Abby Leach

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Abby Leach

Abby Leach (born May 28, 1855 in Brockton , Massachusetts , † December 29, 1918 in Poughkeepsie , New York ) was an American classical philologist and university professor . She was the first female student at Harvard University and taught at Vassar College from 1883 until her death .

Life

Abigail "Abby" Leach, the daughter of Marcus (1818-1910) and Eliza Paris Bourne Leach (1824-1887), received a good education in her youth and taught Greek at various schools from 1872 : from 1872 to 1873 at Brockton High School, at the Oread Institute from 1873 to 1878 , where she was appointed Preceptress in 1876 . She wanted to study at Harvard University , at which the matriculation of women was not planned at the time. However, Leach achieved in 1878 that she was allowed to attend lectures by Professors William Watson Goodwin , Francis James Child and James B. Greenough . After the press became aware of her case, more women asked to graduate from Harvard University. Finally, in 1879, the educator and banker Arthur Gilman founded the Harvard Annex for the academic education of women. This Harvard annex later became Radcliffe College . Leach continued her studies until 1882 and also taught at a Latin school for girls from 1880 to 1883.

In 1883 Leach received an academic post as a Greek teacher at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie , where she served her entire life. This college awarded her honorary Bachelor and Master degrees (A. B. and A. M.) in 1885 . From 1886 to 1887 Leach undertook her first educational trip to Europe, traveling to Italy, Sicily and Greece and attending lectures at the University of Leipzig . She later returned often to the Mediterranean countries and also toured Egypt . At Vassar College she was appointed Assistant Professor of Greek in 1888, and Professor of Greek in 1896.

As a staunch advocate of higher education for women and as an academic teacher, Leach was well respected in professional circles. From 1888 until her death she was a member of the governing committee of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (as the only female member at the time). In 1899/1900 she was president of the American Philological Association , in 1900/1901 president of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae . Her publications dealt mainly with questions of university organization, women's education and Greek intellectual history.

Fonts (selection)

  • The Ideal Curriculum for a Woman's College . In: Publications of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae . December 1898, pp. 17-21
  • The Athenian Democracy in the Light of Greek Literature . In: American Journal of Philology . Volume 21 (1900), pp. 361-377
  • Hindrances to the Intellectual Life in College . In: Journal of the American Association of University Women . February 1908, pp. 76-83
  • The Fatalism of the Greeks . In: American Journal of Philology . Volume 36 (1915), pp. 373-401

literature

  • Charles Burton Gulick : Leach, Abby . In: Dictionary of American Biography . Volume 11 (1933), p. 72.
  • Ann Townsend Zwart: Leach, Abby . In: Notable American Women 1607-1950. A Biographical Dictionary . Volume 2 (1971), pp. 379f.
  • Ward W. Briggs : Leach, Abby . In: Derselbe (ed.): Biographical Dictionary of North American Classicists . Westport, CT / London: Greenwood Press 1994, ISBN 978-0-313-24560-2 , p. 349.
  • Ward W. Briggs: Abby Leach (1855-1918) . In: The Classical World . Volume 90 (1996/1997), pp. 97-105

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Leach, Abby
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American classical philologist
DATE OF BIRTH May 28, 1855
PLACE OF BIRTH Brockton , Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH December 29, 1918
Place of death Poughkeepsie , New York