Barleywood Female University
Encyclopedia
Barleywood Female University was a short-lived women's college
in Rochester
, New York
. It is notable for having been one of the first institutions of higher learning for women in the state and for its connection to the University of Rochester
.
, local leaders decided a women's college was also necessary. In 1851, railroad investor Azariah Boody and anthropologist Lewis H. Morgan collaborated to found Barleywood Female University, also informally known as Rochester Female College.
Local donors pledged $15,000 USD to open Barleywood and land for the campus
was donated by Boody. With Boody as president and Morgan serving on the Board of Trustees, Barleywood opened in 1852 and quickly gained the support of many within the University of Rochester community, including several faculty members
who chose to teach at the institution. A brochure
circulated by Boody to promote the college stated:
After a successful early start, however, Barleywood was quickly met with financial problems. The college sank into debt
and was closed in 1853, with Boody donating the college's land to the University of Rochester.
Subsequent attempts to revive the university or start another women's college in Rochester failed, and it was not until 1898 that the University of Rochester became fully coeducation
al, a development that took place largely thanks to lobbying
from local women's rights
activist Susan B. Anthony
.
Women's college
Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is notable for having been one of the first institutions of higher learning for women in the state and for its connection to the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
.
History
Following the 1850 establishment of the University of Rochester, then a men's collegeMen's college
Men's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions whose students are exclusively men. Many are liberal arts colleges.-United States:...
, local leaders decided a women's college was also necessary. In 1851, railroad investor Azariah Boody and anthropologist Lewis H. Morgan collaborated to found Barleywood Female University, also informally known as Rochester Female College.
Local donors pledged $15,000 USD to open Barleywood and land for the campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
was donated by Boody. With Boody as president and Morgan serving on the Board of Trustees, Barleywood opened in 1852 and quickly gained the support of many within the University of Rochester community, including several faculty members
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who chose to teach at the institution. A brochure
Brochure
A brochure is a type of leaflet. Brochures are most commonly found at places that tourists frequently visit, such as museums, major shops, and tourist information. Brochure racks or stands may suggest visits to amusement parks and other points of interest...
circulated by Boody to promote the college stated:
There is no good reason why female education should not be as thorough, as systematic, and also as cheap as it is in our collegesMen's collegeMen's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions whose students are exclusively men. Many are liberal arts colleges.-United States:...
; or why female seminaries should not bear with them a favorable comparison. The only way to build up such institutions, and to make them instruments of widespread usefulness is to secure to them large, liberal, and permanent endowmentFinancial endowmentA financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
s.
After a successful early start, however, Barleywood was quickly met with financial problems. The college sank into debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
and was closed in 1853, with Boody donating the college's land to the University of Rochester.
Subsequent attempts to revive the university or start another women's college in Rochester failed, and it was not until 1898 that the University of Rochester became fully coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, a development that took place largely thanks to lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
from local women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
activist Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
.