University of Tennessee Knoxville - Volunteer Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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MISS HARRIET C. GREVE-DEAN OF W'OMEN

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The University eAm, The University of Tennessee, under its maiden name of Blount College, was chartered by the legislature of the NTerritory South of the River Ohio , on September 10, 1794. This organization had varying success for several years. During this time the institution was known by various names. First it was Blount College. Later this was changed to East Tennessee College. However, this wasuchanged to East Tennessee University. In 1879, the name of the University was Changed from HEast Tennessee University to the University of Tennessee.H This act was pregnant with great meaning for the future. The University became peculiarly pledged, in all its departments, to the service and the interests of the state. It became, too, the head and an integral part of the public educational system, standing as the capstone of the educational arch. The state, by this act, pledged the University its own name and reputation, and gave it the assurance of a future in keeping with the new dignity which it had assumed. The General Assembly has shown an active interest in the development of the University, and has made increasingly generous appropriations to it during past sessions. It has formally declared it to be a part of and the head of the public school system of the state. The result has been a material strengthening of the work of the institution in all of its departments. The recent act of the legislature authorizing a bond issue of $1,000,000 for the erection of buildings and improvements, and the levying 0f 21 one-half mill tax for the support of the institution, marks an epoch in its history. The result of this wise legislation has been an infusion of new life into all of the Universityls activities, both within and without its walls; and it is now in a position to give that large measure of service which the state has a right to expect from its principal educational institution. FT .-,t em ,. ,, e ,. r e W ., Page Seventeen

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Women in the University paw 1n the matter of education for women Tennessee occupies a unique position for it was here in Blount College, the parent institution of the University of Tennessee, that the first academic degree was con- ferred upon a woman in the United States. This woman was Barbara Blount, the daughter of the governor for whom the college was named. After these early years women ceased to be admitted to the college which developed through successive stages from Blount College to East Tennessee College, East Tennessee University, and finally to the University of Tennessee. Not until the last decade of the century, in 1893, were the halls of the University formally re-opened to women. This act of the trustees was spoken of as 21 Uformidable enterprise Which was undertaken with fear and trembling and re- luctancef, The misgivings were due in part to the fact that Ten- nessee was a pioneer state in the matter of CO-education. Not until the last few years have the majority of the state universities south of the Mason and Dixon line admitted women to the same class rooms with men. For more than thirty years now the daughters of the state have been receiving advantages and training for life equal to those of the sons of Tennessee. By this means may the great end be achieved of preparing all the future Citizens of our state to meet their responsi- bilities fearlessly, strong of purpose, clear of vision, and noble in en- deavor. Page Nineteen