Mount Holyoke College - Llamarada Yearbook (South Hadley, MA)

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rar sculptures, given by special favor, in the galleries of the Vatican, to the ladies of her classes. She and Mr. Mitchell, who was devoted to water color painting, had hidden themselves in Venice for a season of study. Mrs. Mitchell was even then outlining her great work on the History of Sculpture. But Mount Holyoke was “ the open sesame ” to their hospitality, and many were the excursions to palaces and galleries and by-ways of Venice, unknown to the tourist world, while equally interesting were the talks on art in their quaint Venetian rooms, opening from the Riva towards the island of San Giorgio. In July, Miss Blanchard and Miss Evans had reached Switzerland, on their homeward journey, when a letter was re- ceived from Mount Holyoke requesting Miss Blanchard to remain abroad for the study of the History of Art, which resulted in a change of plans for both friends. Un- expectedly their steps were turned to Zurich and to the university, which had been gen- erous, above others, in admitting women, and especially American women, to the courses in medicine. Miss Blanchard and Miss Evans found a helpful friend in Pro- fessor Kinkel, the successor of Professor Wilhelm Liibke, in History of Artat Zurich. Professor Kinkel was an intimate friend of the Hon. Carl Schurz and had a cordial interest in American students. The university term was just closing, but free admission was given to the hall of casts and to the collection of engravings, with the use of the catalogues and notes prepared for students. The opportunities at Zurich were further supplemented by months of study in Paris and 11 Al.HAMHKA COKKIDOK. I.AKF KKIK SKMIN’AKV.

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fiistory of Art at mount Rolyoke THE History of Art was added to the regular course of study at Mount Ilolyoke, during the administration of Miss Ward as principal. A course of lectures was delivered by mem- bers of the Faculty of Amherst College, in 1874. In April, 1877, Miss Blanchard, one of the associate principals, went to Europe, accompanied by her friend, Miss Evans, who had been a teacher at Mount Holyoke from her graduation, in i860, till 1868, when she became principal of Lake Erie Seminary in Painesville, Ohio. The two friends spent the spring and early summer in Italy, devoting three weeks to Venice, where they enjoyed the intimate companionship of Mrs. Lucy Wright Mitchell, a former student of Mount Holyoke and, at that time, a member of Miss Evans’ “section.” Mrs. Mitchell had just concluded a series of lectures upon the Vatican 10 » 1 “GREEK SCl'l.l'TIKK, WINTER TERM 1877. SCREEN'S S VRRANGKD FOR CI.ASS-WOKV.”

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London, collecting books and photographs, under the direction of Mrs. Mitchell and Professor Kinkel. In a letter to Miss Blanchard dated Bassano, August 12, 1877, Mrs. Mitchell expresses her personal interest in the introduction of Art at Mount Holyoke. “ I am more than glad to be of what little service I can in this matter and wish I had it in my power to do much more. The subject is so important and one that can be made of such interest and value to young ladies, I have long desired to see it receive the systematic and careful attention, in the course at Mount Holyoke, which it deserves.” From her return, in 1878, till her res- ignation, in 1889, Miss Blanchard gave the instruction in History of Art,with the same thoroughness of preparation and mastery of principles which had characterized all her work as a teacher, together with a refined taste and a high appreciation of the master- pieces of Art. Her large and valuable photographs were freely used for her classes, or hung in the halls as a daily object lesson to all. She gave an impulse to the movement among the alumnae to secure copies of famous works in painting, the Assumption by Titian being purchased by her own class, 1858. Courses of lectures continued to be given by Professor William H. Goodyear and by Professor Mather. Meanwhile at Lake Erie Seminary, History of Art had become one of the studies of the senior year and the class of ’79 had shown their appreciation of its value by establishing a fund for the purchase of casts and other art illustrations. In 1882 Miss Randolph, of the Mount Holyoke class of 1872, returned from two years and 12 THE LECTURE ROOM, ART HISTORY. t