A Nice Place to Lib & Learn

Jessica, also attended Normal College. ITH THE turn of the century, Today, Miss Eagleson is one of the old- life for women began to be est living Hunter alumnae. W slightly less restrictive. By 1900, Hunter's "Normal Five," the col- At ninety-three, she is a sprightly, dimin- A Nice Place to Lib & Learn lege's first basketball team-dressed in utive woman who has retained a biting bloomers with their hair piled demurely sense of humor and a clear vision of the in buns-had already traveled to Staten past. Miss Eagleson, who never married, Island and Southhampton to play. Hunter College, established as Normal College more than 102 enrolled in Normal College at age 14 in 1894 and took what was then called the In 1906, Miss Annie E. Hickenbottom, a years ago, has always offered bold, educational opportunities classical course, graduating five years warm-hearted, merry and sympathetic later in 1899. woman who wore a pince-nez, was ap- to women.. In fact, it> still a far from normal place. Interviewed in her 79th Street apartment pointed superintendent. Soon after- overlooking the East River, Miss Eagle- wards, her duties were enlarged and she son vividly recalled a New York City became the first dean ,of students-a post she held until her retirement in 1934. By Joan Dim without skyscrapers and pollution. She described Hunter College's first perma- The college was growing and rapidly nent building, which was opened in 1873 gaining status in the community. In 1909, and which burned down in 1936. the faculty marched in full academic re- .ORIA STEINEM and Germaine in the United States to provide a free galia. The march was considered an out- "The building at Park Avenue and 68th Greer are impressive modern- higher education to women, he also ward sign of the college's growing scho- Street was spacious and magnificent," day champions of women's helped scores of women to shatter the lastic distinction. In 1914, Normal College she said. "There was a playroom, a cal- liberation., But they are Janie-come- Victorian patterns of nineteenth century was renamed Hunter after its founder. istheneum, a library, 30 classrooms, two latelys when compared to some trail- America. large lecture rooms, a drawing and art About the same time, students assumed blazing women who embarked on a col- Normal College, according to Dr. Hunter, room, a physics laboratory and even a greater responsibility for themselves and lege education more than one hundred provided the city with a "constant supply drying room for rainy days." established the first student council. The years ago in what is now Hunter College. council's goal was to work for the good of trained and competent teachers." It In those days, Miss Eagleson took the of the college. Soon afterwards, a literary One early Hunter graduate became the would admit black and white students Lexington Avenue trolley from her home annual was published, and The Normal first woman to be a New York Municipal equally. At that time, New York's ele- in Harlem down to Park Avenue and 68th College Bulletin, which later became The Court Judge, another founded the Lenox mentary schools were still segregated. Street, which was fast becoming an ele- Envoy. Hill Settlement House, still another be- It would include the liberal arts-Greek gant residential neighborhood dotted came a "lady doctor" at a time when and Roman classics, science, "intellec- with brownstones. While the country roared through the medical residencies for women were al- twenties, Hunter celebrated its 50th an- tual philosophyM-when most normal "Although I loved going to Normal Col- most impossible to get. niversary, organized student hops and schools provided only professional train- lege very much," Miss Eagleson said, "sings," presented Christmas plays and These women succeeded, at least in ing for the "useful branches more suited "the times were very difficult for women. established the Nu Chapter of Phi Beta part, because of Hunier. Then called The to the young ladies' sex and prospective Very few women got jobs. In fact, women Kappa. By the mid 1920s, registration Normal College of the City of New York, employment." didn't attempt to do anything but teach. soared and the city assigned to Hunter Hunter opened Feb. 14, 1870, in a rented A woman just didn't think about going HE NORMAL COLLEGE'S first the Jerome Park Reservoir as the site of loft at 694 Broadway. down to Wall Street and becoming a class numbered 97 students, the Bronx campus. banker." After graduation, Miss Eagle- At the time, New York City was a lively, most of them as young as 14 As Hunter grew, so did its list of distin- yearsu old, and graduates of the city's son followed the fashion of the times and rapidly growing community with most of taught domestic arts-sewing and hand- guished alumni. its