An American Girl, and Her Four Years in a Boys' CollegeIn 1870, the University of Michigan-one of the oldest, largest, and most prestigious public universities in the United States-admitted its first woman student. An American Girl, and Her Four Years in a Boys' College, written by one of the first woman graduates from the University of Michigan and published pseudonymously in 1878, describes what it was like to be a member of this tiny group of brave coeds. The story is told through the eyes of Wilhelmine Elliot, an untraditional girl who enrolls at the fictional University of Ortonville, a thinly disguised stand-in for the University of Michigan. Will's challenges mirror those of other women college students of the era, including the reactions of male faculty and students, relationships with other women students and with family and friends back home, and social attitudes toward the women's movement and liberal religious values. The editors' engaging introduction places the novel in its relevant historical and literary contexts, as do helpful annotations throughout the text. "The 1870s were an important moment of debate over women's roles and responsibilities. What's here is very interesting not only about higher education, and 'strong-minded women,' but about religion, domesticity, independence, marriage, and homosocial bonding." --Carol Lasser, Oberlin College Olive San Louie Anderson (ca. 1852-86) graduated from the University of Michigan in 1875 and published An American Girl in 1878 under the name SOLA. Elisabeth Israels Perry is John Francis Bannon Professor of History, Saint Louis University. Jennifer Ann Price is a Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at Saint Louis University. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
IThe Bending of the Twig | 41 |
IIHow the Majority Impressed the Minority | 55 |
IIIFreshman Experiences | 70 |
IVSophomoric and Other Opinions on Some Important Social Topics | 86 |
VChoice of a Career ΙΟΙ | 101 |
VIOrtonville versus Vassar | 110 |
VIIA Call from the Minister | 121 |
VIIIHeavy and Light Shading | 135 |
IXA Possible Result of CoEducation | 150 |
XAnother Phase of the Story | 168 |
XIEnd of the Preparation Beginning of the Career | 180 |
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS | 195 |
NOTES | 197 |
Other editions - View all
An American Girl and her Four Years in a Boys' College Olive San Louie Anderson Limited preview - 2023 |
An American Girl and her Four Years in a Boys' College Olive San Louie Anderson Limited preview - 2023 |
Common terms and phrases
Adam Conway admission of women Alexander Winchell Alice Freeman Palmer Allison American Girl Ann Arbor asked believe Bentley Historical Library better Bible Bordin boys called Catechism century Charlie Christian Chronicle review church Clara Clarke Clarke's coeducation corsets course Dangerous Experiment daughter dear Detroit Observatory dress eyes face faculty feel felt female freshman friends Greek hair Hally head heart James Burrill Angell live look Marston Papers Mary Olive Mary Olive Marston McGuigan Miss Elliott mother Nellie Holmes never nineteenth-century Olive San Louie Ortonville Prof professor Randolf religion religious San Louie Anderson Sarah Dix Hamlin sentimental novel skating sophomore stood talk things thought took University of Michigan University of Ortonville University Press university's Westminster Catechism Will's woman Women at Michigan women students words wrote young lady
References to this book
Alice Freeman Palmer: The Evolution of a New Woman Ruth Birgitta Anderson Bordin Limited preview - 1993 |