Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
San Antonio Female College Collection
Date(s)
- 1890-1942 (Creation)
Extent
Name of creator
Administrative history
In 1860, members of the Methodist Episcopal Church Rio Grande Conference acted to incorporate governing boards and the institutions, Alamo College and the San Antonio Female College, through the state of Texas. Additionally they incorporated the University of San Antonio as a society in 1888. In 1890, the West End Town Company granted 100 acres of land near what would be called Woodlawn Lake with the intention of developing a women's college. In 1894 the college actualized with the help Rev. William Washington Pinson who was pastor of Travis Park Methodist Church , John Ellis Harrison and Harrison's sister-in-law Sarah Walton. The institution and board were rechartered in 1896. Harrison served as President and Walton as Associate until Harrison gave his resignation of president in 1917. At a subsequent board meeting, it was voted to drop "female" from the name, but by 1919 the name was further changed to Westmoorland. According to Virginia Joiner, alumnus and faculty of the campus, the name was due to the western location of the campus and the fact that then president, Dick O. Terrell's mother was from Westmoreland, Virginia. In 1936 Westmoorland became a co-education senior college and changed its name to the University of San Antonio to align with the already established charter. University of San Antonio merged with Trinity University in 1942.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection contains material from the institution's board of trustees and registrar's office. Publications, ephemeral materials and alumni contributions complete this collection
System of arrangement
Series 1 Board of Trustees
Series 2 Publications
Sub-Series 2.1 Newsprint and Magazines
Sub-Series 2.2 Yearbooks
Series 3 Registrar
Sub-Series 3.1 Catalogs and Bulletins
Sub-Series 3.2 Grade Reports
Series 4 Ephemera and Alumni Contributions
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open and available to the public for research in the Special Collections & Archives reading room. The materials are non-circulating.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
The materials in this collection may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The materials are available for personal, educational, and scholarly use. It is the responsibility of the researcher to locate and obtain permission from the copyright owner or his or her heirs for any other use, such as reproduction and publication.
Languages of the material
- English
- Spanish
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Select items from this collection are available online at https://trinity.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/safc. In addition, an interactive digital exhibit about San Antonio Female College is available at https://history.coateslibrary.com/exhibits/show/safc/home.
Related archival materials
Margaret H. Mollenhauer Letters: https://txarchives.org/utcah/finding_aids/04465.xml
W.W. Jackson Papers: https://www.southwestern.edu/live/profiles/24769-jackson-will-w-papers/library/special-collections/collections/archives/finding-aids/index
Rio Texas Conference Archives: https://riotexas.org/archives
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
- Citation: San Antonio Female College Collection. UA0310. Coates Library Special Collections and Archives. Trinity University (San Antonio, Tex.)
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Abra Schnur, December 2021