Women and Philanthropy in Education

This Book Illuminates the philanthropic impulse that has influenced women's education and its place in the broader history of philanthropy in America. Contributing to the history of women, education, and philanthropy, Women and Philanthropy in Education shows how voluntary activity and home-grown educational enterprise were as important as big donors in the development of philanthropy. The essays in this book are concerned with local as well as national effects of philanthropy, discussing not only the importance of large monetary support but also the impact of smaller, timely gifts and the giving of time. Each provides an in-depth view of a particular figure, group, or institution, and examines the impact of the philanthropic impulse within a particular setting or set of circumstances where women lent their support to education. Many of the essays focus on the individual lives of female philanthropists (Olivia Sage, Martha Berry, Catharine Beecher) and offer personal portraits of philanthropy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These essays provide evidence of the key role played by women in the development of philanthropy and its importance to the education of women.