Barleywood Female University facts for kids
| Type | Women's College |
|---|---|
| Active | 1852–1853 |
| Location |
Rochester
,
,
|
| Campus | Urban |
Barleywood Female University was a special school for young women in Rochester, New York. It didn't last very long, but it was important because it was one of the first places in New York where women could go for advanced learning. It also had a connection to the University of Rochester.
Contents
A New School for Women
After the University of Rochester opened in 1850, it was only for men. Local leaders in Rochester thought it was important for women to have a college too.
In 1851, two important people worked together to start Barleywood Female University. One was Azariah Boody, a railroad investor. The other was Lewis H. Morgan, who studied human societies. The school was also sometimes called Rochester Female College.
Opening the University
People in the community helped by promising $15,000 to open Barleywood. Azariah Boody also gave the land for the school's campus.
Boody became the president of the new university. Morgan was part of the group that managed the school, called the board of trustees.
Barleywood opened its doors in 1852. Many people from the University of Rochester supported it. Some teachers from the men's university even chose to teach at Barleywood.
Why Barleywood Was Important
Azariah Boody created a brochure to tell people about the college. He wrote that women's education should be just as good and affordable as education for men. He believed that schools for women should be just as strong as men's colleges. He also said that to make these schools truly helpful, they needed a lot of money to support them forever.
Challenges and Closure
Even though Barleywood started well, it soon faced money problems. The college ended up in debt and had to close in 1853.
After it closed, Azariah Boody gave the land where the college stood to the University of Rochester.
The Future of Women's Education in Rochester
People tried to restart Barleywood or create another women's college in Rochester, but these attempts didn't work.
It wasn't until 1898 that the University of Rochester started letting both men and women attend. This change happened a lot because of women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony. She worked hard to convince people that women should be able to go to the university.
