photograph dates from 1911.

KCW library
View of the library located in Morgan Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920.

KCW library
View of the library located in Morgan Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920.

KCW library
View of the library located in Morgan Hall on the Kentucky College for Women campus. Photograph dates circa 1920.
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