Due to the tenacious efforts of a number of alumnae, including a few with Chattanooga connections, Sweet Briar College for women in Virginia has reversed its decision to close and will stay open for the foreseeable future.
Following a Virginia judge’s signing on Monday of an agreement that had been worked out over the weekend between all parties involved, the school will remain open.
And this turn of events that many are calling almost a miracle has some of the local alumnae quite pleased.
“I am overjoyed, jubilant really, that the core group of Saving Sweet Briar, Inc.
(a non-profit group that had been formed) has diligently fought the closing of Sweet Briar College, persisted and now it appears won the right to keep the college open,” said excited alumna Lee Parham from Lookout Mountain.
“The judge commended students, parents, faculty and alumnae for their valiant efforts in keeping Sweet Briar open.”
Lucie Stephens Holland, who now lives just outside Washington, D.C., but had attended Sweet Briar after graduating from Girls Preparatory School in 1978, was also excited over the news.
“I am very pleased with the news today that Sweet Briar is being given another chance to continue its educational mission,” she said.
The two were quoted in a chattanoogan.com article with much heavier hearts a few weeks ago after the historic private college – where a number of Girls Preparatory School graduates have attended – announced plans to close in August.
Reasons cited included declining enrollment and greater challenges in attracting students to an all-women’s college, its rural location, and major maintenance needs for its campus buildings.
Outcry from a number of alumnae and supporters started almost immediately, and lawsuits were even filed.
Under the agreement announced Saturday and signed by Circuit Court Judge James Updike Jr. in Bedford County, Va., on Monday, Saving Sweet Briar has agreed to commit to $12 million in gifts and pledges for the operation of the school in 2015-16. $16 million from the school’s endowment will also be released.
The school will also replace its interim president, Dr. James F. Jones Jr., and many members of the school’s board of trustees will be replaced, according to the agreement.
Many contend that plenty of hurdles still remain for the school to stay open for the long term or even to operate smoothly during the 2015-16 school year. But since the weekend, the local alumnae have been joining all the other Sweet Briar graduates and supporters in relishing the efforts that proved successful over tough odds.
“There is a lot of work ahead for all of us who care about the college, and my fellow alumnae and I are thrilled that the door is now open for that work to proceed,” added Mrs. Holland.
According to Mrs. Parham, other Sweet Briar alumnae in the Chattanooga area include Julia Sanford, Emily Brown, Mollie Nelson, Peggy Laney, Libby Wann Duff, Susan Martin, Mary Ferris Kelly, Elizabeth McCallie, Stevie Keown, Kathy Patten, Virginia Polley, Katherine Warner, Janie McNabb, Fran Palmer, Norma Mills, Keating Griffiss, Frances Smith, and Sarah Moore, among others.
Among the deceased Chattanoogans who attended were Mildred Montague, Hedy Davenport, Ruth Street, Madden McCallie, Jane Bradley, Hilda Chapin, Kitty Maclellan and Mary Oehmig, Mrs. Parham said.
Jcshearer2@comcast.net