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An 1884 graduate of Morgantown High School, Lillian May Hackney taught public school in Monongalia County for several years before entering WVU in 1889. Following her graduation from the University in 1893, she taught high school for one year in Cleveland, Ohio and then accepted a position as instructor of mathematics at Marshal Normal School in Huntington. Hackney remained at Marshall for 45 years. During the course of her lengthy career, she undertook additional work at Cornell, Columbia, the University of Chicago and the University of Marburg (Germany). She belonged to the AAUW as well as to several state and national mathematics associations.

13. Portrait of Lillian Hackney

IDNO:
037177
Title:
Portrait of Lillian Hackney
Date:
ca.1905
Description:
An 1884 graduate of Morgantown High School, Lillian May Hackney taught public school in Monongalia County for several years before entering WVU in 1889. Following her graduation from the University in 1893, she taught high school for one year in Cleveland, Ohio and then accepted a position as instructor of mathematics at Marshal Normal School in Huntington. Hackney remained at Marshall for 45 years. During the course of her lengthy career, she undertook additional work at Cornell, Columbia, the University of Chicago and the University of Marburg (Germany). She belonged to the AAUW as well as to several state and national mathematics associations.
The daughter of WVU professor Powell Benton Reynolds, Richmond native Mabel Curry Reynolds worked her way through WVU by teaching in the Morgantown public schools. She was active in a wide variety of women's organizations during this course of her life, including the Women's League of West Virginia branch of the General Federation of Women's Clubs during the 1920's. In 1908 Reynolds married attorney Samuel Fuller Glasscock. The couple had no children.

14. Portrait of Mabel Reynolds

IDNO:
037178
Title:
Portrait of Mabel Reynolds
Date:
1896
Description:
The daughter of WVU professor Powell Benton Reynolds, Richmond native Mabel Curry Reynolds worked her way through WVU by teaching in the Morgantown public schools. She was active in a wide variety of women's organizations during this course of her life, including the Women's League of West Virginia branch of the General Federation of Women's Clubs during the 1920's. In 1908 Reynolds married attorney Samuel Fuller Glasscock. The couple had no children.
From Sallie Norris' copy of original playbill. Most likely a photograph of members of the M[odern]. A[thens]. S[ocial]. O[rganization]. Sallie Norris sits at the bottom right; Harriet Lyon stands to the left rear. Community-based social organizations furnished entertainment in an era when fraternities and sororities were banned and there were no athletic teams.

15. Modern Athens Social Organization, Morgantown, W. Va.

IDNO:
037179
Title:
Modern Athens Social Organization, Morgantown, W. Va.
Date:
1891/4/15
Description:
From Sallie Norris' copy of original playbill. Most likely a photograph of members of the M[odern]. A[thens]. S[ocial]. O[rganization]. Sallie Norris sits at the bottom right; Harriet Lyon stands to the left rear. Community-based social organizations furnished entertainment in an era when fraternities and sororities were banned and there were no athletic teams.
E. Eva Hubbard was a graduate of Morgantown Female Seminary (1876). Early widowhood led her to pursue a career in art to support her child and mother. Hubbard taught in private studios and at home in Wheeling, Mountain Lake Park, Maryland and Morgantown, and was occasionally affiliated with the Morgantown public schools before accepting the position as instructor and becoming first head of WVU's new Department of Art in 1897. Her students found positions in the fine arts throughout the state's normal school system and one of them, Blanche Lazzell, became nationally know as a modernist. Lazzell kept in close touch with her mentor throughout her life. Before the 1950's both art and music suffered from being considered service units. During her career Hubbard disputed the subordination of the fine arts in the curriculum. When she unsuccessfully lobbied the Board of Regents in 1912 not to abolish the department, she noted that she had been underwriting the department with fees collected from occasional students, taught courses to engineers and showed considerable success producing fine artists. "The Department has supplied a need and I feel very deeply the wrong of tearing down the work of fifteen years of upbuilding." She reminded the Regents that the General Federation of Women's Clubs would be meeting in Morgantown in October and their help could be recruited in lobbying for continuance of the Department.

