“The Vassar of the South” (1910-1929)

The much-disliked name of Florida Female College was replaced by the Florida State College for Women (FSCW) in 1909, and enrollment included 273 students. Of the institution’s twenty faculty members, seven were in the Arts and Science, with another six each in the Normal and the Fine Arts schools.

College Hall, Florida State College for Women

Offerings in Chemistry in progressive 1913-14 included general, household, analytical and physiological courses. Physical chemistry, chemical literature and history of chemistry were added in 1915. Advanced courses in inorganic and analytical chemistry followed, as did food, nutritional, physiologic and textile chemistry in 1917.

Lab class, c.1910

The Department of Chemistry moved from the west wing of College Hall to the third floor of the new Science Hall in 1922. Home Economics and Home Demonstration occupied the lower floors. In 1923, Leland J. Lewis (Ph.D., Columbia University) became the first permanent head of the Chemistry Department. Instruction expanded to include opportunities to study teaching methods in chemistry and to prepare students for original graduate study in pure or applied chemistry. Chemistry laboratory equipment was valued at $20,200, with annual allotments of $3,000 for supplies and $2,000 for new equipment.

Important milestones were reached in the 1920s: FSCW joined the list of educational institutions approved by the Association of American Colleges; the Phi Kappa Phi national honor society established a chapter on campus; the local chapter of the American Association of University Women went national, a Chapter of the American Association of University Professors was formed and the American Chemical Society granted a Florida Section Charter! In the early months of 1929, FSCW’s credentials were so strong that it was widely referred to as “the Vassar of the South.”

Faculty vs. Seniors Baseball Game, 1928: Leland Lewis (holding cap) was the first permanent head of the Department.