Sarah Parke Morrison
Location: Along N. Shelby St. between Salem High School and Ascension St. Vincent Salem Hospital, Salem (Washington County), Indiana 47167
Installed 2021 Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana University Office of the Bicentennial
ID#: 88.2021.1
Learn more at the Indiana History Blog: "Reluctant Renegade: Sarah Parke Morrison and Women's Equality at Indiana University"
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Side One
Scholar, reformer, and advocate for women’s equal education, Sarah Parke Morrison was born near here in 1833. Responding to a petition from Morrison, Indiana University narrowly voted to begin accepting women on equal terms as men in 1867. Although she was already a college graduate and teacher, Morrison enrolled at IU and became its first female graduate in 1869.
Side Two
As Adjunct Professor of English, Morrison became the first female IU faculty member in 1874. She advocated for equal representation of women as IU faculty and administrators. Morrison spoke widely for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Society of Friends. She continued her studies at IU and authored several books and poems before her death in 1919.
Annotated Text
Side One
Scholar, reformer, and advocate for women’s equal education, Sarah Parke Morrison was born near here in 1833.[1] Responding to a petition from Morrison, Indiana University narrowly voted to begin accepting women on equal terms as men in 1867.[2] Although she was already a college graduate and teacher,[3] Morrison enrolled at IU and became its first female graduate in 1869.[4]
Side Two
As Adjunct Professor of English, Morrison became the first female IU faculty member in 1874.[5] She advocated for equal representation of women as IU faculty and administrators.[6] Morrison spoke widely for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union[7] and the Society of Friends.[8] She continued her studies at IU[9] and authored several books and poems[10] before her death in 1919.[11]
[1] 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana, September 20, 1850, roll 179, page 37 (338A), line 35, accessed AncestryLibrary.com; Raysville Monthly Meeting, 1876, Henry County, Earlham College; Richmond, Indiana; Minutes, 1857; Collection: Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes “Indiana University,” [Alumni Form], 1887, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Indiana University Archives, submitted by applicant; Indiana State Board of Health, “Certificate of Death,” (Sarah Parke Morrison), July 9, 1919, Roll 13, page 532, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, accessed AncestryLibrary.com.
[2] “Educational” [Advertisement], Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, September 10, 1867, 1, Newspapers.com; “Indiana State University,” [Advertisement], Evansville Daily Journal, December 19, 1867, 1, Newspapers.com; Annual Report of Indiana University, Including the Catalogue for the Academical Year, MDCCCLXVII-VIII (Indianapolis: Samuel M. Douglass, State Printer, 1868), Indiana State Library; Sarah Parke Morrison, “My Experience at State University,” 1911, Box 1, Series: Writings, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Archives at Indiana University.
[3] Annual Catalogues of the Teachers and Pupils of the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary from 1847-1857 (Northampton: Hopkins, Bridgman & Co., n.d.), 44, HathiTrust; Sarah Parke Morrison, Schedule from Western Female College (Ohio),” 1855-56, Box 1, Series: Schedules, Archives at Indiana University; “Glendale Female College,” [Advertisement], Washington Democrat (Salem, Indiana), February 24, 1859, 4, Newspapers.com; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Town of Salem, Washington County, Indiana, June 5, 1880, page 17 (195), line 9, Family History Library Film: 803306, accessed AncestryLibrary.com; Memorial: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Western Female Seminary, Oxford, Ohio, 1880 (Indianapolis: Carlon & Hollenbeck, Printers and Binders, 1881), 208, accessed GoogleBooks; “Indiana University,” [Alumni Form], 1887, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Indiana University Archives, submitted by applicant; Indiana University, Arbutus [yearbook], 1896 (Chicago: A.L. Swift & Co. College Publications, 1896), HathiTrust.
[4] Sarah Parke Morrison, “My Experience at State University,” 1911, Box 1, Series: Writings, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Archives at Indiana University; Annual Report of Indiana University, Including the Catalogue for the Academical Year, MDCCCLXVII-VIII (Indianapolis: Samuel M. Douglass, State Printer, 1868), Indiana State Library; Annual Report of Indiana University, Including the Catalogue for the Academical Year, MDCCCLXVII-IX (Indianapolis: Samuel M. Douglass, State Printer, 1869), Indiana State Library; “Commencement at the State University,” (Greencastle) Putnam Republican Banner, July 8, 1869, 2, Hoosier State Chronicles; “Indiana News,” Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, July 12, 1869, 1, Newspapers.com; “Indiana University,” (Brookville) Indiana American, August 6, 1869, 2, Hoosier State Chronicles.
