Grenada College facts for kids
Main building, Grenada College
|
|
|
Former name
|
Yalobusha Female Institute, Emma Mercer Institute, Grenada Female College |
|---|---|
| Active | November 30, 1850–1936 |
|
Religious affiliation
|
Baptist, Methodist |
| Location |
,
,
United States
|
Grenada College was a special school for young women. It was started by Baptists in Grenada, Mississippi in 1850.
The school had a few different names over the years. It first opened in 1851 as the Yalobusha Female Institute. Later, it was also known as the Emma Mercer Institute and the Grenada Female College.
Contents
The Start: Yalobusha Female Institute
The school officially began on November 30, 1850. This happened because the Mississippi state government passed a law to create it. They named it the Yalobusha Female Institute. The first leader of the school was Dr. W. S. Webb. He was in charge until 1857.
Lawmakers in Mississippi hoped Yalobusha would become the best school for women in the Southern states. They wanted students from all over the region to come and learn there. The school even got money to buy a very large telescope. It was the biggest one in the nearby states! There was also a big dorm building for 150 students.
Classes started in 1851. About 77 students joined the school that first year. They came from different Christian backgrounds. Classes were held in two places in Grenada: the Union Hotel and the College Inn. By 1858, the school had raised enough money to build its own main building.
A New Name: Emma Mercer Institute
The Yalobusha school closed during the American Civil War. Its buildings were used as hospitals to care for injured soldiers.
After the war ended, a woman named Mrs. Emma Holcombe bought the school building and its land. She reopened the school in 1866. By 1867, Mrs. Holcombe changed the school's name to the Emma Mercer Institute.
Under Mrs. Holcombe's leadership, the Emma Mercer Institute focused on real learning. They wanted students to gain knowledge without showing off. The school also taught students to be disciplined and polite. The main building was fully updated in 1870. The school then continued its mission to educate young women in the South.
By 1875, the school faced money problems. A local group called the Grange tried to buy it. They wanted to turn it into a school for practical skills, but they were not successful. Instead, a group of investors bought the property. They changed the school's name again, calling it the Grenada Female College.
Becoming Grenada College
In June 1882, the Grenada Female College was put up for sale. The Methodist church bought it. In 1884, they renamed it Grenada College.
By 1915, Grenada College offered two types of degrees. Students could earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Letters. The school had 13 teachers at this time.
In 1936, the college again faced money troubles. The Methodist church decided to close the school. They gave its money and property to Millsaps College. The old Grenada College buildings were eventually torn down in the 1980s.
People Who Made a Difference
- George Robert Hightower
- Blanche Colton Williams — She was an author and led the English department at Grenada College. Later, she became the head of the English department at Hunter College.
