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Richards in her study
Few colleges accepted women at that time. Many people believed
studying hard would make women ill! But Ellen would not forget her
dream. She worked at many jobs and saved all the money she could.
Finally she had enough money to enter Vassar College. Vassar was an
experimental school. It aimed to give women the same chance that
men had to get an education.
Ellen was called a “special student” at Vassar because she was 26
years old. The other women were 14 to 19 years old. Ellen was too
happy to care. Her favorite subjects were astronomy and chemistry.
In 1870, she was part of Vassar’s first graduating class.
Ellen planned to teach in Argentina, but war broke out. Instead she
entered graduate school at MIT. She was not charged tuition. Ellen
believed this was because she was poor. In fact, MIT was afraid to
admit women. By not charging Ellen, the school could claim she was
not really a student.
Ellen worked at MIT after her graduation in 1873. The professors
respected her. One laboratory head said, “When we are in doubt
about anything, we always go to Miss Swallow.” Ellen married
chemistry professor Robert H. Richards in 1875. They helped each
other with their work.
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