The Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens facilitated women's education before University of Georgia accepted female students.

The Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens facilitated women's education before University of Georgia accepted female students. / University Of Georgia

Women's educational opportunities in the 19th Century were few and far between. Finishing schools focused on women's socialization and skills like art, music and French, rather than a rigorous academic curriculum.

The Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens aimed to change that. It opened in 1859 and taught women finishing school skills alongside math and science classes. The institute cemented Athens as a place for women's education in the South.

 "On Second Thought" host Virginia Prescott speaks with Fran Teague and Kristen Gragg.

Fran Teague is a professor of theatre, film studies and English at the University of Georgia. She, along with UGA student Kristen Gragg, joined "On Second Thought" to discuss their research on the Lucy Cobb Institute and the history of women's education in Athens.

 

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Tags: HIgher education  Women's History Month  University of Georgia  Atlanta  Georgia  Macon  Savannah