Woolley, Mary Emma

Woolley, Mary Emma, 1863–1947, American educator, b. South Norwalk, Conn. After teaching at Wheaton Seminary (1886–91), she attended college and became the first woman to receive (1894) a B.A. from Brown Univ. She then taught biblical history and literature at Wellesley College (1895–1900) and from 1901 to her retirement in 1937 was president of Mt. Holyoke College. She was active also in the cause of world peace and was appointed (1931) a delegate to the Disarmament Conference that met in Geneva in 1932. She wrote several historical monographs, including Early History of the Colonial Post Office (1894), and magazine articles on current affairs.

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Woolley, Mary Emma (1863–1947) college president; born in South Norwalk, Conn. One of Brown University's first female graduates (1894), she became a leading educator of women. As president of Mount Holyoke College (1901–37) she strengthened the curriculum and the faculty and instituted honors and graduate programs. She was a prominent advocate for women's rights and international peace.