Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker

Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker

This historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The Southern Female University located in this vicinity was created in 1889 by Florence businessmen led by Judge William B. Wood and Alabama Baptist led by Rev. Dr. J.B. Hawthorne...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
Format: Electronic
Published: Auburn University Libraries
Subjects:
Cultural resources
Online Access:https://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/1329
format Electronic
collection Alabama Cultural Resource Survey Collection
building Auburn University
publisher Auburn University Libraries
topic Cultural resources
spellingShingle Cultural resources
Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
fulltopic Cultural resources
Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description This historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The Southern Female University located in this vicinity was created in 1889 by Florence businessmen led by Judge William B. Wood and Alabama Baptist led by Rev. Dr. J.B. Hawthorne. The church connection was discontinued by a vote of the Alabama Baptist Association prior to opening date. The SFU was housed in a five-story Renaissance style building 220 feet long and 121 feet wide. It contained a chapel that could seat 750 people, sixteen recitation rooms, fifty bedrooms, a gymnasium, and thirty-eight classrooms. SFU opened on September 15, 1891, with 19 faculty members and about 125 students drawn from most Southern states. The students were offered five academic programs, three of which led to degrees, and two to certificates. Despite a successful first year, the University began the second year with major problems. It was located about one mile from downtown. Streets and sidewalks from Seven Points were unpaved, no streetcar service existed and the water supply was inadequate. On October 14, 1892, the University left Florence and moved to Birmingham which had offered significant support to encourage the move." The text on side two reads: "The SFU building stood vacant from 1892 to 1908. In the spring of 1908 N. C. Elting, Florence banker, announced that the Florence University for Women with a music conservatory would be established. The building was refurbished. A faculty was employed and a catalog was issued announcing that classes would begin in September. Fifty students enrolled the first day. The curriculum was a blend of old and new courses. Young ladies who wanted to prepare for the traditional role in the home could study classical and modern language, literature, music, art, elocution, history and science along with dressmaking, sewing, cooking, and household economics. Students who wanted to train for employment outside the home could take courses in teacher training, shorthand, typewriting, and bookkeeping. Eleven degrees and four certificates were granted at the end of the first year. A school annual The Varsity, was issued describing campus organizations including the YWCA, Tennis Club, Basketball Club, Kodak Club, Georgia Club and Fudge Club. The second year started with 112 students and additional faculty and courses. The third academic year began with great expectations but the University was permanently closed in early April 1911 when a fire burned the building and all equipment. Students were transferred to other institutions when no suitable replacement building could be found in Florence."
spelling Southern Female University/Florence University for Women MarkerDylan Tucker, University of North Alabama Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, ALThis historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The Southern Female University located in this vicinity was created in 1889 by Florence businessmen led by Judge William B. Wood and Alabama Baptist led by Rev. Dr. J.B. Hawthorne. The church connection was discontinued by a vote of the Alabama Baptist Association prior to opening date. The SFU was housed in a five-story Renaissance style building 220 feet long and 121 feet wide. It contained a chapel that could seat 750 people, sixteen recitation rooms, fifty bedrooms, a gymnasium, and thirty-eight classrooms. SFU opened on September 15, 1891, with 19 faculty members and about 125 students drawn from most Southern states. The students were offered five academic programs, three of which led to degrees, and two to certificates. Despite a successful first year, the University began the second year with major problems. It was located about one mile from downtown. Streets and sidewalks from Seven Points were unpaved, no streetcar service existed and the water supply was inadequate. On October 14, 1892, the University left Florence and moved to Birmingham which had offered significant support to encourage the move." The text on side two reads: "The SFU building stood vacant from 1892 to 1908. In the spring of 1908 N. C. Elting, Florence banker, announced that the Florence University for Women with a music conservatory would be established. The building was refurbished. A faculty was employed and a catalog was issued announcing that classes would begin in September. Fifty students enrolled the first day. The curriculum was a blend of old and new courses. Young ladies who wanted to prepare for the traditional role in the home could study classical and modern language, literature, music, art, elocution, history and science along with dressmaking, sewing, cooking, and household economics. Students who wanted to train for employment outside the home could take courses in teacher training, shorthand, typewriting, and bookkeeping. Eleven degrees and four certificates were granted at the end of the first year. A school annual The Varsity, was issued describing campus organizations including the YWCA, Tennis Club, Basketball Club, Kodak Club, Georgia Club and Fudge Club. The second year started with 112 students and additional faculty and courses. The third academic year began with great expectations but the University was permanently closed in early April 1911 when a fire burned the building and all equipment. Students were transferred to other institutions when no suitable replacement building could be found in Florence."Alabama Cultural Resource Survey11/09/2015Texthttps://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/1329“Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
title Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker
titleStr Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker
author Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
author_facet Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
id AUcultural1329
url https://omeka.lib.auburn.edu/items/show/1329
_version_ 1788802434730033152

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