Clarke County GaArchives History - Books .....Lucy Cobb Institute 1923
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 April 1, 2005, 6:47 pm

Book Title: History Of Athens And Clarke County

Sketch, of Lucy Cobb Institute

By MILDRED LEWIS RUTHERFORD

   WHEN I was a little child, possibly not more than three years of age, I
remember distinctly a visit that my little cousin, Lucy Cobb, made to my oldest
sister, Eliza, of the same age. In a race around the circle before the front
door of the home in Athens, which my father had bought from Judge Junius
Hillyer, and later sold to Mr. Henry Brittain, I recall the stumble and fall of
Lucy Cobb, the soiled dress, the distress of the nurse, Sarah, and the sweet,
lovely attitude of the little girl.

   This is the one for whom Lucy Cobb Institute was later named.

   I remember hearing my uncle say that it seemed as if these two little girls
were born Christians for no one knew when they gave their hearts to the
Lord—they were always truthful and good, and loved God and everybody.

   Both of these girls were responsible for the birth of the school, and both
died before the school was completed. The mother of one wrote a letter to The
Athens Watchman, pleading for a school for girls, and the father of the other,
reading the article, collected the subscriptions to build the school. This was
in 1856 or 1857.

   Another memory comes to me; I could not have been more than six years of age
when my uncle's carriage came to take my mother to see where the school was to
be, and I was allowed to go with them. I can see now the men digging and
preparing the foundation, and my uncle "stepping off" the land to show my mother
how much ground the building would cover.

   Another memory comes when again I went with my mother to see the mattresses
that Mrs. Rumney had made. The room—now the Domestic Science room—was literally
full of new mattresses, all for double beds, for we did not stress single beds
then.

   Still another memory comes when a little girl of seven I was taken to see a
wonderful May party on the front porch of Lucy Cobb, in which my sister, Mary
Ann, was to be a flower girl.

   While waiting for the iron railing ordered for the porch, carpenters widened
it that the May party could have a proper setting. It was wonderfully entrancing
to my childish mind, and made an impression never to be obliterated. I have the
program of that May party with the names of all the actors in one of my 32 scrap
books.

   Another memory comes when I first entered Lucy Cobb and studied so hard that
I went to sleep, which by my older sister was considered a family disgrace.

   The school was called Athens Female College, and just as it was about
completed Lucy Cobb died of scarlet fever. The trustees met and decided the name
of the school must be changed to Lucy Cobb Institute. When first suggested, her
father, Mr. T. E. R. Cobb, refused, but later reconsidered. I have the letter to
the trustees giving his consent.

   Had he lived Lucy Cobb would not now be pleading for an Endowment Fund.

   The marks of his living interest and judgment in furnishing the school can be
seen in the solid mahogany desks, beautiful old mahogany furniture, and solid
flat silver for the table. He was killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862.

   The first principal of Lucy Cobb, Mr. E. M. Wright, a northern man, was
educated in one of the northern colleges. His assistants were the Misses
Ferris,—two beautiful young women—Miss Holt for the Primary Department, Miss
Wray for the Art Department, and Dr. Wurm at the head of the Music Department.

   When the War between the States was assured, Mr. Wright felt it was wiser to
return to his northern home, for Mr. Cobb was the leader of the secession
movement in Georgia, and feeling ran high on account of the injustice to the
South, and trouble between the sections was brewing.

   Mr. Muller of Charleston, S. C., succeeded Mr. Wright. He had charge of the
school during the war, for Lucy Cobb never closed. Pupils came from other
states, especially Mississippi and South Carolina. Parents seemed to feel that
Athens was a safe place for their girls. Then when Franklin College closed in
order that the professors might enter the army, refugees from New Orleans, and
other sea coast towns came and lived in the college dormitories and sent their
girls to Lucy Cobb.

   Miss Sallie Lipscomb was Mr. Muller's assistant and had charge of the school
after his resignation until a new principal was chosen.

