Wikipedia

Wilson College (Pennsylvania): Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Tagging pages with bare URLs for citation, prior to follow up with tools (via WP:JWB)
m Added template
 
(21 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{short description|Private liberal arts college in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.}}
{{for-multi|the college in India|Wilson College, Mumbai}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Wilson College
| former_names = Wilson Female College (1869–1920)
| image = Wilson College Logo.png
| motto = {{midsize|ARS, SCIENTIA, ET RELIGIO}} <br /> (Arts, Sciences and Religion)
| established = {{start date and age|1869|3|24}}
| type = [[Private college]]
| religious_affiliation = [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]]
Line 44 ⟶ 47:
}} }}
 
'''Wilson College''' is a [[Private college|private]], [[Presbyterian Church (USA)|Presbyterian]]-related college in [[Chambersburg, Pennsylvania]]. Founded in 1869 by two [[Presbyterian]] ministers, it was named for its first major donor, Sarah Wilson of nearby [[St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania]], who gave $30,000 toward the purchase of the land and home of [[Alexander McClure]].
 
For 144 years, Wilson operated as a [[Women's colleges in the United States|women's college]]. In 2013 the college's board of trustees voted to make the college coeducational beginning in the 2013–2014 academic year, with male residential students beginning in fall 2014.
Line 50 ⟶ 53:
==History==
===1869–1900===
The college was founded as the '''Wilson Female College''' by the Rev. Tryon Edwards and the Rev. James W. Wightman,<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CXLHze2XsPQC&q=Tryon+Edwards+wightman+founded&pg=PT37 | title=Changing Course: Reinventing Colleges, Avoiding Closure: New Directions for Higher Education, Number 156| isbn=978-1-118-27536-8| last1=Brown| first1=Alice W.| last2=Ballard| first2=Sandra L.| date=15 December 2011| publisher=John Wiley & Sons}}</ref> pastors of Presbyterian churches in nearby [[Hagerstown, Maryland]], and [[Greencastle, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t0ZFAQAAMAAJ&q=Tryon+Edwards+wightman+hagerstown&pg=PA78 |title = Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania: Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers, and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens|year = 1978}}</ref> The original charter was granted by the Pennsylvania Legislature on March 24, 1869.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x63tAAAAMAAJ&q=wilson+college+March+24,+1869 |title = The Centennial Memorial of the Presbytery of Carlisle: A Series of Papers, Historical and Biographical, Relating to the Origin and Growth of Presbyterianism in the Central and Eastern Part of Southern Pennsylvania|year = 1889}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZIkAQAAIAAJ&q=wilson+college+March+24,+1869&pg=PA230 | title=The Church at Home and Abroad| year=1890}}</ref> FirstThe named Wilson Female College, itcollege took its present name, '''Wilson College''', in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rvY9AAAAYAAJ&q=%22wilson+college%22++women+first&pg=PA11|title=Significant Dates in the Early History of Institutions for the Higher Education of Women in the United States|first=Elizabeth Nelson|last=Layton|date=March 26, 1948|publisher=Federal Security Agency, Office of Education, Division of Higher Education|via=Google Books}}</ref> Wilson was one of the first colleges in the U.S. to accept only female students. Its 1870 promotional materials stated that the college was a place for women "to be leaders, not followers, in society".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VGOqCQAAQBAJ&q=%22wilson+college%22++first+women;s&pg=PA567|title=Gender and Women's Leadership: A Reference Handbook|first=Karen|last=O'Connor|date=August 18, 2010|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-1-4833-0541-7|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X8GfDYyvpZ4C&q=%22wilson+college%22++leaders+not+followers+1870&pg=SL1-PA4736|title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress|first=United States|last=Congress|date=March 26, 1949|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|via=Google Books}}</ref> Instruction began in 1870, with the first academic degree awarded in 1874.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qvnnCQAAQBAJ&q=%22wilson+college%22++women+first&pg=PA1183|title=American Universities and Colleges, 19th Edition [2 Volumes]: Nineteenth Edition|date=April 16, 2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-36608-6|via=Google Books}}</ref>
 
