Wilson, Rachel, 1892-1986.

Rachel Wilson, a native of LaGrange, Kentucky, attended Funk Seminary in her home state, Hollins Preparatory Department in 1907, and also Hollins College, receiving her degree in 1912 (A.B. French). She received her masters degree from the University of Chicago and taught for a year in North Holston, Virginia. She returned to Hollins in 1914 to begin a teaching career. Later she received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She taught at Hollins for 44 years. In 1920, she introduced the idea of bringing in native-born French teachers for a year to expose students to authentic language usage. In addition, she was considered an authority on 19th century French novelist Honore de Blazac, was Professor of French, and head of the Modern Language Department from 1925-1958. During and after World War II, Wilson was active in war relief for France and organized the sending of CARE packages to teachers in that country. Upon retirement, she worked in the library with her colleague, Margaret Scott, in the college archives until 1976. She died December 1986, at the age of 94. Ms. Wilson never married and had no survivors, except a great-niece, Mrs. I. Taylor Sanders of Lexington, [Kentucky?].

Mary Wingfield Scott was born in Richmond, Virginia and received her B.A. from Barnard College in 1921. She was Associate Professor of French at Westhampton College in Richmond, Virginia, 1921-1928. Scott met Virginia Withers, her "lifetime companion and supporter" in 1921. Together they adopted two sons, John Patrick Walker and Robert Edward Walker, in 1923. Scott continued her education at the University of Chicago, receiving her M.A. in the late 1920's and also her Ph.D. in Art and Art History in 1937. Much of her professional life involved the historic preservation of Richmond. She founded the William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities which later became the Historic Richmond Foundation.

From the description of Rachel Wilson papers, 1914-1986 bulk 1940-1959. 1914-1986. (Hollins University). WorldCat record id: 144571611