population still living below 14th grammar schools. The "young ladies," work-in public schools. Street. Central Park had already been as Dr. Hunter called them, were enrolled Agnes Craig, a 1901 graduate, became characterized as a "ruffians refuge where only after passing an examination with "When my mother graduated from the the first woman to be a ~ewYork Munic- ladies, children and the unprotected are a minimum grade of 75 percent. first Normal College class," said Miss ipal Court Judge. at the mercy of villians." Park Avenue, Eagleson, "it was like graduating from One of these girls, a member of the first Irene Brandon Graff, who graduated in uptown at 68th Street, was still isolated, high school. But, by the time I graduated, Normal College class, was Harriet Rutter. 1898, founded the Lenox Hill Settlement although occasionally a wild goat might Normal College offered women a truly Harriet, at 14, had sparkling eyes, light on East 72nd Street while she was still be seen idling along the street. The Third advanced education." brown hair and enjoyed playing the pi- a student. With the help of assistant Mary Avenue Elevator train was being built. ano. She had been handpicked for Nor- Miss Eagleson taught for forty years and A. Wells, a graduate of the 1890 class, Cars were horsedrawn, and the Brooklyn mal College by Lydia Fowler Wadleigh, said with a twinkle in her eyes, "I en- the settlement founders provided day Bridge spanned the East River. the school's first female superintendent. joyed every minute of it." care for the children of old Yorkville resi- dents plus social and health services for Harriet's father owned a book bindery on Since she has retired, Miss Eagleson Although the 1870's were ripe with their families. Today, the number of change, women remained second-class 14th Street. She had four younger sis- busies herself by going to the opera reg- people served by the settlement, now citizens. It would be another fifty years ters, all of whom also attended Normal ularly, traveling, meeting with members called the Lenox Hill Neighborhood As- before they would be allowed to vote. College. After graduation, Harriet con- of the Hunter College Alumni Associa- sociation, is so great that many other the only jobs available to women were as tinued her education at Vassar College. tion, and taking a lively interest in Hun- groups have been incorporated into it. teachers, unless they wished to work in There, she met and married William A. ter's activities and future plans. "My pet shops or as domestics. Eagleson, a gentleman who sold butter, project is contributing to the Scholarship Georgia Reid, class of 1916, became the eggs and cheese. The Eaglesons moved and Welfare Fund," she said. "I want to first Hunter College graduate to be ad- So, in 1870 when Dr. Thomas Hunter to Harlem, a fashionable neighborhood, help Hunter as much as it helped me and founded Normal College, the first college and raised a family. One of their children, my family." (Continued on page 9) Fame Is Highlight Lib and Learn (cant. from page 7) mitted to the Cornell Medical School. Of Alumni Homecoming She became a doctor of obstetrics and The annual Alumni Homecoming, featur- tions at American Standard; N.Y.C. Coun- was named professional woman of the ing the first alumni-sponsored film "Once cilman Barry Salman; Rita Robinson, year in $955. There is 'Fame'. There is Hunter," will assistant to the publisher of Time and Dr. Reid, an active woman in her mid- be held on Thursday evening, Oct. 26, at Life; Frederic Brandes, '70, of the CUNY seventies, described the difficulties of Roosevelt House, 47 East 65 St. Film Student Senate; and Mauro Casci, '72, being a "lady doctor" in the early 1900s. showings will be at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 former student body president. "Even as late as 1916," she said, "it was p.m. Refreshments will be served. An added attraction will be a short film very difficult to get started. All the good "Fame," premiered at last April's Birth- of the Hunter Alumni-Broadway Show hospital residencies automatically went day Luncheon, interweaves material League softball game. to men." Now retired after 50 years of from the Alumni Association's archives practice, Dr. Reid serves as a consultant Chairman of the 1972 Homecoming Com- with interviews with 12 notable alumni: in gynecology at the Beekman Down- mittee is Enid Gittens Foreman. Jessica Eagleson, 1899; Meta J. Schech- town Hospital. ter of the Diamond Jubilee Class of 1912; Come and meet with friends, some of For a school that was initially created Mina Rees, recently-retired president of the notables above, and the newly- to educate only teachers, the career ac- CUNY's Graduate Center; Lenore Her- elected alumni officers and directors.

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