"What Branch of Study is Most Important in the Education of a Young Lady," by Ellen Lyon

Ellen Lyon discusses how women's education should be structured and what subjects should be included in an essay entitled "What Branch of Study is Most Important in the Education of a Young Lady." "Within a few years female education has received more attention and has undergone a material change," as Lyon notes. While "a young lady is expected also to have an acquaintance with the sciences," Lyon explains that studying "philosophy and chemistry... are the most important." Ellen Lyon's father, George Armstrong Lyon (Class of 1800), is a member of the Board of Trustees from 1815 to 1833. Transcript included.