Poughkeepsie, New York: Thomas T. Spencer, (1866).
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Hardcover. Oblong 12mo. Leather with all edges gilt. Printed title page: "Autograph and Address Book" printed by Thomas T. Spencer of Poughkeepsie. Clipping about the foundation of Vassar on front board, binding mended with later cloth stitched over the boards, front board detached but still held together with the cloth covering, thus good only, internally near fine. Housed in a later marbled paper over card slipcase.
The College had admitted the first class of students in September of 1865. This album was kept by a member of the first class of Vassar with her ownership signature: "Helen Seymour, Vassar College, 2d May 1866." Presumably circulated to the faculty and her classmates as the first year of classes was coming to an end. All of the inscriptions were collected in May or June of 1866.
The first autograph Seymour collected was that of College Founder Matthew Vassar, who signed and dated his Inscription with a sentiment the day after Seymour dated the book, and which has next to it a small contemporary albumen photograph of him set beside the inscription; the second was that of his nephew Matthew Vassar, Jr., who Signed a few days later. Also Signed by the President of the College, John H. Raymond (the second President of the College, but the first when students were admitted), followed by most of the original professors and instructors of the faculty, including the Signature of the first appointed faculty member, the astronomer Maria Mitchell, (the first woman in America to work as a professional astronomer) as well as by her father, the astronomer William Mitchell. Maria was the first person to discover and correctly calculate the path of a comet with a telescope in 1848, a feat for which she was lauded at the Seneca Fall's Convention.
Other Professors include Professor Charles Farrar (mathematics), William Knapp (Languages), Sanborn Tenney (Natural History), Henry Beckham (Rhetoric and English), Edward Wiebe (Vocal Music), Henry Van Ingen (Drawing and Painting). Additionally represented are several instructors: Kate Fessenden (French), Sarah Wyman (Latin), L. M. Gilbert (Greek). Elizabeth Powell (Physical Training), and Emma Sayles (Chemistry).
Seymour has also collected the signatures, often with a sentiment, the date, and their home towns, of over 60 of her classmates from the year. Among those were Mary Louise Frost, an educator who was active in the Peace Movement and served as President of the Women's International Peace Union. She was also known for suing Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin, claiming that they owed her money (in this, Mary was not alone). Also her classmate Mary Cornell, daughter of the Founder of Cornell University; and Mary Reybold, a close friend and assistant to Maria Mitchell, and one of the first few graduates of the College. Seymour has noted (mostly in pencil) when each of many of her classmates married. We have by no means researched each of the students represented in the album, and suspect that others of the students led interesting and productive lives.
Interesting primary source documentation of the first class of Vassar College, one of the premiere institutions founded for women's education.
Item #438619
