Woman of the Century/Alice Freeman Palmer

PALMER, Mrs. Alice Freeman, educator, born in Colesvillc, Broome county, N. Y., 21st February, 1855. Her maiden name was Alice Elvira Freeman. Her parents were farmers, and her youth was passed on a farm. She was the oldest of a family of four children. Her father was a delicate man unsuited for farm life. His tastes ran to medicine, and he studied with a neighboring village physician, and finally took the course in the medical college in Albany, N. Y., graduating in 1866. While he was in college, Mrs. Freeman managed the farm. ALICE FREEMAN PALMER. When Alice was ten years old, the family moved into Windsor, and Dr. Freeman began to practice there. Alice studied diligently and prepared to take the course in Vassar, but changed her plans, and in 1873 went to the University of Michigan, where she was graduated after a four-year course. While in Ann Arbor she organized the Students' Christian Association, in which male and female students met on equal terms. In 187Q she was engaged as professor of history in Wellesley College. In 1881 she became acting president of that college, and in 1882 she accepted the presidency, which she filled until 1888. She has since been a member of the Massachusetts Board of Education, trustee of Wellesley College, president of the Massachusetts Home Missionary Association, president of the Association of Collegiate Alumna?, president of the Woman's Educational Association, Massachusetts commissioner of education to the World's Fair and member of many important educational and benevolent committees. She has lectured on educational and other subjects. In 1882 the University of Michigan conferred upon her the degree of Ph.D.. and in 1887 she received the degree of Doctor of Letters from Columbia College. In 1887 she resigned all active duties and became the wife of Prof. George Herbert Palmer, of Harvard University. Her home is in Cambridge, Mass.