Women's Education Association (WEA) was an American organization focused on better education of women. Founded in 1872, it did a large and varied work. Among other good things, it established training schools for nurses, diet kitchens, and cooking schools, including the
Boston Cooking School (1878), the Harvard Examination, the Women's Laboratory, and a summer home for working girls.
History
The Women's Education Association was founded by
Lucretia Crocker, in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
in 1872. Its object is to promote the better education of women, both by gathering information about improved methods of study and teaching and by affording opportunity to its new members to initiate new educational plans. It has about 120 members, with standing committees for executive work. It meets at the house of one of its members once a month, and at each meeting these committees are expected to report any important facts which have come under their notice, and the progress of the work committed to their charge. During each month a special meeting is aleo beld, when members and friends are present and an address is given by some person specially conversant with the subject upon which he speaks.
It has thus been the means of organizing a Training School for Nurses, at present in successful operation in connection with the
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...
. It bas helped to establish Diet Kitchens for supplying suitable food to the sick poor, and they are now a valuable part of the benevolent work of the city. By its parlor meetings it has stimulated the interest long felt in the introduction of sewing into the girls' schools, which is now taught with marked success. In the same way public attention was called to the necessity of establishing a separate prison for women.
The aid of the Association was also given to the formation of a class of women for the study of advanced chemistry at the laboratory of the Girls' High School. This class was found to meet so great a want that a chemical laboratory has been fitted up in connection with the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
, and furnished by money collected by the association with apparatus and instruments, such as microscopes, spectroscopes, &c. From time to time pecuniary aid has also been given to young women seeking an advanced education.
But the chief work of the Association —the first undertaken and still carried on under its charge- is a plan of examinations known as the Harvard Examinations for Women. These originated in a desire to raise the standard of education in the schools for girls, and are held under the personal supervision of members of the Association. Examination papers, prepared by Professors at Harvard University, are provided by the Association, and those women who successfully pass this examination receive a certificate from the university stating the fact. Branch societies have been established in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, and
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
for the same purpose.
References
Attribution
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Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Women's Education Association
Women's education in the United States
1872 establishments in Massachusetts
Education in Boston
Defunct organizations based in Massachusetts
Women in Boston