The indomitable Julia Bulkley, Ph.D., June 04, 1985

The article describes the accomplishments of Julia Bulkley, Ph.D. She was a Connecticut native and great-granddaughter of Nathan Bulkley, was a teamster during the American Revolution. She attended Fort Edward Collegiate Institute in New York and attended classes with soldiers returning from the Civil War. Men and women were in the same classes and occupied the same common areas. This experience made her an advocate of coeducation. She graduate in 1867 valedictorian of her class and became one of the first teachers at the high school in Danbury's New Street School. Also, she held positions as Secretary of the Methodist teachers' retreat in Chautauqua, N.Y, and as Principal of high school in Plainfield, N.J. starting in 1886. She received a doctorate cum laude in philosophy from the University if Zurich in August, 1895 at the age of 50. The curriculum was taught entirely in German. Her ultimate dream was to be dean of women at University of Chicago. However, she was never able to receive the position. She was editor of the Women's Friend, a Methodist missionary magazine. |Identifier: ms069_devlin_1985_06_04