The college was modeled after the [[VassarSeven CollegeSisters (colleges)|Seven Sisters]] colleges.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2exBAAAAIAAJ&q=wilson+college+modeled+vassar&pg=PA268|title=Presbyterians, a Popular Narrative of Their Origin, Progress, Doctrines, and Achievements|first=George Price|last=Hays|date=March 26, 1892|publisher=J. A. Hill & Company|via=Google Books}}</ref> It was named for Sarah Wilson (1795–1871),<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uoJsfP_xMewC&q=wilson+college+Sarah+Wilson+donation |title = Guide to the State Historical Markers of Pennsylvania|isbn = 978-0-89271-040-9|last1 = Beyer|first1 = George R.|year = 1991| publisher=Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission }}</ref> whose donations were used to purchase the campus land.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B6sAAAAAYAAJ&q=wilson+college+Sarah+Wilson+donation&pg=PA466 | title=A History of Education in Pennsylvania, Private and Public, Elementary and Higher: From the Time the Swedes Settled on the Delaware to the Present Day| last1=Wickersham| first1=James Pyle| year=1886}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-c9KAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Sarah+Wilson%22+two+donations+college | title=Legislative Record| year=1969| last1=General Assembly| first1=Pennsylvania}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=we2KvdT3zOsC&q=%22wilson+college%22++women+first&pg=PA917|title=Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America|first1=Rosemary Skinner|last1=Keller|first2=Rosemary Radford|last2=Ruether|first3=Marie|last3=Cantlon|date=March 26, 2006|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-34685-8|via=Google Books}}</ref>
 
===1900–2000===
[[Anna Jane McKeag]] was inaugurated as Wilson's first woman president in 1911,;<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/05/19/archives/dr-anna-j-mckeag-inaugurated-as-the-new-president-of-wilson-college.html |title = Dr. Anna J. McKeag Inaugurated as the New President of Wilson College -- Representatives of Many Universities Attend the Ceremony|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 19 May 1912}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/04/28/archives/first-woman-president-miss-anna-jane-mckeag-now-at-the-head-of.html | title=FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT.; Miss Anna Jane McKeag Now at the Head of Wilson College| newspaper=The New York Times| date=28 April 1912}}</ref> and served until 1915 when she was succeeded in 1915 by [[Ethelbert Dudley Warfield]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KfVXAAAAYAAJ&q=Ethelbert+Dudley+Warfield.++1915+wilson|title=Intellect|date=March 26, 1933|via=Google Books}}</ref>
 
In 1967 the Wilson College sailing team won the first [[ICSA Women's Dinghy National Championship|Intercollegiate Sailing Association national championship held in a women's event (dinghy)]].<ref>{{cite web | title= ICSA Championships | url= http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/ | access-date= 2009-09-01 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110720123618/http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/ | archive-date= 2011-07-20 }}</ref>
 
Although it nearly closed its doors in 1979, a lawsuit organized by students, faculty, parents and an alumnae association succeeded in allowing the college to remain open. It is one of the few colleges to survive a scheduled closing.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-briar-college-staying-open-wilson-college-lawsuit-2015-3 |title = Alumnae are fighting to stop an imploding college from closing, and one court case could provide a 'legal roadmap' for them to do it| website=[[Business Insider]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CXLHze2XsPQC&q=wilson+college+phoenix&pg=PT42 | title=Changing Course: Reinventing Colleges, Avoiding Closure: New Directions for Higher Education, Number 156| isbn=978-1-118-27536-8| last1=Brown| first1=Alice W.| last2=Ballard| first2=Sandra L.| date=15 December 2011| publisher=John Wiley & Sons}}</ref> It subsequently adopted the [[phoenix (mythology)|Phoenix]] as its mascot, to symbolize the college's survival.
In the 1970s, two tropical storms, [[Hurricane Agnes|Agnes]] in 1972 and [[Hurricane Eloise|Eloise]] in 1975, caused flood damage to low-lying buildings on campus.
 
AlthoughIn it1982, nearlyWilson closedbegan itsoffering doorsa incontinuing 1979,studies aprogram lawsuit(now organizedknown byas students,the faculty,Adult parentsDegree andProgram) anto alumnaemeet associationthe succeededneeds inof allowingadults theseeking collegepost-secondary toeducation. remainIn open1996, makingthe college itwas one of the fewfirst collegesin the nation to surviveoffer aon-campus residential housing for single mothers living scheduledwith closingchildren.<ref>{{Cite webbook | url=https://wwwbooks.businessinsidergoogle.com/sweet-briar-books?id=cOKODgAAQBAJ&q=%22wilson+college-staying-open-wilson-college-lawsuit-2015-3%22++women+first&pg=PA354 |title title=The AlumnaeWiley areHandbook fightingof toEarly stopChildhood anDevelopment imploding collegePrograms, from closingPractices, and onePolicies| courtisbn=978-1-118-93729-7| caselast1=Votruba-Drzal| couldfirst1=Elizabeth| providelast2=Dearing| afirst2=Eric| 'legaldate=17 roadmap'April for2017| thempublisher=John toWiley do& itSons}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CXLHze2XsPQC1gJyPzLAx2cC&q=wilson%22wilson+college%22+phoenix+mothers+program&pg=PT42PA171 | title =Changing Course:Colleges ReinventingThat Colleges,Encourage AvoidingCharacter ClosureDevelopment: NewA DirectionsResource for HigherParents, EducationStudents, Numberand 156Educators| isbn = 978-1-118890151-2753628-87|last1 last1=Brown Foundation|first1 first1=Alice W.|John last2=BallardTempleton|year first2=Sandra L.1999| datepublisher=15Templeton DecemberFoundation Press 2011}}</ref> It subsequently adopted the [[phoenix (mythology)|Phoenix]] as its mascot, to symbolize the college's survival.
 
