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    i’tVVV.€  V   done in
  UK s First Woman Ph.D. . 1 y. ...3.   . y §;’,§$,,,,l’
  i ` » H ) .   .1 .~\fte'r
  _, , _   l i -. °   planned
  1 =·.   _ l_;, _ i were ret
I “ `·'? i i   .i      ` during t
by Phyllis Thompson. ’68 V      V U  1-' I 1 Sdiool S
For one who seeks a Ph.D. degree the path is seldom   _ l` 1 li li im in I
rose-petaled. The quest for this degree requires    
months, sometimes years of hard work. The obstacles  in 
encountered are overcome by one’s determination and   1,
utmost dedication to the challenge of obtaining the   ·-——-
degree.   V  
Aside from the usual factors involved in obtaining , ._"* · il;.
a degree such as available time. money and energy.   " .......
people can become strong factors that help or hinder. . V
Such was the case of Dr. Virginia McClure, A.B. 1912. _ _
{Y M.A. 1928, Ph.D. 1934, the first woman to earn the  VV ,`  r., Q it l
‘ Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of ll"  :_ `  ~` ·""/`   l-
. li Kentuck . ,_ . .  
. A lj According to Dr. McClure, the head of the depart- De lllmllllll ‘\l(`Cllll' "
ment of History, Dr. ]ames Edward Tuthill, was very KZIVZIIY
in much opposed to allowing a woman to become a can- of the Kentucky Highlands were of the same ·»ri;:
1 didate for the Ph.D. degree. However, her advisor. as those who came farther \\lest. looking for ": 1‘1’l. i   tht
. Dr. Charles M. Knapp, who wanted to increase in- level. fertile land." According to l)r. \lc(ill11n·. ;=
terest in graduate work, especially in his own field. terest in this area has been indicated during the 1****   RC
which was United States History, was most helpful but much of the writing on the subject had been tl‘:.·
to her as was Dr. Amry Vandenbosch, of the Political without serious research.
Science Department. Reminiscing about her first years in tlttt’ll(l.lllL".‘ 
The Subject of Dr. McClure’s doctoral dissertation the University of Kentucky Dr. \l(‘(`lllll`l‘ recall< ill.? L_ RO)
was “The Settlement of the Kentucky Appalachian the University itself was i11 tl1e early stages <1llly g:1v<·ilHi\`¤'· cialigrm
little had been written in this area. sity status to the Agriciiltiiral and i\1(‘(‘ll;tl]lL`ttl (inllrs jean Inst
It was necessary for her to do original research popularly referred to as "State (Iollege." and eliann Mr. K
which proved to be an interesting and rewarding ex- the name to State University of Kentneky. lt \\`il*1` l·{avanau`
perience aside from yielding valuable information for 1909 that Virginia Clay l\I(’ClllI'(‘_ graduate <>l`:i1>¤‘i\‘~** iling in ;
her dissertation. school in \lt. St(‘I'llIlQ, entered the 1l1ii\`t‘l‘$ii)7 V d€\‘elopn
While researching in the Appalachian area, Dr. During this year Dr. ]a1nes K. Patterson I`¢’ill<¤l the Ten
, McClure found the knowledge and guidance of the having served as president for 41 years. ]t1<1LE<` lll'lll` K&\'1lnanV
late Miss Catherine Pettit indispensable. Nliss Pettit   Barker. successor to l)r, llalterson. WHS lllfll ll , @$12tte va
W3.S CO·t0Ul'lC1€I' with Miss May Stone, of the settlement coinmand of an i11stit11ti(1n valued at $9Zl0,01l(l \"llVll   llV0 com
l schools at Hintlrrlilrl and Pine Mountain, Kentucky. amnial i11c(m1e of $]50_000_ and an (‘lll`()llll1(`l1l lll lll`i illlil was
Th€Il retired (1933), she accompanied Dr. McClure over 500 st11dents_ Dr, h’I(_'(illl]`(‘ recalls 111411 lll lilllil and 1968
O1'1 3.11 €XtG1'1(1€(1 trip through the area and arranged fewer than 50 young \\’()l]](‘]l lived in l)211l<‘i`$llll ll‘lll_ All M
interviews with descendants of the Settlers. Dr. Mc- the one d(1r111it()1·y for women, l‘l;t(‘ll girl lllllll Sl' SlllCU 195
Clure’s research confirmed the premise that settlers per month for her room and board. lll? Hm 1
34