01/07/2026
On January 7, 1839, Judson Female Institute, in Marion (Perry County) opened its doors for the first session, hosting six women and three men. By May, that number had risen to 47. The Alabama State Legislature granted Judson an incorporation charter on January 9, 1841, and the school's first commencement was held in July of that year. Judson, which was the nation's fifth oldest women's college, was founded in 1838 as a Baptist institution dedicated to educating women. Milo Parker Jewett, a recognized leader in women's education from Vermont, was hired as its principal. He served in that role for 15 years and later founded Vassar College. Although other academies for young women existed in Alabama, Judson's curriculum was designed to offer more rigorous academic standards than others of its day. The school promoted mastery of theology, literature, and fine arts. Eventually the institution offered 18 majors and 24 minors, 11 pre-professional programs, and a distance learning program toward a bachelor's degree. The college closed in May 2021, due to debt and declining enrollment. Image shows a portrait of Baptist Missionary Ann "Nancy" Hasseltine Judson, for whom the school was named. She and her husband, Adoniram Judson, were famous in the early 19th century for their work in southeast Asia. In 1819 she translated the Gospel of Matthew into Siamese, becoming the first person to translate any part of the Bible into that language. (Image courtesy of Judson College) Click here to read the EOA article: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/judson-college/