   In 1862, Madame Sophie Sosnowski, whose reputation as a teacher in South
Carolina was so well known, was offered the school. She came with her two
daughters and son-in-law, Col. and Mrs. Schaller and Miss Gallic Sosnowski. They
remained until 1869 when Dr. Jacobs was chosen principal, and Madame Sosnowski
opened the Home School in Athens in the old Baxter home. Dr. Jacobs was no
disciplinarian and kept the school only one year.

   Mrs. A. E. Wright from LaGrange, a teacher of great experience, had charge of
Lucy Cobb from 1870-1873. Mr. Peter A. Heard became associate principal from
1873-1880. Mrs. Wright then decided to open a school of her own at her old home
at Grovetown and the trustees then had to choose another head.

   In 1880 it was offered to Miss M. Rutherford, one of Lucy Cobb's graduates.
It had first been offered to Miss Bessie Rutherford, the teacher of Mathematics
in the school, and trained under Mrs. Wright, and a graduate of the first class
at Lucy Cobb to receive diplomas. She refused. It was then offered to her
sister, Mrs. M. A. Lipseomb, teaching at Waverley Seminary in Washington City.
She declined.

   Miss M. Rutherford was teaching at the Girls' High School in Atlanta, and she
also declined, but upon her mother's urging took charge of the school so dear to
the mother's heart.

   The school suffered greatly from the loss of Mrs. Wright, as nearly all of
her girls and teachers followed her to Grovetown. The school, too, was in debt,
and greatly needed repairs. Five hundred dollars was borrowed for absolute need
of paint and repairs and opened in the fall of 1880 with eight teachers, six
boarders and twenty town pupils. The land back of the Lucy Cobb was sold and the
debt paid.

   For two years there was a struggle for life. Then a letter written by a
pupil, Nellie Stovall (now Mrs. Billups Phinizy) interested Mr. George I. Seney
of New York, and he gave the school $10,000.00 on condition the Athens people
would give $4,000.00. This was quickly raised by subscription, Gen. Henry R.
Jackson of Savannah giving $500.00 of the amount.

   The Chapel (Seney-Stovall) named in honor of the two responsible for the
gift, was dedicated in 1885, and from that time the school went forward by leaps
and bounds, and soon could not accommodate the pupils applying for admission.

   Mr. Seney's interest continued in his "Little Daughter," as he always called
Lucy Cobb. He placed a Hook & Hastings organ in the Chapel; he sent 18 oil
paintings from his private art gallery; and he gave $1,000.00 to be used in
scholarships for worthy girls. Had he lived Lucy Cobb would not have needed to
plead for an Endowment Fund.

   When some necessary repairs were again needed, Mr. Sam Inman of Atlanta, one
of the patrons, ordered the work done and paid the bill which amounted to over
$800.00.

   Individual alumnae have at different times secured gifts for the school, such
as the Abbey pictures, etchings, books, lights, pianos and furniture. Mrs.
Herrington, not an alumni but a neighbor, gave two iron seats for the front
porch in memory of Judge Herrington.

   The alumnae felt the need of larger school room facilities, so erected
Alumnae Hall. This was under Mrs. Lipscomb's administration. She became
principal in 1895 and resigned in 1908, when Miss Rutherford again took the
school for the Golden Jubilee year. She held it only one year and resigned in
favor of Misses S. Gerdine and A. Brumby, two graduates of the school.

   While Mrs. Lipscomb was principal, largely at her own expense, she gave
Margaret Hall, a duplicate of Alumnae Hall, as a memorial to her grand-daughter.
She also was responsible for planning Downing Way, which connects the buildings.

   Under Misses Gerdine and Brumby's administration, Mrs. Hoke Smith gave the
Marion Cobb Gymnasium and the trustees added the Swimming Pool. Mrs. Callie Hoke
Smith Pratt gave her grandmother 's portrait in memory of her mother, Mrs. Hoke
Smith.

   Through the active services of Mrs. Florrie Carr Orr, the Dr. John Gerdine
Infirmary became a reality and a wonderful aid to Lucy Cobb comfort.