16. Portrait of Eva Hubbard

IDNO:
037180
Title:
Portrait of Eva Hubbard
Date:
ca. 1884
Description:
E. Eva Hubbard was a graduate of Morgantown Female Seminary (1876). Early widowhood led her to pursue a career in art to support her child and mother. Hubbard taught in private studios and at home in Wheeling, Mountain Lake Park, Maryland and Morgantown, and was occasionally affiliated with the Morgantown public schools before accepting the position as instructor and becoming first head of WVU's new Department of Art in 1897. Her students found positions in the fine arts throughout the state's normal school system and one of them, Blanche Lazzell, became nationally know as a modernist. Lazzell kept in close touch with her mentor throughout her life. Before the 1950's both art and music suffered from being considered service units. During her career Hubbard disputed the subordination of the fine arts in the curriculum. When she unsuccessfully lobbied the Board of Regents in 1912 not to abolish the department, she noted that she had been underwriting the department with fees collected from occasional students, taught courses to engineers and showed considerable success producing fine artists. "The Department has supplied a need and I feel very deeply the wrong of tearing down the work of fifteen years of upbuilding." She reminded the Regents that the General Federation of Women's Clubs would be meeting in Morgantown in October and their help could be recruited in lobbying for continuance of the Department.
Grace Martin Snee of Kingwood, W. V., taught music at WVU for over five decades. Before joining four other women as WVU's first female faculty, Mrs. Snee studied music at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston. She was very much involved in educating music teachers for public schools and played an important role as adviser to campus women's groups. Mrs. Snee was a founding member of the "RJ's" in 1908 and RJ spring parties were often held at her Cheat Lake cottage in the 1920's.

17. Portrait of Grace Snee

IDNO:
037181
Title:
Portrait of Grace Snee
Description:
Grace Martin Snee of Kingwood, W. V., taught music at WVU for over five decades. Before joining four other women as WVU's first female faculty, Mrs. Snee studied music at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston. She was very much involved in educating music teachers for public schools and played an important role as adviser to campus women's groups. Mrs. Snee was a founding member of the "RJ's" in 1908 and RJ spring parties were often held at her Cheat Lake cottage in the 1920's.
WVU's first female Mountaineer mascot. One of seven children raised on a family farm in Marion County and the second girl in her family to be her high school mascot, Natalie Tennant sees her role as WVU Mountaineer as part of a longstanding family legacy. In her public appearances, she reminder her audiences, "Our grandmothers and Great-grandmothers were Mountaineers way before I was."

18. Portrait of Natalie Tennant

IDNO:
037182
Title:
Portrait of Natalie Tennant
Date:
1990
Description:
WVU's first female Mountaineer mascot. One of seven children raised on a family farm in Marion County and the second girl in her family to be her high school mascot, Natalie Tennant sees her role as WVU Mountaineer as part of a longstanding family legacy. In her public appearances, she reminder her audiences, "Our grandmothers and Great-grandmothers were Mountaineers way before I was."
Twins Anna and Stella White were the first women to earn Bachelor of Science degrees at WVU. Science degrees were especially attractive to women, who often had less secondary-level Latin and Greek languages needed for B.A.s--than their male peers. B.S. students took French or German. The White family moved to Morgantown from Ohio in 1886 They came, as did others, to give children access to higher education. In the 1890's all 6 White siblings (4 sons and the twins) attended WVU.

19. Portrait of Anna White in Cap and Gown

IDNO:
037183
Title:
Portrait of Anna White in Cap and Gown
Date:
1895
Description:
Twins Anna and Stella White were the first women to earn Bachelor of Science degrees at WVU. Science degrees were especially attractive to women, who often had less secondary-level Latin and Greek languages needed for B.A.s--than their male peers. B.S. students took French or German. The White family moved to Morgantown from Ohio in 1886 They came, as did others, to give children access to higher education. In the 1890's all 6 White siblings (4 sons and the twins) attended WVU.
Twins, Anna and Stella White, were the first women to earn Bachelor of Science degrees from WVU. In 1886, the family sold their Ohio farm and moved to Morgantown so their children - 4 sons and two daughters, could attend WVU. Family or one parent relocation with students was not uncommon in and era when mid-western state universities did not routinely erect dormitories.

