Honouring Mary Electa Adams, Hammond House
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada has announced it will be installing two plaques on the Mount Allison campus this year.
One will honour Mary Electa Adams, a pioneer in women鈥檚 education in Canada and the first preceptress of the Mount Allison Ladies鈥 College. The second recognizes Hammond House, which was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.
鈥淲e are pleased and proud that the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada is bringing attention to Mary Electa Adams and Hammond House, both significant to Mount Allison鈥檚 history,鈥 says Mount Allison President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Campbell. 鈥淭his permanent signage will serve to highlight Adams鈥 many accomplishments and Hammond House鈥檚 remarkable architecture for visitors and residents.鈥
Adams had an immense influence on women鈥檚 education at Mount Allison and in Canada as a whole. She served as the first preceptress of the Mount Allison Ladies鈥 College from 1854 to 1857 and set the tone for education for women at the College.
Adams was adamant that the young women follow a rigourous academic program rather than training in the 鈥渟ocial graces.鈥 By developing a challenging curriculum, equivalent to what the men were studying, she demonstrated that women were able to tackle the same type of instruction. That Mount Allison was the first university in the British Empire to award a bachelor degree to a woman in 1875 was due in no small part to Adams鈥 work 20 years earlier. She helped open the doors of Canadian universities to women.
Adams was designated a National Historic Person in 2004 for her work at Mount Allison and at a number of other ladies鈥 colleges in Ontario, as well as for her role in pioneering the study of modern languages and literature.
Hammond House is recognized as a National Historic Site due to its Queen Anne Revival Style of architecture.
Built in 1896, Hammond House, also known as Black House, was originally built for noted Canadian artist John Hammond, the first head of the University鈥檚 Fine Arts department and the first head of the Owens Art Gallery, the oldest university art gallery in Canada. Several murals painted by Hammond remain in the home.
Hammond House later became the home of businessman Frank B. Black, who served as mayor of Sackville, as a member of the New Brunswick Legislature, and as a Canadian Senator.
Read Mary Electa Adams鈥 citation by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada:
Read the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada鈥檚 citation for Hammond House:
