Lucy Cobb Institute facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lucy Cobb Institute |
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200 Block, North Milledge Avenue
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| Information | |
| Established | 1859 |
| Founder | Thomas R.R. Cobb |
| Closed | 1931 |
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Lucy Cobb Institute Campus
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 200 N. Milledge Ave., University of Georgia campus, Athens, Georgia |
| Built | 1858 |
| Architect | W.W. Thomas |
| Architectural style | Early Republic, Octagon Mode, Regency |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000377 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
The Lucy Cobb Institute was a special girls' school located in Athens, Georgia, United States. It was started in 1859 by Thomas R.R. Cobb. He named the school after his daughter, Lucy, who sadly passed away at age 14 just before the school opened. The school aimed to give girls a strong education.
A beautiful building called the Seney-Stovall Chapel was added later. Its cornerstone was placed in 1882, and the unique octagonal building was finished in 1885. The Lucy Cobb Institute taught girls until 1931, when it closed its doors.
Today, the campus of the Lucy Cobb Institute is part of the University of Georgia. It houses the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The campus is also recognized as a historic place, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Contents
History of the School
Why the School Started
In 1854, a local newspaper in Athens, Georgia, published an article titled "The Education of Our Girls." This article was written by Laura Cobb Rutherford, who used the pen name "Mother." She wrote about how girls in the South did not have enough opportunities for good education.
Laura believed that girls had the same intelligence as boys. She argued that girls deserved the same chances to learn and grow their minds. Her brother, Thomas R.R. Cobb, read the article. He was a lawyer and a father to several daughters. Inspired by the article, he began raising money to create a new school just for girls.
Opening the School
The people in charge of the school bought eight acres of land in Athens. This land is now known as Milledge Avenue. The Lucy Cobb Institute officially opened on January 10, 1859. Its first principal was R. M. Wright.
Later, a former student of the Lucy Cobb Institute, Mildred Lewis Rutherford, became the leader of the school in 1880. She was often called "Miss Millie." She was known for her strong personality and her speeches about Southern traditions. She was a very memorable figure at the school.
Building the Seney-Stovall Chapel
"Miss Millie" felt that the girls at the school needed their own chapel. She encouraged them to write letters asking for money to build one. In 1881, a student named Nellie Stovall wrote a lovely letter to a man named George I. Seney. He was so touched that he donated $10,000 to build the chapel.
The chapel was designed by a local architect named William Winstead Thomas. It is a unique octagonal building made of red brick. In 1986, the famous band R.E.M. even recorded two songs in the chapel for a documentary film.
When Miss Millie retired in 1895, her sister, Mrs. M.A. Lipscomb, took over as principal. Both Mildred Rutherford and Mary Ann Lipscomb were nieces of the school's founder, Thomas R.R. Cobb.
The School's Closing
The Lucy Cobb Institute became a very well-known school for girls. It was praised throughout the South for teaching good manners and traditional skills. However, the school faced tough times during the Great Depression. It could not stay open and closed its doors in 1931.
After the school closed, the University of Georgia took over the campus. The main building was used as a dormitory for women and later for storage. In 1997, a big effort was made to restore the old buildings, including the Seney-Stovall Chapel. Today, the former Lucy Cobb Institute campus is home to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Notable Alumnae
Many talented women attended the Lucy Cobb Institute. Some of them include:
- Julia Flisch
- Moina Michael
- Caroline Love Goodwin O'Day
- Mildred Lewis Rutherford
- Josephine Wilkins