20. Portrait of Stella White

IDNO:
037184
Title:
Portrait of Stella White
Date:
1895
Description:
Twins, Anna and Stella White, were the first women to earn Bachelor of Science degrees from WVU. In 1886, the family sold their Ohio farm and moved to Morgantown so their children - 4 sons and two daughters, could attend WVU. Family or one parent relocation with students was not uncommon in and era when mid-western state universities did not routinely erect dormitories.
Lucy Wood was the first WVU woman to go to the far East as a missionary teacher,where she died giving birth to her only child, Faith Lawrence. Infant Faith was sent home to Morgantown to be raised by Ruth Wood. Faith graduated from WVU in 1927.

21. Portrait of Lucy Wood

IDNO:
037185
Title:
Portrait of Lucy Wood
Date:
1899
Description:
Lucy Wood was the first WVU woman to go to the far East as a missionary teacher,where she died giving birth to her only child, Faith Lawrence. Infant Faith was sent home to Morgantown to be raised by Ruth Wood. Faith graduated from WVU in 1927.
The Wood sisters, Ruth and Lucy were early WVU students. Ruth entered WVU in 1890 and left after falling ill with typhoid fever. She became the first female stenographer in Morgantown (1895), the first woman to run for political office in Monongalia County, (1926) and the first West Virginia woman to become a certified Realtor.

22. Portrait of Ruth and Lucy Wood

IDNO:
037186
Title:
Portrait of Ruth and Lucy Wood
Date:
ca. 1890
Description:
The Wood sisters, Ruth and Lucy were early WVU students. Ruth entered WVU in 1890 and left after falling ill with typhoid fever. She became the first female stenographer in Morgantown (1895), the first woman to run for political office in Monongalia County, (1926) and the first West Virginia woman to become a certified Realtor.
The Spinster Club in Gym Suits, 1903. From left: Ruth Wood, Sallie Bennett, Willa Brand, Stella Hall, Lucy Wood, Minnie Core, Josie Kunkle. Lucy Wood left a letter which mentioned wearing her gym suit as one of six layers to keep warm in western China.

23. Spinster Club, West Virginia University

IDNO:
037187
Title:
Spinster Club, West Virginia University
Date:
1903
Description:
The Spinster Club in Gym Suits, 1903. From left: Ruth Wood, Sallie Bennett, Willa Brand, Stella Hall, Lucy Wood, Minnie Core, Josie Kunkle. Lucy Wood left a letter which mentioned wearing her gym suit as one of six layers to keep warm in western China.
The Spinster Club at Lucy Wood Lawrence's wedding, February 18, 1908. From left: Bess Brown, Willa Brand, Sallie Bennett, Lucy Wood, Minnie Core, Josie Kunkle, Tillie Bernhardt. The Spinster Club of Morgantown flourished by the first decade of this century. At least two members married. All were Morgantowners who had graduated from high school and several had finished West Virginia University. Most were teachers. The Club met to socialize and visit on Saturday nights, with an occasional male friend or fiance allowed to attend. Members helped Ruth Wood, a pioneer stenographer, Realtor,and political candidate, raise her sister Lucy's daughter after Lucy died in China giving birth to her only child.

24. Spinster Club, West Virginia University

IDNO:
037188
Title:
Spinster Club, West Virginia University
Date:
1908
Description:
The Spinster Club at Lucy Wood Lawrence's wedding, February 18, 1908. From left: Bess Brown, Willa Brand, Sallie Bennett, Lucy Wood, Minnie Core, Josie Kunkle, Tillie Bernhardt. The Spinster Club of Morgantown flourished by the first decade of this century. At least two members married. All were Morgantowners who had graduated from high school and several had finished West Virginia University. Most were teachers. The Club met to socialize and visit on Saturday nights, with an occasional male friend or fiance allowed to attend. Members helped Ruth Wood, a pioneer stenographer, Realtor,and political candidate, raise her sister Lucy's daughter after Lucy died in China giving birth to her only child.