Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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nished braid and battered buttons. Thus with never failing cheerfulness these maidens bore their deprivations gladly, and so passed the few hard years of our Civil War. One eflfect of the war was to bring the people of the Southern .States nearer together and many pupils from various other states attended the Seminary during the session of 1865-6. From that time on pupils have been attracted from Northern and Western as well as Southern States. In 1895 the name of this place of learning was changed from that of the Augusta Female Seminary to one which means more to us, that of Mary Baldwin Seminary, in recognition of the remarkable and devoted service Miss Baldwin had rendered to this school. Two years later the institution lost a true and faithful friend, and one greatly beloved, for after nearly half a century of suc- cessful labor, Mary Julia Baldwin passed to her rest on July 1, 1897 in the sixty- eighth year of her life. It was then that Miss Weimer was appointed principal and Mr. King business-manager. Under the leadership of these two wise and efficient persons the school made great strides forward. Mr. King is still the respected and beloved business-manager and due to his never ceasing interest and skillful management many great improvements have been brought about. During Miss Weimar ' s administration, in 1916, Mary Baldwin Seminary became a junior College, and as the years rolled by it continued to advance in standards, influence, and size. Now the Seminary occupies the sunny slope of one of Staunton ' s great hills, and is carrying out long cherished aims under the two who hold such a big place in our hearts. Miss Higgins and Mr. King. Many even now hardly realize the great work that our principal has accomplished. She not only brought the standard of the Junior College to an exceedingly high level, but it is her great interest and diligent labor, added to that of Dr. Fraser, our distinguished Pres- ident, which has made it possible to offer a four-year college course to next year ' s students. The burden of this great undertaking has fallen in great measure on Miss Higgins ' shoulders. Often we wonder how she has been able to carry on the daily tasks of the Seminary and at the same time manage so skillfully and gladly the additional work. It is because of the thorough, honest and high literary and moral standard, which have marked the school under her leadership, that the Board of Trustees and the President are able to establish the Mary P al(hvin College. — Laura Vauc.hax.

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• he rHistory of ODarij dldipin iX THE suinmei- of 1842 the Revfixiid Rufus W. Bailey came to Staunton witli a j reat scheme in his mind, that of estahlish- ing a school for voiing ladies. So it w. ' is he sought the actiuaintancc and advice of Presbyterian ministers in tliis old, aristocratic, Virginia town ; advice wdiich resulted in the estab- lishment of the Augusta Female Seminary. It was his desire and purpose to afford the means of a thorough literary and christian education to I lie oung women in the surrounding country, and with the coming of the red and vellow leaves, came the opening of this institution of learning, conducted for some months in the upper rooms of a frame house. But the friends of the new under- taking had greater visions and owing to their interest and efforts, the corner stone of the first Seminary building was laid June .15. 1844. Mr. Bailey i.ssued at commencement of this ear the names of the sixty pupils enrolled and among them was that of lVlar - JuHa I ' .aldwin. Little did they or she dream what an im- l)ortant part she would pla - in years to come in the advancement and development of this school. And so the school flourished and grew in prestige and in favor with all under the leadership of the beloved Reverend Francis McFarland as President and Reverend Rufus W. Bailey as Principal. And Father Time con- tinued to form davs and nights, months and years, and still the progress of this institution was great and never failing, and the standard grew higher with the changing of the times. Then there came a period when the yearly routine was broken l)y the conflict which is still remembered in the hearts of Northerners and Southerners. By the summer of 1863 every school in the town had been closed because of the distrac- tions of the war. But it was in the fall of 1863, midst the roar of cannon, and the tramp, tramp of the soldier boys that the Misses Baldwin and McClung undertook to continue the running of the Augusta Female Seminary. After trouble everywhere in obtaining supplies, even more came in keeping them. However, these little Seminary maidens with their crinoline skirts had bright eyes and bright ideas too; and if only you could hear of all their places far hiding provisions! When the cry The Yankees was heard many barrels of flour disappeared and many dainty dressing tables appeared. But alas, there were more l)arrels than rooms and a Union Officer received quite a shock when he chanced to spy one deathlv pale little lady pretending sickness in her bed of flour. However, many of their clever brave little plans aroused no suspicion and this flour made bread, not onlv for hungry school girls, but also for those wounded soldiers Iving sick and suffering in the hospitals. Surely, it was natural that those girlish hearts beat faster at the sight of those lads in gray with their tar-

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AIr. King