[PAGE iv]
TO
"The memory of Thy great goodness."
Ps. cxlv. 7.
[PAGE v]
PREFACE.
PROTESTANT education grounded in reverence for the Bible and faith
in its teachings is an outgrowth of the Reformation. In the idea
that "all men are created equal" it brought to New England civil and religious
liberty, and a form of government which is safe and prosperous only in
the hands of a people of intelligence and moral principle. That children
and youth may be trained for good citizenship, there must be facilities
for the education of women as well as colleges and higher schools for men.
A sense of this need led to the founding of Mount Holyoke Seminary, and
its origin may thus be traced back to the Reformation. Embodying
the idea of a liberal and Christian education for women, on a permanent
basis, it rose as a monument for the past, and a promise for the future.
From this point of view the history of the two centuries before it was
founded is yet to be written; for while we have modern histories, political,
philosophical, and educational, we still lack one that duly takes into
view the education of woman. Chapter I. of this volume may furnish
toward it a few hints gathered chiefly from town histories and educational
journals; but a full history can be written only after the things to be
described in it shall have secured recognition.
Readers desiring fuller accounts of Miss Lyon and her colaborers
are referred to the following works, from which material has been freely
drawn: The Life and Labors of Mary Lyon; Hopkins, Bridgman & Co., Northampton:
The Life of Mary Lyon; an abridgment of the former, with additions; American
Tract Society, 150 Nassau street, New York: Recollections of Mary Lyon,
by Fidelia Fiske; American Tract Society. Boston:
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Daniel Safford; Congregational Publishing Society, Boston: Memorial
Volume of Mount Holyoke Seminary, published in 1862: Life of Edward Norris
Kirk, D. D.; Lockwood, Brooks & Co., Boston: Faith Working by Love,
- Life of Fidelia Fiske; Congregational Sabbath School and Publishing Society,
Boston: The Use of a Life, - Memorials of Mrs. Z.P. Grant Banister; American
Tract Society, 150 Nassau street, New York.
New matter has been added from Miss Lyon's correspondence and from
other papers in the archives of the seminary.
As Mrs. Pease, secretary of the Memorandum Society, is collecting
materials for a biographical record of Holyoke alumnae, less space is given
to individuals in these pages.
Chapters XIV., XV., XVI., and XVII. were taken by Miss Mary O. Nutting,
of the class of '52.
Grateful acknowledgments are due to Rev. J. M. Greene, D. D., for
the use of his memorial sketch of the life of Rev. Roswell Hawks;
to the hundreds of alumnae who responded so cordially to the request for
reminiscences or testimony; to present and former principals and
teachers who have kindly aided in the work of preparation; to Rev. T. Laurie
, D. D., and to Rev. Wm. S. Tyler, D. D., LL. D., for their valuable
suggestions and careful revision; to the trustees, for their constant
and cordial co-operation through their executive and library committees;
and to all whose help has made it possible to issue the volume in
season for the jubilee.
SOUTH HADLEY, April, 1887.
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