History

A group of women pose for a photograph following a graduation at the Drew Seminary for Young Women.

Drew Ladies' Seminary

This archival image piqued the interest of author Deborah Oswald. Who was that young girl in the center of the photograph? Much smaller, and perhaps younger than the rest, she is a standout and inspired a book.

“Drew Ladies’ Seminary has a superior faculty, and prepares for every college. Some of our students were admitted to Vassar, Wellesley and Baltimore Colleges last year. Teachers of tried ability are in charge of several departments. ”

At the time of this photograph, it wasn’t common for girls to complete high school or attend college. When the book opens in 1918, World War I was raging in Europe with the end of war coming on the eleventh hour of the eleventh month

(A group of women pose for a photograph following a graduation at the Drew Seminary for Young Women. The Putnam Courier-Trader 7.14.1994)

Substantial, neat and plain” was the dress code.

Life for a Drew Seminary Student in 1918

(November 11) of that year, and a flu pandemic swept the nation. It wasn’t until 1920 that the 19th Amendment extended the right to vote to women.

There was a dress code and the required student dress should be “substantial and neat.” The school discouraged extravagance in dress and hoped that parents would support them in establishing correct taste and the practice in regard to dress.

Extras offered to the students included violin, piano and drawing and painting. Dress making and millinery, elocution, and cooking were available.

Curriculum

The first year curriculum offered three areas of study with few options. Foreign language study gave a choice of French, German or Latin.

Extracurricular Activities

Like students today, girls at Drew Seminary had extracurricular activities including soccer, horseback riding, tennis, music and performances.

(Photo Courtesy of the Putnam County Historian Dept.)

Ready for a canter (Courtesy of the Putnam County Historian Dept.)

Backdrop for the Girls of Haviland

This educational setting provides the backdrop for The Girls of Haviland when young Jay McKenna, the daughter of immigrant farmers, attends as a scholarship student. Facing bullying and ostracism, Jay must learn to stand on her own and, with the help of a new friend, fight for justice.