The photographs below were made between 1890- 1910 and are probably of young women attending the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School in Montevallo, Alabama which is currently the University of Montevallo in Shelby County, Alabama. The Alabama Girls’ Industrial School opened its doors to around 150 young women throughout the state.
The school was a new experiment in education for your girls who wanted to become “teachers, bookkeepers artists, musicians, dressmakers, telegraphers and milliners. In other words, at last, there was a school in Alabama whose purpose was to educate women to be self-supporting.”i
In 1911 the name was changed to Alabama Girls; Technical Institute. A few more name changes occurred, but the college remained strictly for women until January 1956 when two men enrolled. More men followed and in 1969, the final name change, the University of Montevallo was made which reflected the changing atmosphere.
Many of the photographs were taken at Davis Falls in Aldrich near Montevallo, Alabama.
Young women on the bank of a spring near Montevallo, Alabama photographed by R. W. Carleton, Montevallo, Alabama Q8925
Young women holding snowballs at a footbridge in Montevallo, Alabama photographed by R. W. Carleton, Montevallo, Alabama Q8923
Young women at Davis Falls near Montevallo, Alabama photographed by R. W. Carleton, Montevallo, Alabama Q8927
Young women at Davis Falls near Montevallo, Alabama photographed by R. W. Carleton, Montevallo, Alabama Q8926
Young women at Davis Falls near Montevallo, Alabama. Q40185
Young woman, probably a student at the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School in Montevallo, Alabama, seated on the front porch of the E. S. Lyman home Q40190
SOURCES
- Alabama Department of Archives and History
- University of Montevallo
Fashions were slow to change. Class of 73.
Class of 1972, we could only wear slacks from Friday evenings to Saturday evening in.1968. Dresses for classes!
I attended there in 74.
I graduated in 1972 (Becky Coffee)
I had an Alabama History class in the fifth grade,I believe ’75-76,the greatest teacher,Mrs. Majorie Fendley.Since,I can’t consume enough Alabama History! This was on Wilcox County at Wilcox Academy. I am proud to say that I’m a member of the Wilcox Academy Alumni Association.
My mom was the last group to be all girls school
Our daughter received her undergraduate and Masters degree here, before she went on to get her culinary degree from NECI. So proud of her and her decision-making. Love you Melissa Close-Hart!
Jessica Lauren Zambie
Love these pictures , a better time in our history in my opinion .
My grandmother Elizabeth Pitman May was a student at Montevallo about that time….my mother was there in the mid 30’s….her name was Ruth May Alston…four of my aunt’s also graduated in the 30s and 40s….
My Grandmother attended in the early 1900’s, and then taught school until she was 71 yrs old! Wonderful
Love these pictures! My grandmother graduated in the early 30’s.
My grandmother was in the Class of 1896. Too bad I can’t recognize her. My son (1992) and his mother (1966) graduated from Montevallo.
Donna — pictures show more scenery than details of how the women dress. If dresses were theme, then zoom in so readers can see details. Someone mentioned that Montvallo began accepting male students in 1956. A former World War II Army buddy enrolled there in 1947 under GI Bill because it was closed to his home.
My mother, Elizabeth Martin graduated from Montevallo and was one of the 7 “Martin girls” from Enterprise who attended there in the late 20s and 1930s.
in 1968, it was called Alabama College, I was accepted and scheduled to attend classes that fall, but I moved to North Carolina that summer and didn’t make it back….I fell in love with the campus, the spreading oak trees, the ivy growing on the buildings, the cobblestone roads …I wonder if it’s still the same
Yes, it is still a beautiful campus.
It hasn’t changed much, Connie. I graduated from there in 1988 (Renae Guy Carpenter) and my son is a student there now (Devin Harrison). I LOVE that place!!
My grandmother went to Montevallo during that time period. She married in 1907, so probably 1906…. He wedding dress was exactly like some of the dresses in the picture. Later, I will try to find the picture so I can post it along with this.
I attended here in ’69. Beautiful campus. Lived in Main dormitory. Great year of school before later receiving my undergraduate degree and Masters degree at UAB.
Jamey Cerka