 Women’s
College Given New Name
“Flora Stone Mather” Chosen
to Honor
Beloved Benefactor
Plain Dealer February 22, 1931
The
College for Women of Western Reserve University, known under that
name since its founding in 1888, was renamed “Flora Stone Mather
College” by the university board of trustees yesterday.
President
Robert E. Vinson, announcing the action of the board, said that for
some year the question of a distinctive name for the college has
been under consideration, and that in accordance with a suggestion
originating in the alumnae association, the change was made.
Other
universities will at once receive formal announcement that the college
has been given its new name “in loving and grateful memory
of one who in its early days needed support and who through personal
service over many years helped to mold its character and ideals.”
“Wife
of First Citizen”
Flora
Stone Mather, who died in 1909, was the wife of Samuel Mather, Cleveland’s “first
citizen.” She was the daughter of the late Amasa Stone,
who refounded Western Reserve University and brought it from Hudson,
O., to Cleveland in 1882. Mrs. Mather was a sister of Adelbert
Stone, for whom Adelbert College was named.
The
removal of Western Reserve University to the city came at just the
time when increasing numbers of women were seeking higher education. So
many applied for admission that the university, faced with opposition
by men students, established a separate college for women during
the presidency of Dr. Hiram C. Haydn.
Mrs.
Mather built the first dormitory for the college, naming it Guilford
House, in memory of Miss Lucinda Guilford, the first woman teacher
at Reserve. She also gave Haydn Hall, the commons building
of the college.
Shortly
after her death Samuel Mather and his children erected the Flora
Stone Mather Memorial, the main teaching and administrative unit
of the college. A $500,000 addition was made to this building
last year.
Flora
Stone Mather House, another dormitory, was presented the college
by alumnae and friends. Before her death Mrs. Mather and her
sister, the late Mrs. John Hay, gave Amasa Stone Chapel to Adelbert
College.
Besides
all these material gifts given directly or inspired by Mrs. Mather,
she had always taken a personal and active interest in the management
of the college, visiting it daily and assisting in all its problems. She
was president o the college advisory council and for 20 years took
friendly interest in all its officers from president down to janitors.
“The
change of the formal name of the college to Flora Stone Mather College
of Western Reserve University is wise and fitting,” Dr. Charles
F. Thwing, president emeritus of the university, said last night. “The
change has important historical, institutional and personal meanings. For
many years the suggestion has been made and has been brought to a
conclusion by the progressive president, Dr. Vinson.
Well
Beloved
“Mrs.
Mather throughout her life was most beloved and useful. She
was a member of many societies and associations of Cleveland to which
she gave her wisdom and personality as well as her wealth. To
name these societies would be to name more than a score of great
organizations.
“To
all these interests she brought a keen intellect, a broad and discriminating
appreciation of human values, a judgment wise and solid, a warm heart,
and a deep sympathy with suffering. Her breadth of understanding
was joined with a noble judgment on problems of both the community
and the individual. The formal action giving her name to the
college she helped to found, and which she loved, will be heartily
approved by the whole community.”
Miss
Helen M. Smith, dean of the college, declared that the change to
a distinctive name realized the hope of the faculty and alumnae for
years, and that “no name could have been more appropriate.”
“Mrs.
Mather was a sweet one,” said Frieda Wanser, Guilford House
dining room maid for the past 37 years, when told of the change. “She
used to be at the college very day. At lunchtime she would
drop in at Guilford to eat with the girls having just what they had. She
knew every girl and every maid, and was always trying to help everyone. There
was never anyone like her.
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