   Under the administration of Misses Gerdine and. Brumby, the Class of 1917
gave the beautiful lights at the front steps. Mrs. Lizzie Hodgson Mure gave the
lights in front of the Chapel, and furnished a room at Lucy Cobb.

   The financial condition threatened by the World War caused Misses Gerdine and
Brumby to resign, and it was thought best to make Lucy Cobb a gift to the state.
Miss M. Rutherford, to prevent this, agreed to take the school for five years.

   There was a debt on the school of $15,000.00 that it was necessary to have
lifted, if the school lived, so Mr. Billups Phinizy, secretary and treasurer of
the Board of Trustees, and Mrs. Maggie Morton Stanley, president of the Alumnae
Association, "put their shoulders to the wheel" and it was quickly lifted—loyal
friends and alumnae responding to the call.

   The school, free from debt but sadly needing the interest from an Endowment
Fund, was turned over to Miss Mildred Mell in the fall of 1922.

   Athens as a city, and Clarke County as a county, should stand by Lucy Cobb.
They have no greater asset for publicity and as a feeder to the teaching force
of our own schools. Every principal of the public schools, except, of course,
the High School, is a Lucy Cobb graduate, and fifteen of the Lucy Cobb teachers
are graduates of Lucy Cobb. One year in the history of Athens, every teacher in
the public school but three, were Lucy Cobb girls.

   Hundreds of Athens girls have received scholarships in the literary, art,
oratory and music, as well as in the primary, elementary and collegeiate
departments of the school.

   Lucy Cobb has always been very gracious, sharing the Lecture Courses with the
Athens people, and often without any fee.

   Lucy Cobb has greatly advertised Athens through these artists who travel all
over the country.

   Yes, Athens owes a debt to Lucy Cobb that she can never repay. What has she
done as a city for Lucy Cobb during these sixty-four years ?

   The history of Lucy Cobb will not be complete without the mention of Miss
Baseline Prince and her loyal services as secretary of the Alumnae Association.
She was elected to this office under Mrs. Wright's administration and has been
faithful to the trust all these years. She has been the one to keep track of the
many Lucy Cobb girls, married and unmarried. No one realizes what the work has
been.

   Now what about Lucy Cobb's trustees? They have ever been the best set of
trustees in the history of schools. They do not use the school for political
timber, but wisely select a principal in whom they have confidence and let her
do as she pleases.

   John H. Newton was one of the largest contributors to the original fund for
the school and he was the first president of the Board of Trustees, and Thos. E.
E. Cobb was the first secretary. The other secretaries that have been so
faithful in the work for the school are Major Lamar Cobb who gave years of his
life to the work. He succeeded Mr. Thos. E. E. Cobb. Mr. A. L. Hull, who
followed. Major Cobb and Mr. Billups Phinizy, who followed Mr. Hull is now
secretary and treasurer.

   The men of Athens who have composed the board, and the board is self
perpetuating, have been: David C. Barrow, Sr., Dr. H. E. J. Long, Howell Cobb,
Sr., Stevens Thomas, Sr., Henry Hull, A. M. Scudder, Wm. N. White.

   The present board are: Judge Andrew Cobb, president; Billups Phinizy,
secretary and treasurer; Mr. Jos. M. Hodgson, David C. Barrow, Jr., Dr. J. A.
Hunnicutt.

   Lucy Cobb was founded in 1858 and there has never been a death among her
boarding pupils. There has never been a contagious disease, save mumps and
measles, since the school was founded. No other school of the same age can claim
this. The health record is wonderful.

   The school maintains its standard for college preparation, fitting students
to enter the Freshman classes of almost all of the colleges for the higher
education of women. That this is done effectively is shown by the following
quotation taken from a speech made by one of the women of the Association of
College Women, Miss Elizabeth Avery Colton, president of the Association:

   "Our reports show, for instance, that Georgia has only one standard college
for women—Agnes Scott—but nine others call themselves colleges. A diploma,
however, from Lucy Cobb Institute, which does not pretend to be a college, is
preferable to a degree from any of the nominal nine colleges."


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