The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-08
LOCATION OF SCHOOL BUILDING
IDEAS CURRENT AT THE TINE ON
EDUCATION FOR WOMEN.
List of Students of the Then 81.
Mary's Seminary Contains Names
That Are Familiar to Many.


girl of eighteen. 1t is the catalogue OF the
first young ladies' school, in Indianapo-
lis, and is one of the most interesting
relics of the early days of the Hoosier
capital. On its title page is printed st.
Mary's Seminary. Indianapolis. June q.
1919, and on the crumbling pages between
its time-worn covers is found the names OF
the board OF trustees, the board OF visit
ors," the list of teachers. the names OF
all the pupils at that time, and an ad-
dress delivered to a graduating class by
the Rev. Andrew wylie. who was the
first president of Indiana University at
Bloomington.
Only the ''old timers of Indianapolis
have any recollection of this school. which
once stood just behind Christ Church.
facing Meridian street, opposite the site
on which is situated the beautiful new Pub
lie Library building. Where the picturesque
little schoolhouse once stood there is
a vacant lot, surrounded by a high board
fence, which pasted from week TO
week the bills advertising current theatrical
attractions. If the good folks who con-
trolled the destines of the school in those
early times were 10 come back to earth
to-day and view the highly colored post
ers often Illustrating extremely frivouous
entertainments, how terribly shocked they
would be. How they would hold up their
hands in horror at the spectacle presented
brightly illumined pictures of the world,
the flesh and the devil, shining forth In
all their shamelessness from the very cor
ner of the town which was once the home
Of innocence and modesty, and which was
held in such reverence throughout all GEN.
trail Indiana that the daughters OF all those
pioneer farmers who could afford it came
from miles around to be educated within
its honored precincts.
THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
The school building was squatty, square
brick structure. with two huge chimneys
of the old-fashioned type, extending from
the foundation to the roof, at the north
and south ends of the building. In front
was a little "lean-to" porch, sheltering the
main entrance which led into wide hall
that extended the length OF the house.
On either side of this hall were two large
rooms. with corresponding rooms upstairs.
In those days there were few buildings In
this city of such size. and the schoolhouse
was considered very pretentious structure
indeed. 1t was surrounded by magnificent
these trees disappeared one by one. until
there was left hut one lonely, scraggly
pine. which stood unmolested until about
fifteen years ago. and which many OF this
generation will recall. The school building
was purchased. after the school had been
discontinued, by the owner of the old Pyle
House. the adjoining hostelry, which was
in those days an important lodging place.
and which until recently has been used as a
boarding house. The structure is soon to
be torn down and on its site will be erect
ed large business block. The school build
ing was connected with the hotel by long,
fiat-roofed passageway. which had a row
of windows facing the street.
Nothing could give a better idea Of the
narrow views that were held at the time
of the old seminary's prosperity regarding
the station and education of women than
the address on 1.-The Art Of Thinking"
which was made by the Rev. Andrew
Wyie and which appears In full In the
tattered old pamphlet And yet Mr.. wyiie
was one of the brainy men of his day, and
advocated what he termed the higher
education of women" Though the grad
uating class before which the address was
delivered, was composed of young women
or young ladies"-from eighteen to twenty
years of age, the advice given them by
Mr. wylie would be laughed at to-day IL
offered to a number OF up-to-date little
school misses Of an intermediate depart
ment.
Mr. wylie was made the first president OF
the State University after that institution
had dropped its old name OF State Semi
nary in 1929. He was born I'm 1859 In west
ern Pennsylvania and was the son OF Adam
wylie a native of County Antrim. Ireland.
who emigrated to this country In 1776. An
drew worked hard throughout his boyhood
on his fathers farm fin the newly-opened
State of Pennsylvania. He studied at night
and by the hardest sort of work was at last
able TO enter jefferson College. and after
graduating from there he was made its
president during the war OF 1872. He was a
hard. plain-spoken man. like many others
| among the big men of his day. and. al
| though he made many enemies by his
| brusque. uncivil manners. he had a host OF
loyal friends who understood and appre-
ciated his learning and fine mind. The
speech that he made before the young
women OF st Maryland there are many
of them alive to-day among the oldest In
habitants who will recall his words with
this article TO freshen their memories-is
all the more interesting TO the people OF the
present time on account OF his standing AZ
one of the leading educators OF old In
dianapolis.
NOT FRIVOLOUS BEING.
In speaking of women in general he said:
woman is not by nature frivolous being.
She is not mans superior. all thirgs con-
sidered, though in some ways she is. She
! is not mans equal. all things con-
sidered. though in some ways she is. But
she is fit to be his companion and fellow.
and. as a very remarkable idiomatic phrase
! in Hebrew has been not inaptly rendered in
our common version OF the Bible. "A help
mate for him. In regard TO marriage
after leaving school. Mr.. Wylie addressed
! his hearers thus: I'm the FIRST place. the
management OF house and OF household
affairs will devolve upon you. For. as to
boarding out-though IL may be at first the
easiest way for the young married woman
no man. suppose. who is not a single man.