Vassar Studies
Vassar Studies (1899)
Julia A Schwartz
The Ohio State Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
PS3537.C805 V3 1899
Women's lives can be defined by the expectations placed upon them by society. For most of history, women were raised and taught to get married, run a household and become a mother. It is still a new idea in the span of history for a woman to seek higher education. Vassar College provided this education for women by becoming the second degree-granting women's college ever in 1861 (Oberlin College in Ohio being the first). This college gave women a way to follow their interests outside of marriage. While some women did go on to be married after their college education, Vassar provided them an opportunity to explore new possibilities.
This book written by Julia Schwartz depicts the lives of women in college at Vassar through short stories. Each story may be fictional, but they provide a deeper look into what it's like for a woman to pursue higher education at this institution and all the opportunities that follow. The book was written for both alumnae and young women who might be interested in higher education. Vassar Studies includes many pictures of notable places on campus, so that prospective students have a visualization of the campus.
Even though education was not a norm for women at this time, Vassar College has granted many women degrees since its opening. This fictionalization of the college provides young women and teens with the ability to understand the college experience from other women's perspective.