New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-01
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE.
1T CELEBRATES THE CENTENNIAL OF
THE BIRTH OF MARY LYON
THE MEMORIAL SERMON PREACHED BY THE
REV. DIR. ARTHUR LITTLE OF DOR
CHESTER. MASS.


REV. DR. ARTHUR LITTLE. OF DOR
CHESTER. MASS.
South Hadley. Mass, Feb % (SpecIaD.-Mount
Folyoke College celebrated to-day the centennial
OF the birth OF Mary Lvon the founder and for
twelve years the president OF Mount Hoyoke Sem
mary The president OF the college delivered a
memorial address In the Congregational Church.
Holyoke. The Rev. DR. Arthur Little. of Dorches-
ter. Mass. formerly Of Chicago. preached the CEN
tennial in the village church which Is also
the coiege church. One OF the great needs OF the
institution is college chapel
DIR. Iittle's text Psalms. cxxvi. 8. They
that SOW IN tears shall reap in JOY.
He said that there is a peculiar fascination In
the work OF pioneers They deserve peculiar honors
These. however. with exceptions are tardily
bestowed. No cause has moved more tardily or
wrenched It's victories from more reluctant hands
than that OF woman in her righteous demand for
the dignity. honor. position power and influence
accorded to her by her Creator. BY him who Is
under every obligation OF truth and honor to be
her protector and companion In all honorable ser
vice, she has been habituay deprived OF her In
alienable right to lie. liberty and tho pursuit OF
happness-a painful and even disgraceful instance
Of might against right. II do not have In mind
he said, at this moment, what has come TO be
known as 'womens rights any phase OF the
suffrage question.
The wrong done woman in the past is far
deeper far more radical. than the old. hackncyed
phrase about 'womens rights suggests. The pur-
pose OF this discourse is hold up before you for
a moments the nfe, character and services OF
a pioneer. in the broad immense and now popular
and even fascinating field OF the higher education
OF women / need not mention her name; she has
no rival. OF course. | mean Mary Lyon, whose
eyes first saw the light In quiet little country
town. nesting among the hills Of western Massa-
chusetts 100 years ago to-day; who became the
iustrious founder OF Mount Holyoke Seminary
now a thoroughly equipped college II was not
only the birthday OF a great soul but OF a great
idea we'll. the germ OF new order OF Things
Born in humble home. OF sef-reliant hard
working parents tcnderly devoted to their chill
dren, the mother cheerful, capable woman dis
tinguished for her faith and prayers ard Christian
gentleness angel OF goodness among her neigH-
bors. Mary Lyon inherited sound mind In
sound body a buoyant temperament. great warm,
trusting heart. with intense energy OF body. mind
and soul When seventeen years OF age she began
to teach at i5 cents a week and board, boarding
round % cents less than she had been receiving
as her brothers housekeeper Later while teach
ing In Miss Grants Seminary at Derry. y. H..
afterward at Ipsn.-L, Mass, Mary Lyons capa-
cous soul fire with holy purpose to
found n seminary where girls coming from humble
homes, like her own, might secure broad thor
ough. all-around education. commensurate with
their capacities and opportunities for service.
EDUCATED WOMEN NOT DANGEROUS.
Mount Hoyoke Seminary has raised the stand
ard of woma hood the world over. IL has led the
way In the emancipation OF woman and esiab-
llshed beyond peradventure her indefensible right
to think. 1t has demonstrated 10 us poor men the
fact that educated women are not dangerous. not
a menace TO the home or society 1T mas made IL
possible II not easy: for every young woman 10
share with her brother either IN the same or
separate institution. all the advantages accorded
until recently exclusively TO him and thus en-
substantial equality with man. ~
And so the soul OF Mary Lyon is marching on;
while thousands in all lands rise up to-day TO call
her blessed The old building which witnessed her
early struggles and triumphs has been burned. on
borne heavenward ten thousand yet unanswered
prayers. some OF them wrung from the heart OF
Mary Lynn at the midnight hour.prayers that its
work might enlarge; prayers that the cary Spit,
OF plain living and high thinking might never
prayers that PaTopSS ana fsnds msn
that conservation to duty may forever be its watch
word. Some OF these prayers have been answered
In this fire. These devourng flames have not only
done invaluable service in preparing the way for
more commodous building or buildings, but also
in attracting the attention of the public 10 the
reasonable demands OF institution OF learning
capital than any other in the country
what its too modest faculty. alumnae and
Of fire has done Mount Hoyoke College hidden
among the hills of the Connecticut River Valley
and yet known the world over for its bcnelcerce,
has lust al present the ear OF the Christian public
May it's too late appeal not go unanswered. Sixty
years ago Mary Lyon, richly lowered of God. had
the courage as pioneer TO stand in the portico'
ment OF the century. the higher education OF wom-
en-. There be no better way TO commemorate
woman whom we honor to-day than by an ample
and generous endowment of the institution with
when me name ana Iaihe OF MY Ign VIII IGr
tion-Mount Holyoke College