I guess I should be a bit ashamed of my lack of knowledge of the contributions of Flora Rose and Martha Van Rensselaer-considering I live in Flora Rose and am part of the College of Human Ecology. Prior to this cafe, I really had no idea what the role of these two influential women had been for Cornell University. I mean, I had browsed through some information on Flora Rose in the past, but I never knew of the relationship between Rose and Van Rensselaer.

It was exciting to learn how dedicated Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose were to the advancement of women’s education. Not only did Van Rensselaer lead the creation of the College of Home Economics, but she also managed to offer free tuition-with the help of friends- for the women attending. Imagine, a college already offering financial age during a time when other universities and colleges were only beginning to accept women. And to even further drive your interest, Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose had close ties to Eleanor Roosevelt! What a small world. It was with the help of Eleanor Roosevelt, in fact, that Van Rensselaer was able to expand the college.

Even more to my surprise, Van Rensselaer and Rose received a working desk as a gift from Eleanor Roosevelt, which we were lucky enough to see ‘in the flesh’. Eileen Keating, our guest speaker, also brought along some photos of the women and the college (see photo below).

In sum, this was only a tidbit of Cornell’s history. I would definitely encourage you to explore Cornell’s history while you have the chance! Stop by Kroch library, or maybe take a historic tour of Cornell when they’re offered. I’ll also take on the challenge myself!