Dickinson Seminary
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Art Class at Dickinson Seminary in 1899 |
Williamsport Dickinson Seminary, now Lycoming College, was founded in 1812. The school began its close association with the Methodist Church in 1848 when the Rev. B.H. Crever secured the school for the Methodists. It is said that he traveled from Milton, Pennsylvania, part of the way on foot, to negotiate the sale. At this time the Methodist Church was becoming interested in developing educational institutions which matched Crever’s previous experience taking charge of a private school in Virginia.
The school has been known as Williamsport Academy, Williamsport Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport Dickinson Junior College, and now Lycoming College. The Seminary was referred to as the “School on the Hill.”
The Seminary had accepted women since the 1830’s and the strong music and art curricula attracted many female students. Although more women attended than received degrees, they were among a small number nationally to continue their education beyond high school. Many of the women who enrolled were from Williamsport and the women who boarded at the school were often from central Pennsylvania. During the presidency of Dr. Edward J. Gray (1874-1905), the Seminary increased curricular offerings, expanded the physical plant, and provided many opportunities for both men and women to become involved in extracurricular activities such as literary societies, performances, debates, and social gatherings. The school publications attest to the fact that the female students played a significant role in campus life. This paralleled a time in our nation’s history when women’s rights, access to education, and their place in society were becoming major topics of consideration.
For photographs, school newspapers, catalogs and yearbooks, see the Lycoming College Archives.
For more about female students at Dickinson Seminary, see, “The school on the hill: 19th century education for women in Williamsport,” by Janet McNeil Hurlbert, published in the Williamsport Sun Gazette on January 12, 2014.
For a complete history of the institution, consult Lycoming College 1812-2012: On the Frontiers of American Education, by Dr. John F. Piper, Jr.
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