Building a University: Vanderbilt's Second Decade, 1885-1895

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Vanderbilt’s second decade, 1886-1895, was a time of rapid change for the fledgling university. There was a rising population of female and international students, as well as broadening of extracurriculars such as athletics, Greek organizations, and student clubs. Figures such as Charles Soong and Stella Vaughn created lasting legacies at the university during this decade for their prolific and influential work. The longest running student publications, the Comet (later renamed The Commodore) and The Hustler, Vanderbilt’s student newspaper, were founded in 1887 and 1888, respectively. The first form of student government – the West Side Court – was established a few years later in 1891 to adjudicate disputes between young men living in the six dormitory cottages which made up West Side Row. Modern student life harkens back to the student experiences first witnessed during this decade.

[Mabelle Flippin and Lettie S. Linch]

Creator Warren Henry Hollinshead

Publisher Nashville, TN

Date January 18, 1892

Source Vanderbilt University Photographic Archives

This 1892 photograph shows Miss Flippin and Miss Linch posing on a snowy day at Vanderbilt. Flippin graduated in 1896 and Linch in 1895. In a later interview, Linch described women’s presence in universities at the time as “very unlady-like” because it was deemed inappropriate to be so highly educated.

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