Live Oak Female Seminary
Brenham, Washington County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded in 1853 by Presbyterian minister James W. Miller (1815-1888), Live Oak Female Seminary provided educational opportunities to female boarding students and male and female day students until 1888. Miller's sister-in-law, Rebecca Stuart Red, was principal until 1875, when she opened Stuart Female Seminary in Austin. Live Oak campus included the Miller home, "Oak Lodge," which housed classes on the second floor; dormitories; an auditorium; and a music conservatory. The Miller home was moved off the site and the last of the school buildings were razed in the 1970s.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Founded in 1853 by Presbyterian minister James W. Miller, Live Oak Female Seminary in Brenham offered schooling to female boarding students and day students of both sexes until 1888. Miller's sister-in-law Rebecca Stuart Red served as principal until 1875, when she left to open her own seminary in Austin. The campus centered on Miller's home, "Oak Lodge," whose upper floor held classes alongside dormitories, an auditorium, and a music conservatory.
Why it matters
The seminary is part of the early movement to educate American women, expanding opportunity for girls in an era when formal schooling for them was far from assured.
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Related people
- ยท James W. Miller
- ยท Rebecca Stuart Red
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Oak Rest Cemetery and Site of Prospect Presbyterian Church
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