From Bienville to Bourbon Street to bounce. 300 moments that make New Orleans unique.

WHAT HAPPENED On Oct. 11, 1886, 1718 ~ 2018 Josephine Newcomb wrote to Tulane about creating 300 a women’s TRICENTENNIAL college.

Newcomb College may be known worldwide for its unique style of arts and crafts pottery,

The college’s but the women’s college was groundbreaking in other ways as well. arts and crafts

THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION ORLEANS NEW HISTORIC THE focus was Josephine Louise Newcomb established the college mainly on in 1886 in memory of her daughter, Sophie, to support pottery, but it expanded to women’s liberal arts education. Newcomb’s donations At first, classes were include book- held on at the Robb- eventually climbed to $3.5 million. The college was the marks, like this one, books and Burnside Mansion, first “coordinate” college in the nation, operating in con- an Italianate villa jewelry. on Washington junction with , a male-only college. Avenue in the Garden As a progressive institution, the college’s first president, District. The campus Brandt V.B. Dixon, and other founders wanted students to moved to Broadway Street in 1918. learn a skill during the economic downturn of post-Civil War reconstruction. The college created a pottery business, employing men to make pottery, which was then painted and decorated by women students and artists. More than Stu- dents 70,000 pieces of pottery were created before the program were di- closed in 1939. The program was gradually expanded to rected to include other arts and crafts, including books and jewelry. decorate the pot- The school was one of the first to introduce basketball tery with for women, and Newcomb students played the first public depictions of basketball game in the South. flora, like Over time, more women students attended Tulane class- the daylilies Newcomb at- on this 1928 tracted many es, and by about 1987, the college was no longer separate, vase. local day as students at both schools followed the same curriculum, students and offered a prepa- according to Tulane. ratory school for Following , then-Tulane President Sudent and students who weren’t ready Scott Cowen proposed eliminating Newcomb in 2006 as sculptor Edith The announced Levy in 1944. Levy for college closure of part of a restructuring of Tulane. Josephine Newcomb’s studies. The married Dr. David Newcomb in heirs and Newcomb alumnae fought the decision until Rall, the first U.S. initial focus of 2005 prompted the college was KNOWLA 2011, when an appellate court ruled in Tulane’s favor. Surgeon lawsuits and General. on skill-based protests. The Newcomb College Institute was created at Tulane work, including THE HISTORIC clerical work NEW ORLEANS as a means of continuing the college’s legacy, and it is fo- COLLECTION, GIFT being taught OF ELIZABETH HIMEL KILLEEN cused on programs to encourage women leadership and in this undated education. photo. THEHISTORIC NEWORLEANS COLLECTION, GIFTOF MR. TRAHAN ROY