time (Philadelphia School of Design for Women 24). In the third department, lithography/wood engraving, women were taught drawing on stone and carving in wood. During the first years of the school, the actual printing was done on school grounds. However, in later years, most printing was done outside the school by contract. Due to the beauty and perfection of the pupils’ works, very soon after the School’s establishment, several of the students’ lithographs were used in floral brochures, such as the “Philadelphia Florists’ and Horticultural Journal” (Philadelphia School of Design for Women 26-27).During the 1850s and 1860s, the Philadelphia School flourished. It was moved several times to larger buildings with better lighting and many more teachers were hired to instruct the growing number of women who wished to attend (there were over 100 total women admitted to the School by 1852) (Philadelphia School of Design for Women 24-25). Many of the industrial firms in the Philadelphia area began to put orders in to the school for ironwork, paper hangings, calico prints, and woven textiles. And amazingly, the women pupils were given three-quarters of any money they received for their work done at the school that sold to these industrial firms (Philadelphia School of Design for Women 40). In 1853, an official charter was granted for the school—a board of directors, officers, and a board of Lady Managers were elected (Philadelphia School of Design for Women 34). An interesting and ironic note can be made concerning the new charter: after everything, men still managed everything (the Lady Managers still had to obtain authority from the male board of directors). It was stated in the charter that the board of directors had to be “12 gentlemen.” The incorporators of the newly public school still followed the custom of that time in denying representation in direction to the very peopl...
