The eyes. Looking at these ladies, you can tell several things. They were intelligent, they were determined, and they were going to succeed.
- Clara Brooks Fishpaugh (Education 1925-1930)
- Mrs. Camp Wellington Foltz (Assistant Instructor in Piano, 1926)
- Ruth M. Raw (English Composition, 1925-1930)
- Rachel Ogden (Dean of Women 1926-1932; Professor of Modern Languages 1926-1947)
5. Lois Murrel McCloskey (Home Economics 1922-29)
6. Alice Nason Ross (Physical Education for Women 1922-41; Coached Basketball and Field Hockey)
7. Elenore Hancher (Biology 1926-28)
Buckhannon Branch of AAUW
In 1928, these seven ladies and others gathered to organize the Buckhannon Branch of the Association of American University Women (A.A.U.W.) The seven pictured here all taught at Wesleyan. Others in the group were the wives of professors and other professional members of the community. All had college degrees from colleges and universities whose graduates had been approved for membership in this national society. Schools such as Columbia University, Pennsylvania State University, Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, Ohio Wesleyan, and Allegheny College.
The first president was Rachel Ogden from 1928-1930; and again from 1933-1935.
Other Charter Members included: Mrs. W.H. (Rachel) Barlow, Martha Bonar, Mrs. Hyre D. Clark, Marcia Mae Glauner, Mrs. O. Earle (Myrtle) Karickhoff, and Virginia Shinn.
The AAUW website states that:
“AAUW has been empowering women as individuals and as a community since 1881. For more than 130 years, we have worked together as a national grassroots organization to improve the lives of millions of women and their families.”
The Buckhannon Branch has been doing just that for 90 of those years. The list of members reads like a Who’s Who of West Virginia Wesleyan College and of Buckhannon. These women have been a reflection of our community and an inspiration to it.
Leadership on Campus
Besides the AAUW, these Charter Members of the Buckhannon Branch were active on campus and leaders of that community as well. Among the things they were involved with were:
- Tallagewe (A democratic organization for women. The name was derived from an Indian word meaning “endless” or “everlasting”)
- Y.W.C.A. (Open to all women. “To further the interest in religious relationships among women of the college.”)
- Student Volunteers (For men and women, “To bring together the students of Wesleyan College who are interested in promoting and living Christian lives.”)
- Pan American Chain (1941) was organized by Rachel Ogden, an expert in South American Cultures. As was mentioned in the 1943 Murmurmontis, “Mrs. Ogden was interested not only in languages but also in the welfare of those who speak them.”
- Rachel Ogden’s committee work on campus included service on the Faculty Committee: Fraternity 1927-1929; Faculty Committee: Fraternity-Sorority 1929-1931. As the Greek organizations were beginning to be developed on campus, I think that Rachel Ogden’s voice was heard in those discussions.
Rachel Ogden Leads the Way
Rachel Ogden arrived on Wesleyan’s campus on February 1, 1926 to become the Dean of Women. She had heard of the wonderful leadership among women on this campus when she was a student at Allegheny College. While doing her graduate work at Columbia University, she had met alumni and faculty members from here. She admired the work of the previous Dean of Women, Florence Stemple (also from Columbia University.)
The February 3, 1926 issue of the Pharos indicated that Dean Ogden intended to carry out Dean Stemple’s ideas and ideals to the best of her ability. One of the most outstanding of these ideals being that of developing a distinct type of woman, one that might be recognized anywhere as a West Virginia Wesleyan woman. 
“The typical Wesleyan woman will be willing to learn, generous in judgement,and will have a real culture of hearts.”
“She will be a woman with throrough preparation for service, a service devoted to the finest and highest. All this means that she will take a definite, determined stand against any actions or suggestions that can be misinterpreted because of their endangering our development toward the ideal we have in mind.”
Dean Ogden’s idea of service is that of self value in preparation for efficiency in living the fullest lives possible. She says that from a selfish standpoint – if from no other – the shortest path to happiness is in the rendering of service to others. Dean Ogden believes that a girl is taken for the estimate she places on herself, and that she should estimate herself as a high investment, as an investment with the idea of service.
Before she had ever seen Wesleyan, Dean Ogden says that she had a great respect and interest in the school, due to the fact that she had come in close contact at Allegheny College (her Alma Mater) with students from this school, and that furthermore they had left her with an impression of strong manly and womanly, as well as studious characters.
“The development of this ideal is not new, it is merely the realization of it in Wesleyan.” states the Dean. From time to time the new Dean of Women in our college will add to her plan of program by the introduction of major and minor helps toward the development of an “Ideal Wesleyan Girl.”
From the beginning of the school, the Founders declared that it would be quality education for both boys and girls. From the first day the school was opened there were women on the faculty. These things were unusual.
Women in the United States had not succeeded in winning the right to vote until 1920, but women’s leadership has been part of our Intsitutional DNA from the very beginning.
Happy 90th Birthday to the Buckhannon Branch of the AAUW! Generations of leaders inspiring leaders…..