6 4 



TIIK C.r IDE TO NATURE 



and her father removed to Lynn, 

 Massachusetts, where they remained 

 until she was called to Vassar College 

 [865 as Professor of Astronomy and 

 Director of the Observatory. ( )ne of 

 Professor Mitchell's students during 



mental and moral perplexities of youth, 

 and was lifted into a larger, clearer 

 vision and stronger courage to strive 

 for the best. The Observatory had a 

 home atmosphere from the first, where 

 for more than three years William 

 Mitchell. Miss Mitchell's fath- 

 er, in his beautiful old age, was 

 a benignant presence. Simple, 

 open-hearted hospitality was 

 as real a part of Miss Mitchell's 

 life as was hard work and de- 

 votion to high scientific aims." 

 In 1888, after twenty-three 

 years of service, she resigned 

 her position at Yassar College ; 

 she was made Professor Emer- 

 itus, and offered a home in the 

 Observatory for the remainder 

 of her life. She preferred, how- 

 ever, to return to her family in 

 Lynn, where, in 1889, she died. 



BIRTHPLACE OF MARIA MITCHELL 

 Built 1790. 



the early years of Vassar 

 College speaks thus of her 

 life and influence at the Col- 

 lege : "In those early times, 

 when the way was yet to 

 find. Miss Mitchell was a 

 formative power for high 

 ideals and high standards of 

 scholarship in the education 

 of women. The story of her 

 personal influence on her 

 students can never fully be 

 told. It lives in the con- 

 sciousness of all who came 

 within its touch. Incisive 

 and trenchant of speech and 

 with a keen sense of humor, 

 she w r as warmly human. 

 She belonged to a large 

 family, and took a vivid in- 

 terest in her many nieces 

 and nephews and in all their 

 interests, large and small ; 

 when she came to Vassar 

 her large social nature took 

 in her pupils with scarcely 

 less vital sympathy. Many 

 a girl went to her as to a 

 mother confessor with the 



MARIA MITCHELL 



