Background
Sarah Elizabeth Doyle was born on March 23, 1830 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. She was one of the seven children of Thomas and Martha Dortance (Jones) Doyle.
Sarah Elizabeth Doyle was born on March 23, 1830 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. She was one of the seven children of Thomas and Martha Dortance (Jones) Doyle.
After graduating from the high school she taught in a private school for girls.
In 1856 she was appointed teacher in the girls department of the high school, and in 1878, became its principal. She was the first woman to preside over a session of the National Education Association, an event which occurred at the meeting in Madison in 1884. In 1898 she was named by Mayor Baker of Providence one of a committee of five to investigate the management of the public schools, and served as its secretary.
She was among those who took the lead in establishing the Rhode Island School of Design, which has become one of the principal educational institutions of the state; was a charter member of the corporation; and from 1877 to 1899 its secretary.
She also took part in the founding of the Rhode Island State Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1895.
A delegate to the meeting held in New York Marсh 20, 1889, she was appointed on the committee to draft a constitution for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.
One of her most notable services was in connection with the establishment of a college for women in Rhode Island. Their admission to Brown University had been agitated for some years, but there was strong opposition to coeducation. In 1892, however, women were allowed to become candidates for degrees, and were permitted to take the examinations required of men, though, except as graduate students, they were not admitted to the classrooms. Encouraged by President E. Benjamin Andrews, in 1895 Miss Doyle headed a committee to secure money to erect a college building for women. The following year this committee was incorporated as the Rhode Island Society for the Collegiate Education of Women, with Miss Doyle as president. Funds for the building were secured and the corporation of Brown then voted to establish a department to be known as the Women’s College in Brown University.
Doyle was a woman of liberal and progressive views, a Unitarian theologically, and was accustomed to express her convictions frankly and firmly.
People stood a little in awe of her, but recognized back of her strength and aggressiveness a generous and kindly personality.