In 1982, Wilson began offering a continuing studies program (now known as the Adult Degree Program) to meet the needs of adults seeking post-secondary education. In 1996, the college was one of the first in the nation to offer an on-campus residential educational experience for single mothers with children.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cOKODgAAQBAJ&q=%22wilson+college%22++women+first&pg=PA354 | title=The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Development Programs, Practices, and Policies| isbn=978-1-118-93729-7| last1=Votruba-Drzal| first1=Elizabeth| last2=Dearing| first2=Eric| date=17 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1gJyPzLAx2cC&q=%22wilson+college%22++mothers+program&pg=PA171 |title = Colleges That Encourage Character Development: A Resource for Parents, Students, and Educators|isbn = 978-1-890151-28-7|last1 = Foundation|first1 = John Templeton|year = 1999}}</ref>
 
===2000–present===
The first men to attend Wilson entered at the end of [[World War II]] when an influx of male students created shortages at co-educational and men's colleges. These men attended classes for one year before transferring to other colleges. Men later became eligible to earn degrees from Wilson through the Adult Degree Program, although the traditional undergraduate college remained a Collegecollege Forfor Womenwomen. In January 2013, the college's board of trustees voted to extend coeducation across all programs; male commuter students were admitted in fall 2013, with the first male residential students beginningbegan studies at Wilson in fall 2014.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/136657/ |title=Seeking Enrollment Boost, Wilson College Will Admit Men |author=awrence Biemiller |journal=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]] |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=January 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2013/08/wilson_college_co-ed_men_chamb.html |title = Wilson College begins co-ed era|date = 26 August 2013}}</ref>▼
Beginning in summer 2006, Wilson offered its first graduate-degree program, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for certified elementary school teachers. The college currently offers six graduate degree programs.
 
▲The first men to attend Wilson entered at the end of [[World War II]] when an influx of male students created shortages at co-educational and men's colleges. These men attended classes for one year before transferring to other colleges. Men later became eligible to earn degrees from Wilson through the Adult Degree Program, although the traditional undergraduate college remained a College For Women. In January 2013, the college's board of trustees voted to extend coeducation across all programs; male commuter students were admitted in fall 2013, with the first male residential students beginning in fall 2014.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/136657/ |title=Seeking Enrollment Boost, Wilson College Will Admit Men |author=awrence Biemiller |journal=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]] |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=January 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2013/08/wilson_college_co-ed_men_chamb.html |title = Wilson College begins co-ed era|date = 26 August 2013}}</ref>
 
==Campus==
[[File:Diamondviewfolder8.gif|thumb|upright=1.3|Main building, 1921]]
The Wilson College campus is located at the edge of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on both sides of the [[Conococheague Creek]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_CdnrWIknsYC&q=wilson+college+Chambersburg,+Pennsylvania,+on+both+sides+of+the+Conococheague+Creek. |title = Annual report of the Commissioner of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1907|year = 1908}}</ref> The property was originally bought from newspaper editor and state senator [[Alexander McClure]], whose home ''Norland'', had been burnt in 1864 by Confederates under the orders of General [[Jubal Early]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2008/04/13/A-scary-night-at-Wilson-College/stories/200804130241 |title = A scary night at Wilson College}}</ref> The home was rebuilt before being sold to the college.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pPGULRssbL8C&q=Alexander+McClure+wilson+college&pg=PA20 |title = Pennsylvania Civil War Trails: The Guide to Battle Sites, Monuments, Museums and Towns|isbn = 978-0-8117-3379-3|last1 = Huntington|first1 = Tom|year = 2007| publisher=Stackpole Books }}</ref>
 
==Academics==
{{stubexpand section|date=January 2021}}
The college offers 34 undergraduate majors, 40 undergraduate minors, and master's degrees. The most popular majors are in the fields of agriculture and agricultural sciences, animal-assisted therapy, biological sciences, nursing, and veterinary/animal healthnursing.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wilson College - Profile, Rankings and Data |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/wilson-college-3396 |website=US News |publisher=US News |access-date=21 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Wilson College - Niche |url=https://www.niche.com/colleges/wilson-college/ |website=Niche |publisher=Niche |access-date=21 January 2021}}</ref>
 