[5] Annual Report of Indiana University, Including the Catalogue for the Academical Year, MDCCCLXXIII-LXXIV (Indianapolis: Samuel M. Douglass, State Printer, 1874), Indiana State Library; Annual Report of Indiana University, Including the Catalogue for the Academical Year, MDCCCLXXIV-LXXV (Indianapolis: Samuel M. Douglass, State Printer, 1875), Indiana State Library.
[6] Sarah Parke Morrison to “Alma Mater,” January 16, 1905, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Box 1, Correspondence, Archives at Indiana University; Sarah Parke Morrison to William L. Bryan, February 22, 1905, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Box 1, Correspondence, Archives at Indiana University; Sarah Parke Morrison to Isaac Jenkinson, January 19, 1906, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Box 1, Correspondence, Archives at Indiana University; Sarah Parke Morrison to IU Board of Trustees, June 3, 1906 [Ballot for Board of Trustee Vote], Box 1, Correspondence, Archives at Indiana University; Sarah Parke Morrison to Indiana University President and Board, March 7, 1911, Sarah Parke Morrison Papers, Box 1, Correspondence, Archives at Indiana University.
[7] “Woman’s Temperance Union,” Vermont Chronicle (Bellows Falls, Vermont) November 15, 1879, 3, Newspapers.com; “Noble Women,” Critic (Washington D.C.) October 29, 1881, 1, Newspapers.com; “Work for Women,” Indianapolis Journal, January 30, 1886, 8,Chronicling America, Library of Congress; “Local Notes,” Indianapolis News, March 6, 1886, 1, Newspapers.com; “The Resurrection: Easter Exercises To-Morrow,” Indianapolis News, April 24, 1886, 1, Newspapers.com
[8] “The Quakers,” Chicago Tribune, November 15, 1877, 8, Newspapers.com; 1880 U.S. Census, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana; Roll: 284; Page: 222A; Enumeration District: 013; “The Yearly Meeting,” Richmond Item, October 1, 1892, 1, Newspapers.com; “Indiana Yearly Meeting,” Indianapolis News, September 14, 1894, 2, Newspapers.com; “The Yearly Meeting, Indianapolis Journal, September 14, 1894, 5, Newspapers.com; “At Plainfield,” (Chicago) Inter Ocean, September 17, 1894, 6, Newspapers.com;
[9] “Still A Student at 75,” New York Times, June 28, 1908, 1, Newspapers.com; “What Women Are Doing,” (New York) Sun, September 27, 1908, 22, Newspapers.com; “Men and Women,” Gazette (York, PA) December 17, 1908, 11, Newspapers.com.
[10] “Current Literature,” (Chicago) Inter Ocean, June 18, 1892, 12, Newspapers.com; Sarah P. Morrison, “Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe,” (Chicago) Inter Ocean, reprinted (Elmira, New York Star-Gazette, April 16, 1896, 4, Newspapers.com; Sarah P. Morrison, “Impromptu,” Friends Intelligencer and Journal 57 (Philadelphia: Friends Intelligencer Association, 1900), 73, accessed Google Books; “Literary Notes,” Friends Intelligencer and Journal 60 (Philadelphia: Friends Intelligencer Association, 1903), 187, accessed Google Books; Knightstown Banner, June 18, 1909, 1, Newspapers.com;
[11] Indiana State Board of Health, “Certificate of Death,” (Sarah Parke Morrison), July 9, 1919, Roll 13, page 532, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, accessed AncestryLibrary.com; “Sarah P. Morrison,” photograph of grave, Crown Hill Cemetery, Section 4, Lot 107, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, accessed Find-A-Grave; “Noted Woman Scholar Dies,” Indianapolis Star, July 10, 1919, 19, Newspapers.com.
Keywords
Women, Education, Religion