A pioneering women's college in Evanston (1871–1873) that provided female students access to Northwestern University education.
The Evanston College for Ladies was established in 1871 to provide women with educational access comparable to that offered to men at Northwestern University. With an inaugural enrollment of 236 women, the college operated as a residential institution where students attended classes at Northwestern while receiving supplemental education and housing through the college. The institution was notable for its all-female leadership and faculty, reflecting its mission of promoting education for women directed and controlled by women. Financial challenges following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 led to the college's merger with Northwestern University in 1873.
Students pursued classical and scientific courses at Northwestern University while receiving supplemental instruction in fine arts, foreign languages, kindergarten teaching, and housekeeping. The college offered a Baccalaureate of Arts degree through its 'Historical and Aesthetic Course of Study,' emphasizing history and foreign language. Weekly lectures on diverse topics—from dress to health—were provided by college officers, and residents attended lectures on health and hygiene from a female physician. A college preparatory program was also available to both boys and girls.
Frances E. Willard served as the college's first and only president, leading an all-female administrative team including Elizabeth M. Greenleaf (board president), Mary F. Haven (treasurer), and Anna S. Marcy (recording secretary). The faculty included notable educators such as Hannah Maria Pettingill (art), Katharine Jackson (French and literature), and Ada Frances Brigham (professor). The 1871 graduating class was the first to receive diplomas from women and hear a baccalaureate address delivered by a woman.
Following its absorption by Northwestern University in 1873, the college became the Women's College of Northwestern University, later renamed Women's Hall (1892) and finally Willard Hall (1901). Frances E. Willard transitioned to become dean of women and professor of aesthetics at Northwestern. Willard Hall served as a music administration building from 1940 until 2015, when it was vacated as the Bienen School of Music relocated to a new campus facility.