The John Guy Vassar Chair of Modern Languages and John Guy Vassar Chair of Natural History were established through the bequest of John Guy Vassar, nephew of the Founder and a charter trustee. These chairs were first held by Jean C. Bracq, Professor of French, 1891-1918, and William B. Dwight, Professor of Natural History and Curator of the Museum, 1878-1906. The John Guy Vassar Art Fund was also established at this time.
Four houses for professors were built by the college, Cottages A, B, C and D, now 87, 85, 83 and 81 Raymond Avenue. Francis R. Allen, architect. These were the first separate faculty dwellings.
The trustees voted to discontinue the Preparatory Department and the Schools of Art and Music.
The rear addition of the Vassar Brothers Laboratory was completed.
Woodrow Wilson, Professor of Politics and Jurisprudence, Princeton University, lectured on "Democracy".
A Conference on Teaching English in Secondary Schools was held at Vas sar College, one of ten conferences held simultaneously by the National Education Association.
The Thompson Annex to the Main Building was completed, Francis R. Allen, architect. It was popularly known as "Uncle Fred's Nose", being the gift of Frederick Ferris Thompson, trustee, and was planned as quarters for the expanding library.
Strong Hall, the first dormitory, was completed, Francis R. Allen, architect. It was named in honor of Bessie Rockefeller Strong, special student 1886-88, the daughter of John D. Rockefeller, trustee. Mr. Rockefeller contributed $35,000 toward the expense of construction. The Windsor Hotel in Poughkeepsie was rented for three months to accommodate students who were to live in the new dormitory which was not ready until December. The enrollment for 1893/94 was 475.
The secretary of the college, whose work was comparable to that of a dean, was recognized as an officer. This post was held by Ella McCaleb, '78, who had previously served as secretary to the President, 1885-1893. In 1913 her title was changed to Dean. She served as Dean until retirement in l923.
President Taylor reported that the exhibition sent to the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago included photographs, a plan of grounds, building plans, blanks showing business methods and admissions, an exhibit of library methods, a statement on the curriculum, lantern slides and a set of the Vassar Miscellany.
Antigone, in the original Greek, was presented on two nights by Vassar students under the auspices of the Greek Department. The drama was given in the Collingwood Opera House, now the Bardavon Theatre, Poughkeepsie, and was the first production of the original in America. It was directed by Professor Abby Leach of the Department of Greek.
Professor George Lyman Kittredge of Harvard University lectured on Chaucer.
The addition to the Observatory was completed.
The President's House was completed, Rossiter & Wright, architects. was built with funds bequeathed by John Guy Vassar, charter trustee and nephew of the Founder.
"The founding of the Athletic Association marked the beginning of the period in which athletics have become organized sports!" Vassar Miscellany, Oct. 1915.
The Wake Robin Club was founded under leadership of Professor Mary W. Whitney, '68. Students studied the birds of Dutchess County and made a yearly pilgrimage to Slabsides, the home of John Burroughs, near West Park, New York.
In spite of "unpropitious weather" the first woman's field day in America was held in "the oval in the garden" which had been laid out for the track events, under the supervision of Professor J. L. Moore. Events included the hundred yard dash, the running broad jump, the running high jump, and the 220 yard dash. "All this time the rain had dripped down slowly but surely. Even the cartridges for the starter's pistol grew so damp that they would not go off." '97 won the banner presented by the Athletic Association to the class with the most points in the track events. They also won the basketball game in the afternoon. "That meant another banner, and '97 was filled with joy!" The Field Day was not open to outsiders. Poughkeepsie Eagle, Nov. 11, 1895.
Joseph Jefferson lectured under the auspices of Philaletheis, the student dramatic society. "He was a very interesting speaker - most of what he said being in the line of reminiscence. He played Rip Van Winkle in Poughkeepsie in the evening, and of course a great many of the girls went - as it is not more than once or twice a year that they get a good actor in this town..." From an unpublished letter by a member of the Class of 1897. In November 1896 Jefferson visited Vassar a second time "to see his friends the Vassar girls".
William James lectured on Psychology and Relaxations.
Graduates specializing in history held a reunion which led to the formation of the Vassar Alumnae Historical Association, founded at the suggestion of Lucy Maynard Salmon, Professor of History. The Association gave many valuable books to the Library.
The Jacob P. Giraud Jr. Professorship of Natural History was established through the bequest of Jacob P. Giraud, who had earlier presented his collection of North American birds to the college. The chair was first held by Elizabeth E. Bickford, Associate Professor of Biology, 1895-1899.
Raymond House, dormitory, was completed, Francis R. Allen, architect. It was built with college funds and named in honor of Vassar's second president, Dr. John H. Raymond.
Rockefeller Hall, recitation hall, was dedicated. York & Sawyer were the architects. It was the gift of John D. Rockefeller, trustee, 1888-1905. The total cost was $99,998.75, thus coming within the limit of $ 100,000 set by Mr. Rockefeller.
Spanish refusal of United States demands concerning Cuban independence precipitated the Spanish American War. Reubena Hyde Walworth, '96, was first woman nurse in the Detention Hospital of Camp Wykoff, and died of typhoid contracted there. She was buried with military honors.
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Webb of London, active in the Fabian Society, visited the college and spoke informally on "The Scope of Democracy in England". They were the guests of Professor Herbert E. Mills.
Dr. Taylor announced that Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa had been chartered at Vassar, the first chapter at a college for women.
