Clara Williams, Class of 1892

It’s October 18th and I’m officially overdue in swapping out our summer clothes for winter ones. I had planned for it last weekend but there were soccer games and birthday parties to attend, acorns to rake, and crock-pot meals to organize. And let’s be honest – I find no joy in boxing up t-shirts and shorts in exchange for turtlenecks and corduroy.

I feel like my winter clothes still have last winter/spring’s desperation clinging to them. It pains me, emotionally, to put them back on this summer-warmed, active body. It also pains me, literally, because the skinny jeans are so darn skinny.

But now that I’ve discussed tidying up, cooking and being overweight, I want to talk about women’s historical educational advancement. Whaaat? You’d rather hear about my closet? Come on, ladies…

Meet Clara C. Williams, who will become Eleanor’s sister-in-law by marrying her brother, James. She was born to Harriet and Alonzo James, of Warwick, in about 1873. Harriet was actually her father’s second wife.

His first wife (Clarissa) died in 1871, leaving behind 2-year old Kittie, and infant Elizabeth (Lizzie). Clara was the first child from this second marriage, followed by Nellie (3 years later), and Alfred (5 years later).

Her father was a farmer, originally from Sussex, New Jersey. He must have been a successful farmer because they had two servants living with them in both the 1875 and 1880 census. Also, they must have paid for Clara to attend the New Paltz Normal School (where the picture was taken).

The New Paltz Normal School began in 1884 after a fire destroyed what had formerly been a children’s academy. Its purpose was to train teachers to teach in New York State public schools. 

That means that the school was not even 10 years old when Clara graduated!

In 1938, it became an official four-year college: the State Teachers College at New Paltz. In 1947, it began offering graduate studies in education, and one year later it became one of the founding schools of the SUNY system.

Besides Clara, my grandmother attended the New Paltz Normal School and – decades later – my mom got her Master’s in Education there. (If I ever get to my grandmother being born and growing up in the album, you will see her graduation picture too!)

A lot of “firsts” in women’s higher education happened in the era of Clara’s mother, Harriet. Born in 1846, she would have been alive for the following:

• 1849 —Elizabeth Blackwell becoming the first woman to graduate from medical school (Geneva Medical School in New York)

• 1862 —Mary Jane Patterson becoming the first African-American woman to earn a bachelor’s degree. (Oberlin College in Ohio)

• 1870 —Ada Kepley becoming the first woman to graduate from an accredited law school (Union College of Law in Chicago).

I have been surprised to find that the history of women in higher education extends so far back. By 1889/90, already 17% of the bachelor degrees awarded in the U.S. went to women. Fifty years later? 41% . (I could pore over this very interesting table from the National Center for Education Statistics for hours).

So who’s who in this picture?

Clara is the sulky one in front – an old-time Maggie Gyllenhaal. Directly to her left (looking straight at us) is Carrie Tammany, of Marbletown, NY (Ulster County). Left of Carrie is Nellie Hallock, of Lake Grove, NY (Suffolk County).

Up in the middle, with her head cut-off with a pen mark is Isabel Thompson Dickerson, who will later marry a Shaw. On April 10, 1894, a Middletown Daily Press newspaper announces that Isabel has been assigned to teach in Bullville and Clara to teach in New Milford (both in Orange County, NY).

I don’t know the name of the black man in the back of the class but was amazed and pleased to see him there. By 1900, the number of black men obtaining higher education degrees was in the thousands but, from what I read, black men attending white colleges only numbered in the hundreds.

Less than two years after she begins teaching, Clara Williams marries into the Sly Family:

SLY – WILLIAMS
At Edenville, Jan. 1st, 1896, by Rev. R.H. Craig, James C. Sly and Clara, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo James Williams.

In June of the following year, 1897, she will have her first child, Katharine Evelyn (Evelyn). Her second child, Mary, will be born over ten years later, in 1909. If you’ve been following these posts, you’ll recognize Evelyn and Mary from prior pictures.

I don’t have information right now on whether Clara continued to teach after the birth of her daughters. I nearly killed myself trying to figure out the names and hometowns of her classmates at New Paltz. Why?

There’s a chance that someone might find it helpful and otherwise…I’d have to sort clothes. A lovely weekend to you all!