Tag: NC historic newspapers

La Vallee Female Seminary

From the front page of the North Carolina Standard, January 7, 1836
From the front page of the North Carolina Standard, January 7, 1836

 

Tippoo S. Brownlow, owner of the La Vallee Female Seminary, placed this advertisement recruiting students to his new school in an 1836 issue of the North Carolina Standard.  The school was in operation from 1833-1850, and was located between Halifax and Warrenton, North Carolina.  The La Vallee Female Seminary was run out of a small building behind what is now known as the Gray-Brownlow-Willcox House.  The school building had two floors in which there would have been space for classes to be conducted and for students to eat meals and socialize, and an attic area which was likely the living quarters for the students.  La Vallee Female Seminary was forced to close in 1850, when Brownlow could no longer support the school financially.

 

The Gray-Brownlow-Willcox House, as pictured in The Historic Architecture of Halifax County, North Carolina
The Gray-Brownlow-Willcox House, as pictured in The Historic Architecture of Halifax County, North Carolina

 

The La Vallee Female Seminary was benefited by an experienced staff.  Brownlow had also run a school called the La Vallee Academy elsewhere in Halifax County in the late 1820s, before moving his school to the grounds of the Gray-Brownlow-Willcox House.  In addition, the advertisement includes testimonies to the ability of La Vallee’s principal.  Mrs. Emma McElvey had previously taught at a female seminary in Schenectady, New York, and her success in that position is attested to by no less than the mayor and the First Judge of Schenectady, the City physician, and several ministers.

It is interesting to note the course offerings at La Vallee Female Seminary.  The courses one would expect to see offered at a ladies’ finishing school might include subjects like music and painting.  However, La Vallee offered its young ladies courses in chemistry, astronomy, history, geography, and algebra.  The course listings for music and art lessons appear at the end of the advertisement, as these courses incurred extra fees.

This advertisement comes from the oldest issue of a North Carolina newspaper that has become available on Chronicling America thus far.  View the full advertisement here.

Thoughts on North Carolina’s Youth – One Century Ago

From the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America newspaper site, we selected an issue of the The Watauga Democrat that was published 99 years ago to see what was on the minds of North Carolinians in 1915. In addition to debates familiar to us now about “pistol-toters” and the best ways to avoid the common cold, there was also a debate concerning child labor laws.

newspaper clipping from The Watauga Democrat
From front page of The Watauga Democrat, January 28, 1915.

Millennial is currently a buzz word in the media. In an age where children are “born digital,” it is understandable that people are concerned about the social and psychological development of the next generation. But what were our thoughts on the rising generation a century ago? During this time, child labor was heavily debated. Laborers served a vital function in the newly forming companies and trades. Because of the need of workers, arguments such as “children are better fitted for some trades than adults” and “children are much better off employed in the factories than idle and out of school” were considered valid points for a growing economy. Take a closer look at the article here and discover more about the history of child labor laws in North Carolina.