History Lecture Series at Woodlawn: Female Education in Early America: The Misses Martin’s School in Portland, Maine
Mon, May 18
|The Barn at Woodlawn
Time & Location
May 18, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
The Barn at Woodlawn, 19 Black House Dr, Ellsworth, ME 04605, USA
Guests
About the event
About the Lecture:
During the early 1800s, when the Black family were planning and building Woodlawn, Maine families increasingly supported the education of their daughters. Publicly funded academies were established in seaport and river towns including Saco, Hallowell, and East Machias. In addition, dozens of private schools taught girls. In this illustrated talk, Laura Sprague will highlight activities of The Misses Martin’s School for Young Ladies in Portland. One of early America’s finest boarding and day schools, it set high standards for its students and provides a context for Woodlawn’s exemplary schoolgirl art.
About the Presenter:
A curator of early Maine’s material culture, Laura F. Sprague has contributed to research, publications, and exhibitions for the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Maine Historical Society, and Tate House Museum, among others. She has worked with Woodlawn's collection for many years and, notably, managed the 1827 best bed conservation project from 2011 to 2013. She serves…