==Athletics==
Wilson athletic teams are named the Phoenix. The college is a member of the [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] level of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA), primarily competing in the [[ColonialUnited States AthleticEast Conference]] (CSACUEC) since rejoining the 2018–19conference for the 2023-24 academic year.<ref>{{cite web |titlename=Wilson College - Niche |url=https:"auto"//www.niche.com/colleges/wilson-college/ |website=Niche |publisher=Niche |access-date=21 January 2021}}</ref> The Phoenix previously competed in the [[UnitedColonial EastStates Athletic Conference]] (UEC;CSAC from formerly2017–18 knownto as2022–23, thehaving '''Northbeen Easternmembers Athletic Conference''' ('''NEAC''') until afterof the 2020–21United academicEast year)Conference from 2007–08prior to 2017–18that.
 
Wilson competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball. Club sports include archery, equestrian and pep talk. The women's equestrian team competes in numerous [[Intercollegiate Horse Show Association|IHSA]] and other events.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.wilson.edu/wilson-adds-ncea-equestrian-fall-2020|title= Wilson Adds NCEA Equestrian For Fall 2020|access-date=2022-05-07}}</ref>
 
Wilson began sponsoring men's sports since thein 2014–15 academic year, when the college became coeducational; starting with basketball and golf, followed by soccer, volleyball and baseball in the following years.
 
Basketball and Volleyball teams play in the Gannett Memorial Field House, located on campus. Softball, Lacrosse, and Soccer teams compete at the fields located in Kris' Meadow, adjacent to the campus' own farm land and facilities. Baseball plays at historic Henninger Field nearby in downtown Chambersburg, renovated and reopened in 2019.
 
==Notable alumnae==
* [[Betty Andujar]], Texas politician<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=Maddison |title=Andujar, Elizabeth Richards |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fandu |title website= ANDUJAR, ELIZABETH RICHARDS &#91;BETTY&#93; &#124; theThe Handbook of Texas Online&#124; |agency=Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)}}</ref>
* [[Emily Bacon]] (1891–1972), physician
* [[Elisabeth Ann Hudnut Clarkson]] (class of 1947) (1925-2020), author, Wilson College board chair <ref>https://library.wilson.edu/eds/detail?db=eric&an=EJ230650 {{bare URL inline|date=March 2023}}</ref> <ref>https://library.wilson.edu/eds/detail?db=cat07570a&an=wcl.77072&isbn=0925168173 {{bare URL inline|date=March 2023}}</ref> <ref>https://library.wilson.edu/eds/detail?db=cat07570a&an=wcl.2939 {{bare URL inline|date=March 2023}}</ref>
* [[Pauline Morrow Austin]], meteorologist
* [[Pauline Donnan]] (1885–1934), opera singer
Line 94:
* [[Amy Gilbert]] (1895–1980), historian
* [[Zack Hanle]], cooking author and journalist
* [[Roberta Frances Johnson]] (1902–1988), American mathematician
* [[Katherine Laich]] (1910–1992), librarian
* [[Kate Hevner Mueller]] (1898–1984), psychologist and educator
Line 101 ⟶ 102:
* [[Bonnie Lineweaver Paul]], attorney and politician<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rp1DAQAAIAAJ&q=Bonnie+Lineweaver+Paul,+wilson+college |title = Manual of the Senate and House of Delegates|last1 = General Assembly|first1 = Virginia|year = 1976}}</ref>
* [[Disappearance of Joan Risch|Joan Risch]], homemaker who went missing from her home in the Boston suburbs in 1961
* [[Sally Hoyt Spofford]] (1914–2002), ornithologist<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fNPAAAAYAAJ&q=Sally+Hoyt+Spofford+wilson+college | title=For the birds: The Laboratory of Ornithology and Sapsucker Woods at Cornell University| isbn=978-0-9746396-0-4| last1=Little| first1=Randolph S.| year=2003| publisher=For the Birds}}</ref>
* [[Elizabeth Schofield]] (1935–2005), archaeologist and classical scholar
* [[Rosedith Sitgreaves]] (1915–1992), statistician and professor
Line 129 ⟶ 130:
[[Category:Former women's universities and colleges in the United States]]
[[Category:Liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:EducationalUniversities institutionsand colleges established in 1869]]
[[Category:School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Chambersburg, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Franklin County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania state historical marker significations]]
[[Category:1869 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_College_(Pennsylvania)"