Sarah Parke Morrison

Sarah Parke Morrison - First Female Student at Indiana UniversityBorn in Salem, in 1833, to educationally enlightened parents, who ran the county seminaries, her life may have been predetermined by her environment. Obtaining her secondary education, at a time before women were accepted into public universities, she would graduate from the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, in Connecticut. Afterwards, she began her own career in education, securing a teaching job with the Glerdale Female College, in Ohio, where she rose to the position of Assistant Principle. After leaving the school, she followed this, by completing her post-gracuate studies at Vassar Female College.

In 1867, she became involved in her father's efforts to petition Indiana University, to accept women students, when he offered her $5 to write an appeal to the Board of Trustees. The appeal was granted and when no female students had applied, prior to the new fall semester, Sarah decidedly chose to lead the way, becoming the first female student enrolled at Indiana university. Her exceptional educational background, and determination to set the female standard, excelled her through four years of study, in two years, and she became the first female graduate of the university in 1869.

She returned to IU, in 18/0, to obtain her master's degree and served as the university's female student advisor. During this rime, the university's female enrollment had increased significantly and there were increasing calls for a female professor. In 1873, Sarah became the first female faculty member of Indiana University, when she accepted the position of Ad Junct Professor of English Literature, ultimately securing the trifecta of female firsts for IU.

After a brief teaching stint at the university, Sarah went on to serve the educational system, in numerous capacities and with several institutions, for most of the entirety of her life, in her private time, she authored numerous poems and several books, and also became an active leader, heavily involved, with the Society of Friends, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Women’s Suffrage Movement, fighting for female equality until the end.

While living with a younger sister, Sarah departed this life in 1919, and is buried in their family's plot, in the Indianapolis Crown Hill Cemetery.

 

Photo of John Milton HayWho was John Hay?

Statesman, Author, Ambassador

John Hay was a great American statesman, diplomat, author and poet, whose political career spanned over 50 years.  He was born in a small brick home in Salem, Indiana, on October 8, 1838.

After John displayed considerable potential in his schooling, his Uncle Milton Hay, who was a practicing lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, took a special interest and sent him to Brown University, where he graduated in 1858. 

In 1860, when John Hay’s childhood friend, John Nicolay, was appointed Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign secretary, he was brought on board to assist with the enormous amount of correspondence. 

Hay grew to adore President Lincoln for his goodness, patience, understanding, sense of humor, humility, magnanimity, healthy skepticism, sense of justice, resilience and power, love of the common man and mystical patriotism. Many later noted that Lincoln too, loved Hay as a son and was very attached to him.

In 1903, after years of negotiating treaties, Hay successfully passed legislation that afforded the United States the opportunity to start construction on the Panama Canal. 

Brown University’s John Hay Library was named in his honor, as was the John Hay Air Base, in the Philippines and both his birth home, in Salem, Indiana and his summer estate, The Fells, in New Hampshire, have been historically conserved. 

John Hay Center Hours of Operation

Thursdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fridays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm

Tour Pricing

Self-Guided Tours

Adult (Age 18+) - Donation
Child (Age 6-17) - Donation

Guided Tours

Complete Comprehensive Tour
(Museum,Pioneer Village, The Depot)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price  $20.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $10.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Steven's Museum Guided Tour
(Approximate 2 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) -  Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Pioneer Village
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

The Depot Railroad Museum
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

School Tours

Private & Public School Tours: $3.00 per student/parent (Teachers free & 10 student minimum)

Private Tours

Scheduled Private Tours (More than 5 Guests) (Minimum $50)

Additional Information

*All regular tours are free for Life Members
*Children under 5 are free

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