Harriot Stanton Blatch, '78, author and lecturer, gave a series of five lectures on "The Economic Position of Women" during the week of February 27. She also lectured at Vassar in 1902.
Ellen Swallow Richards, '70, chemist and home economist, instructor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and alumnae trustee of Vassar, lectured on "The Education and Occupations of the Twentieth Century Woman."
Josiah Royce, Professor of History and Philosophy at Harvard University, gave the Founder's Day address on "Certain Limitations of Our Thoughtful Public". He also lectured at the college in 1907 and 1909.
In his annual report President Taylor recommended a campaign for a million dollar endowment fund. He had previously noted that "Educational endowment is our greatest need."
A holiday was given for the naval parade in honor of Admiral Dewey, the hero of Manila. The College arranged for the side-wheeler Mary Powell to take students to New York. On the 30th the Admiral visited Vassar before sailing up the Hudson.
Swift Memorial Infirmary was completed, York & Sawyer, architects. It was given by Caroline Swift Atwater, '77, in memory of her father, Charles W. Swift, a charter trustee.
The College Entrance Board plan for admitting students was adopted.
The first "freshman Bible", a handbook of general information about the college, was published by the Christian Association. This was the forerunner of the Student Handbook.
The Founder's Day address was given by President Arthur Twining Hadley of Yale, husband of Helen H. Morris, '83.
The French Club was inaugurated at Vassar by the French Ambassador, M. Jules Cambon.
Bliss Perry, editor of the Atlantic Monthly, lectured on Hawthorne.
Edward Lathrop House, dormitory, was completed, Allen & Vance, architects. It was built with college funds and named in honor of Dr. Lathrop, a charter trustee.
The New England Building, designed for the departments of Biology, Physiology, Geology and Mineralogy, was completed, York & Sawyer, architects. It was the gift of the New England alumnae.
At 11:00 p.m. Ida Watson, '01, a Vassar senior, discovered a new star in Perseus at the same time as Dr. T. D. Anderson of Edinburgh.
As You Like It, was the Fourth Hall play. It was given "in a woody spot on the north side of the campus" and was the first outdoor presentation.
Miss Constance M. K. Applebee of England spent a week at the college and gave instruction in field hockey. Vassar was the first college to employ Miss Applebee.
Eliza Davison House, dormitory, was completed, Allen & Vance, architects. It was given by John D. Rockefeller in memory of his mother.
The Students' Association was granted a new charter providing limited legislative authority.
Fire at the Vassar Laundry building caused $12,000 damage.
Jane Addams, the head of Hull House, Chicago, lectured on "The College Woman and the Social Claim". She had visited the college in February 1893 and talked on the work of Hull House.
The first intercollegiate debate between women's colleges was won by Vassar over Wellesley. The Vassar debaters were: C. Mildred Thompson, '03, Elizabeth Forrest Johnson, '02, and Celia Arnold Spicer, '03. The subject was "Resolved, that the United States should subsidize a merchant marine". Vassar upheld the negative.
Professor Woodrow Wilson of Princeton gave the Founder's Day address on "Americanism."
The Philalethean Society presented The Birds of Aristophanes, translated by Elsa Hillyer White and Edna Laura Kibbe, with music by George C. Gow. The play, given on Sunset Hill, was directed by Professor Abby Leach of the Department of Greek.
The Wagner Inn was opened on Raymond Avenue, filling a long-felt need for entertainment of guests; it was managed by Mary S. Wagner, ex-'95.
Everyman, the fifteenth century morality play, was presented by Charles Frohman in the Chapel, by arrangement with the Elizabethan Stage Society of London and Ben Greet, Shakespearean actor and producer. It was the gift of an anonymous donor.
Ground broken for Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library, gift of Mary Clark Thompson as a memorial to her husband, Vassar trustee from 1885 to his death in 1899.
Vassar's charter was amended providing exemption from the limitation on the power to hold property.
Whitelaw Reid, editor of the New York Tribune, gave the Phi Beta Kappa address, "The Thing To Do".
A more liberal curriculum was put into force; the number of elective courses was increased and course offerings enriched.
William Butler Yeats lectured on "The Intellectual Revival in Ireland".
The Chapel was completed, Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, architects. It was given by Mary Thaw Thompson, '77, and Mary Morris Pratt, '80. The Chapel was dedicated on Nov. 4th. Julia Ward Howe was one of the guests.
A Vassar exhibition was prepared for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. It included models of grounds and buildings, photographs, library and departmental exhibits. The Grand Prix was awarded to Vassar.
The Frances A. Wood House, faculty dwelling at 79 Raymond Avenue, was completed, Pilcher & Tachau, architects. Miss Wood's long association with the college started in 1866. She had held the posts of Teacher of Music, Teacher of English and Assistant Lady Principal before being appointed to the librarianship, which she held from 1880-1910.
The Everyman Company, under the auspices of the Tuesday Club of Poughkeepsie, gave Shakespeare's As You Like It on the grounds of the DeGarmo residence. In the evening the same company gave Much Ado about Nothing at the Collingwood Opera House. The plays were given for the benefit of the Vassar Endowment Fund.
"In the evening the boys of the Riverview Military Academy held their annual drill on the campus for the college students. The manoeuvres were skillfully done, showing thorough training and discipline, and the college enjoyed the sight greatly. Lemonade was served to the boys after they broke ranks." Vassar Miscellany, June 1904.
$350,000 was raised in the endowment fund campaign.
Last updated: 10 November, 1999, by Jeremy R. Linden, '00.