Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute Archives and Special Collections
Guide to the Collection on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Women's Laboratory, 1867-1922
AC.0298
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute Archives and Special Collections
- Creator
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Women's Laboratory
- Title
- Collection on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Women's Laboratory
- ID
- AC.0298
- Date [bulk]
- Bulk, 1873-1883
- Date [inclusive]
- 1867-1922
- Extent
- 0.3 cubic feet (1 manuscript box)
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman awarded a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with the generous cooperation of the Women's Education Association of Boston which purchased microscopes and other apparatus, worked to establish a laboratory for women to study chemical analysis, mineralogy, and chemistry in space provided by MIT. According to the October 1876 announcement, "The courses are intended for such as may be able to devote their whole time to the work, as well as those who, by reason of other engagements, can spend only a few hours a week in the laboratories." Fees for an eight-month term were $200 for attendance six days per week, $80 for two days per week, and $45 for one day per week. The Women's Laboratory formally opened in November 1876 with Professor John M. Ordway in charge, assisted by Ellen Richards. The laboratory began with 23 students, many of whom were public school teachers. During its seven years of operation the laboratory served more than 500 women students. The Women's Laboratory closed in 1883 when MIT opened a building containing new laboratory space and all chemistry instruction was integrated into the regular curriculum. The collection consists of correspondence, reports, and writings concerning the formation, funding, and operation of the Women's Laboratory; annual and summary reports; and reports of accomplishments and activities of graduates. The principal correspondent is Ellen Swallow Richards; other correspondents include Francis Amasa Walker, president of MIT, and Susan Minns, class of 1881.
Citation
Collection on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Women's Laboratory, AC 298. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute Archives and Special Collections, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Historical note
Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman awarded a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with the generous cooperation of the Women's Education Association of Boston which purchased microscopes and other apparatus, worked to establish a laboratory for women to study chemical analysis, mineralogy, and chemistry in space provided by MIT. According to the October 1876 announcement, "The courses are intended for such as may be able to devote their whole time to the work, as well as those who, by reason of other engagements, can spend only a few hours a week in the laboratories." Fees for an eight-month term were $200 for attendance six days per week, $80 for two days per week, and $45 for one day per week. The Women's Laboratory formally opened in November 1876 with Professor John M. Ordway in charge, assisted by Ellen Richards. The laboratory began with 23 students, many of whom were public school teachers. During its seven years of operation the laboratory served more than 500 women students. The Women's Laboratory closed in 1883 after the MIT Corporation voted "that in view of the facilities afforded by the new chemical laboratories, and in pursuance of the wishes of the benefactors of the Woman's Laboratory, the present so-called Woman's Laboratory will be discontinued and students will be admitted to the Kidder Laboratories without distinction of sex." Ellen Richards received thanks from the Corporation for her service in November 1883. Later the next year, in April 1884, she was formally appointed assistant under Professor Nichols to give instruction in a course of sanitary chemistry. Her salary of $600 per annum was raised in May 1884 to $1,000 per annum, for a year's trial of the course, a course she continued to teach at the Institute for many years.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute Archives and Special Collections
MIT LibrariesBuilding 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139-4307
617.253.5690
mithistory@mit.edu
Revision Description
2011
Access note
The collection is open for research.
Intellectual Property Rights
Access to collections in the Institute Archives and Special Collections is not authorization to publish. Separate written application for permission to publish must be made to the Institute Archives.
Related Materials
Related Materials in the Institute Archives and Special Collections
Mind and Hand: The Birth of MIT, by Julius A. Stratton and Loretta H. Mannix. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2005.
Francis Amasa Walker Papers (MC 298)
Collection on Ellen Swallow Richards (MC 659)
Online exhibit about Ellen Swallow Richards
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Women's Laboratory
- Women's Educational Association of Boston
Personal Name(s)
- Richards, Ellen H. (Ellen Henrietta), 1842-1911
Subject(s)
- Chemistry--Study and teaching.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology--History.
- Women scientists.
- Women--Education (Higher)--History.
Collection Inventory
| Folder | ||||
|
General summary of Women's Laboratory 1867-1879 |
1 | |||
|
|
||||
|
"Money spent on little laboratory," report 1873 October |
2 | |||
|
|
||||
|
"Paper read by E. H. Richards before the Women's Educational Association," winter 1875-1876 |
3 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Subscription lists 1875-1883 |
4 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Announcement of opening of Women's Laboratory 1876 October 5 |
5 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Women's Educational Association: Report of Laboratory Committee 1876 |
6 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Committee in behalf of the Women's Educational Association to the Government of MIT circa 1876 |
7 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Accounts 1876-1883 |
8 | |||
|
|
||||
|
First Annual Report to the Women's Educational Association circa 1877 |
9 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Report of Mrs. Richards to the Women's Educational Association 1881-1882 |
10 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Report for the April 1882 Meeting of the Women's Educational Association |
11 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Six-year summary of the Women's Laboratory 1882 |
12 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Report on Women's Laboratory graduates circa 1883 |
13 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Accomplishments of MIT Women undated |
14 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Account of the planning of the Women's Laboratory by Ellen Swallow Richards undated |
15 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Description of Women's Laboratory, Ellen Swallow Richards undated |
16 | |||
|
|
||||
|
"Preliminary draft for Mrs. Richard's Criticism" undated |
17 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Unidentified manuscript concerning chemistry education at MIT |
18 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Unidentified manuscript concerning Women's Educational Association |
19 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Three unidentified manuscripts concerning Women's Laboratory |
20-22 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Mrs. G. Howland Shaw to Miss May undated |
23 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Mrs. William B. Weeden to Ellen Swallow Richards 1876 May 19 |
24 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: E. Frankland to Ellen Swallow Richards 1877 November 9 |
25 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Mrs. Charles J. Paine to Ellen Swallow Richards 1882 June 6 |
26 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: William Endicott, Jr., to Miss Waler 1883 January 25 |
27 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Francis Amasa Walker to Ellen Swallow Richards 1883 November 7 |
28 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Ellen Swallow Richards to Francis Amasa Walker 1883 November 8 |
29 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Ellen Swallow Richards to Mrs. Martin 1894 |
30 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Correspondence: Susan Minns to Mrs. Sawyer 1922 February 9 |
31 | |||
|
|
||||
|
Report from Ellen Swallow Richards to Edward Atkinson of the history of the Women's Laboratory undated |
32 | |||
|
|
||||