Patapsco Female Institute records

This collections contains the records of the trustees of the Paptapsco Female Institute, relating largely to the organizing (1833), financing, and dissolving (1890s) of the school. Includes correspondence, minutes, and legal papers.

As was common in the nineteenth century, the trustees leased the school buildings to principals who organized and operated the school. Therefore, few of these papers relate to the educational policy of the school. Mention is made of educational philosophy only in letters to the trustees from the principals during the early years. Letters from principals include J.H. Tyng (1836-1838), Mary Norris (1838-1840), John and Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps (1842-1851), and Margaret Mercer (1833-1836) who contemplated becoming the first principal. There is also one report (1840s) by the trustees on a commencement exercise conducted by Almira H. L. Phelps which mentions her educational methods. There are a few papers on the free scholars that the school was paid by the state to educate, but these deal with the costs of their education not their education itself.

The papers reflect the trustees larger role in the school: establishing, financing, and dissolving it. These matters are alluded to in the brief minutes of their infrequent meetings (1833-1890). Much of the collection relates to building (1833-1837) the school building, raising funds (1833-1852) through stock subscriptions and state lotteries, and dissolving (1890-1893) the school.

The papers relative to erecting and maintaining the building are filed under Trustees Building Committee Papers. They contain correspondence, including letters from the building's architect Robert Cary Long, Jr., contracts, two receipt books, and loose receipts. The lists of stock subscribers, stock certificates, and five volumes of stock records record one source of income. The trustees also received state authorization to raise funds by a lottery, and there are memoranda (1839) and letters (1840-1852) about the lotteries. There is also a cashbook (1834-1891).

Although the school was leased (not continuously) until 1890, there are few papers from the period 1852-1890. In 1890 the trustees began proceedings to dissolve the Patapsco Female Instutute. These remaining papers deal with legal actions and are in the name of trustee James Mackubin.