Peabody Hall
History
- Peabody was founded in 1853.
- It opened on September 20, 1855.
- In 1895, a college charter was granted by the state and the name was changed from “The Western Female Seminary” to “The Western College for Women” as a part of the charter.
- At one point it housed all the Seminary’s rooms including: the class rooms, the library, the dining room, the kitchens, the chapel, the administrative offices and the dormitories.
- At this time, it houses the offices of the faculty and Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (Western College Program) as well as serving as a dorm for students enrolled in that program.
- The current hall is a memorial to the Western Female Society.
Architecture
- The original building was erected in 1855.
- The original building had 160 rooms. Its height in front was 264’ with north and south wings extending 93’ in depth.
- The original burnt down in January, 1860.
- The second building was erected in 1861.
- The second burnt in April, 1871.
- The third building was completed in 1872.
- The third building resembles the second in it general plan.
- The main addition was the long south wing with a dining room below and a chapel above.
- As a dormitory, Peabody has capacity for 190 students.
- Extensive rehabilitation of the hall took place in 1974.
Significant Events
- In 1905, Helen Peabody was honored on the 50th anniversary of the building and it was named after her. This commemorated her service of 33 years as president of the school (1855-1888).
Fun Facts
- Peabody Hall was formally affectionately known as “The Sem”.
- The first fire was caused by a defective flue.
- The second fire was caused by an overheated kitchen oven.
- The curriculum for the school was modeled on the Mount Holyoke “system”.
- The school offered one degree at its start, the Bachelor of Arts degree, for liberal arts studies to which a specialized vocational training specialty could be added.
- The student expenses were a blanket fee of $1300 which covered all college fees except instruction in applied music and riding.
- The scholarships were offered as high as $800 and were available to all students.
- The student costs were approximately $2100 per student. This was what it was expected to cost to educate a student at Western College.
- The purpose of the school was “That every being that God has made is to be strengthened and ennobled for His service, through a plan of study, discipline, and social order.”
