1740-1875

Women at Penn during the era of the Charity Schools

Benjamin Franklin and Penn's first Trustees took control of the Charity School trust and completed construction of the "New Building" at Fourth and Arch Streets.

The Trustees appointed Frances Holwell the first Mistress of Girls in the Charity School and opened the school to girls. 212 years later, during the University's Homecoming Weekend of October 1965, the Trustees dedicated Holwell House, one of the four houses in the Robert C. Hill Residence Hall, in her honor. Ms. Holwell served the School for seven years, concluding her work in 1760.

The University was chartered by the Revolutionary government of Pennsylvania, but did not admit women.

In September, Mrs. John Heffernan became Mistress of Girls in the Charity School. Mrs. Heffernan served the school for three years, concluding her work in July 1782.

In June, the Trustees' Committee on the Charity Schools of the University reported, "that the new building recently erected on the rear of the lot on the West side of Delaware 4th St. below Arch St. contains three well sized rooms, with a small room attached to each, intended for a clothes' room, and which can be used (tho' not very comfortably at all times) as a class-room for some fifteen scholars. ... There is space in each [large] room for about 75 pupils. The Committee proposes two teachers for each school, a principal and [an] assistant. ... The Girls' school to be a Primary School, similar to the Public Primary Schools in its course of instruction. This course would embrace Spelling & Reading, Mental & Written Arithmetic, Writing and Drawing on Slates, Elementary Geography, Lessons on Common things illustrated as far as practicable by the objects themselves."

In accordance with the Committee's report, the Trustees reorganized the Charity Schools of the University and directed that both a Boys' School and a Girls' Primary School be re-opened, each with a Principal Teacher and an Assistant Teacher.

In September, the Trustees elected Josephine Bedlock to the academic administrator position of Principal Teacher in the Girls' Charity School. Ms. Bedlock had taught for eight years at the South Eastern Grammar School for Boys in Philadelphia and in the last five of those eight she had served as First Assistant. She enjoyed the unqualified recommendations of its principal and directors. She had also received advanced instruction in teaching at Philadelphia's Central High School. Ms. Bedlock made her work at the Charity School her career, serving as Principal Teacher until the School closed in 1877.

Also in September, the Trustees elected Mary Eliza Pancoast to the academic position of Assistant Teacher in the Girls' Charity School. Ms. Pancoast had taught for five years in the Philadelphia public schools, the last two of which at Frankford Grammar School. Like Josephine Bedlock, she had received advanced instruction in teaching at Central High School and enjoyed the unqualified recommendation of John S. Hart, Principal of the High School. Mary Eliza Pancoast served as a teacher in the Charity School until 1853.

Also in September, the Trustees elected Joseph McKinley to the position of Principal Teacher in the Boys' Charity School and elected Margaretta Wallace to the position of Assistant Teacher. Ms. Wallace was serving as Principal of the Christ Church Parish School and had previously taught for four years at the Lombard Street (Public) Grammar School. She enjoyed the unqualified recommendations of the principal and the directors of the Lombard Street School. Ms. Wallace, like Josephine Bedlock, made her work at the Charity School her career, serving as a Teacher until the school closed in 1877.

At the request of the Trustees of the University, the Board of Managers of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania established a Board of Women Visitors, the purpose of which was "to assist the Managers in the administration of the housekeeping and nursing of the Hospital." The first members of the Board of Women Visitors were Anna Blanchard, Mary Todhunter Sill Clark ("Mrs. Clarence H. Clark"), Virginia Earp ("Miss Earp"), Mrs. Ebbs, Mary Klett Gibson ("Mrs. Henry C. Gibson"), Lillie H. Kay, Sarah Longacre Keen ("Mrs. John F. Keen"), Ellen Hansell Page ("Mrs. Joseph Page"), Frances Sergeant Perry Pepper ("Mrs. William Pepper"), Delia Saunders Rogers ("Mrs. Robert Empie Rogers"), Lydia Crane Reyburn ("Mrs. William Stuart Reyburn"), Anna Dike Riddle Scott ("Mrs. Thomas A. Scott"), Ellen Holmes Verner Simpson ("Mrs. Matthew Simpson"), Maria R. Tevis Towne ("Mrs. John Henry Towne"), Anna H. Wilstach ("Mrs. [Wm.] Wilstach"), Annis Lee Furness Wister ("Mrs. Caspar Wister"), and Juliana Wood. In October 1875, the Board of Managers of the Hospital authorized the Board of Women Visitors to adopt by-laws and other rules for their own governance. The Board elected Caroline W. Paul the first President of the Board, Juliana Wood the first Secretary, and Frances Sergeant Perry Pepper the first Treasurer. Through the Board of Women Visitors at the Hospital, women fulfilled the responsibilities of a board of overseers for the first time in Penn's history.

In May, the Trustees elected Hugh Alexander Clarke to the faculty position of Professor of the Science of Music.

In October, the Catalogue of the University announced, for the first time, "Lectures on the Science of Music are delivered twice a week by Professor [Hugh A.] Clarke to such persons, members of the University and others, male and female, as may desire systematic instruction on this subject." It is unfortunate that the University did not register the names of Professor Clarke's students until the Department of Music was established and opened to enrollment at the beginning of the 1877-78 academic year.

1876-1879:

Women's first appearance in Penn classrooms is as Special Students

1880-1900:

Women are first admitted as degree candidates on a limited basis and programs and schools specifically for women first appear

Women emerge in administrative and academic positions as undergraduates begin to create traditions and organizations parallel to those of men

1920-1932:

Women appear on standing faculties and undergraduate women continue to develop their own college life

1933-1950:

The College of Liberal Arts for Women is created

1951-1968:

Men's and women's activities at Penn begin to merge, while a few women faculty members gain tenure and advancement

1969-1974:

As more women are elected Trustees, the University deals with sex discrimination in faculty hiring and promotions

1975 - 1992:

Women students are fully integrated into the University, while women assume key roles throughout the central and academic administration

1993-present:

Women rise to the Presidency

Appendix:

Women Trustees