History of Mt. Pleasant Female Seminary

ROMMEL, BELDEN, BELDON, MCCULLOUGH, BUDDE, JOBES, WORTHINGTON, DILLON, SCHWENKER, CHALFONT, WHITING, ROSS, ALLEN

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 10/12/2014 at 15:12:54

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF FEMALE SEMINARY GIVEN AT L.L.A.

Mount Pleasant Female Seminary was the subject for a most interesting sketch by Mrs. Stella Budde Rommel, which was read at the meeting of the Ladies' Library Association on Monday afternoon.

On account of the serious illness of Dr. Rommel, Mrs. Rommel was unable to be present and the paper was read by Mrs. Peter Salzman.

Dr. Rommel who has been for a life-time a noted musician and instructor in music is associated in the minds of the older residents of the community, with the Mt. Pleasant Female Seminary established in 1864, which closed its doors in 1879.

For so many years after the Seminary was abandoned, Dr. Rommel continued his residence in the old building, his sister-in-law Miss McCullough and niece, Miss Beldon comprising his household. The hospitality of that spacious home is still well remembered, especially by the musical coterie of the community. Dr. Rommel was later connected for many years with Iowa Wesleyan and has of recent years made his home with his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Stella Budde Rommel and her family. It was for this reason that Mrs. Rommel was asked to give the historical sketch of this old institution of learning, Mt. Pleasant Female Seminary.

FOUR STORY BUILDING.
The big four story red brick building which stood just beyond the gates of the State Hospital grounds where now a small stucco house and an oil station now stands, according to Mrs. Rommel, was built for an inn in the late fifties.

The place where the hospital switch is located was at that time the terminal of the railway and what is now Washington street, was the main route for travel east and west. When the depot was located about two blocks east of where it now stands, the inn lost patronage and the owner, Mr. Jobes having become in debt to Mr. Chalfont, the father of Mrs. Worthington and Mrs. Dillon, Mr. Chalfont had to take over the building, which he sold in 1862 to Mr. Bergen a Presbyterian minister who started a girl's school, but next year sold it to Rev. E.L. Belden and Miss M.C. McCullough, a sister of Mrs. Belden, while another sister became the wife of Dr. Rommel.

SCHOOL PROSPERS.
The school so prospered that the addition was built four stories and much larger than the original structure. Here the Mt. Pleasant Female Seminary flourished. The first class was graduated in 1866 - Miss Schwenker was a member of that class. From later classes were graduated Mrs. Belle Chalfont Worthington, Mrs. Flora Chalfont Dillon, Miss Fannie Ross, all living in Mt. Pleasant today; also Mrs. May Whiting Allen, who was here in the college library last year.

125 ENROLLED.
On the first floors were parlors, library, dining room, kitchen and laundry, on the second floor were the classrooms and on the third and fourth floors were the bed rooms, thirty-two in all. At one time the enrollment was one hundred twenty-five and with a faculty of eight teachers. Mr. Belden was a man of culture and fine Christian character. On his death in 1871, when Mrs. Belden took over the management of the school and all went well until her death three years later.

CLOSES IN 1879.
After a few years other members of the family being ill, the school closed its doors. The last class graduated in 1879.

So closed a school, the primary object being to give an accomplished Christian education, to cultivate good manners and inspire high moral sentiment and the graces which adorn the character of women.

TRIBUTE TO FOUR.
A beautiful tribute to the memory of Miss Emma Schwenker, Mrs. Ida Twinting Harmeyer, Mrs. Emily Randolf Satterthwaite, and Mrs. Emma Dilts Garretson, was presented by Mrs. Will Dyall. In the space of two short months, death has called four of the members of the Ladies Library association, among these were the two last charter members, Miss Emma Schwenker and Mrs. Emily Randolf Satterthwaite, having a membership of 61 years each. Mrs. Ida Harmeyer had been a devoted member since girlhood. Mrs. Emma Garretson, a newer member, but her sweet personality had won the love of the entire society. Mention was also made of the death of her husband, Mr. Owen A. Garretson, whose history of early days of Salem was read in the November meeting. Two other members of L.L.A. passed away during the last year, Mrs. Augusta Cozier and Mrs. Mary Jordan.

[Undated news article, probably "Mt. Pleasant News", January 1933]