Mary Easton Sibley's Education and the Influence of 19th Century Social Movements
Start Date
9-4-2024 12:00 AM
Description
Mary Easton Sibley, the founder of Lindenwood University, was an ambitious and strong-willed woman who promoted educational opportunities for women and minority groups. Biographers of Sibley tend to portray her promotion of education as an effort to empower (and equalize) women and minorities. In addition, they claim that Sibley expressed attitudes of education and society that were ahead of her time. However, while Mary promoted education for all, she did not promote the same education for everyone. Instead, she imagined education tailored to women, African Americans, Native Americans, and immigrants that would reflect what she considered the “proper” roles played by each in society. This research explores what elements of Sibley’s preparation of women and minorities for what she considered to be their proper roles in society display her being a product of her time.
Recommended Citation
Gentry, Andrea, "Mary Easton Sibley's Education and the Influence of 19th Century Social Movements" (2024). 2024 Student Academic Showcase. 6.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/src_2024/Oral_Presentations/Session1/6
Mary Easton Sibley's Education and the Influence of 19th Century Social Movements
Mary Easton Sibley, the founder of Lindenwood University, was an ambitious and strong-willed woman who promoted educational opportunities for women and minority groups. Biographers of Sibley tend to portray her promotion of education as an effort to empower (and equalize) women and minorities. In addition, they claim that Sibley expressed attitudes of education and society that were ahead of her time. However, while Mary promoted education for all, she did not promote the same education for everyone. Instead, she imagined education tailored to women, African Americans, Native Americans, and immigrants that would reflect what she considered the “proper” roles played by each in society. This research explores what elements of Sibley’s preparation of women and minorities for what she considered to be their proper roles in society display her being a product of her time.