{"id":58,"date":"2016-12-04T19:56:43","date_gmt":"2016-12-04T19:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/?page_id=58"},"modified":"2016-12-15T21:56:56","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T21:56:56","slug":"caroline-galt","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/caroline-galt\/","title":{"rendered":"Caroline M. Galt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Caroline M. Galt undeniably qualifies as a Founding Sister. In addition to her own illuminating research and contributions as a professor in the Classics Department, Galt\u2019s passionate belief in the power of art to teach introduced a hands-on method of learning that continues to thrive across disciplines in the Mount Holyoke College Museum today.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA gentlewoman and a scholar”<\/h1>\n
\"1087835202\"
Caroline M. Galt, picture courtesy of S.A. Immerwahr (ASCMHC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Caroline Morris Galt was born on November 7th, 1875 in Aurora, Illinois to an American father, Thomas Galt, and Jennett McFarland Galt, who was from Scotland. Galt graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1897 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Greek. Her first year of college, 1893, marks the year of the Columbian Exposition, also referred to as Chicago\u2019s World Fair. This event not only served to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus\u2019 arrival in the new world, it aimed to promote Neoclassical principles of architecture, deemed to be the most valuable artistic medium at the time. The Columbian Exposition clearly ignited Galt\u2019s passion to study the Classics, and ultimately devote her life to the field. After graduating from Bryn Mawr, Galt jumped into teaching at the Pennsylvania College for Women in Pittsburg. She was a Professor of Latin for five years and eventually made her way to Mount Holyoke in 1903. Prior to her arrival at Mount Holyoke, Galt took graduate level classes in the Classics at the University of Chicago, and successfully deepened her knowledge of the ancient world.<\/p>\n

Contributions to Mount Holyoke College<\/h1>\n

During her time at Mount Holyoke, Galt contributed significantly to make the Classics Department what it is today, along with aiding the growth of other disciplines. When Galt first came, she began as a reader in Latin, but very rapidly made herself a home in the Archaeology and Greek Departments, within the larger Classics Department. One year after her arrival at the college, she became a professor in the Latin Department and six years later, she became Associate Professor of Latin. Galt spent the summers of 1908 and 1909 at Columbia University in New York City, pursuing graduate studies. In 1910, she was presented with a life changing opportunity to study for the academic year at the American School of Classical Studies in Rome.<\/p>\n

Following her studies in Italy, Galt brought new insights and knowledge from Rome to Mount Holyoke<\/span>. As her interests became more concentrated, she shifted her alliance with the Latin Department to join the Archaeology Department, where she served as an Associate Professor in 1913. That year marked a milestone in the Geology Department when Mignon Mignon Talbot<\/a> paleontologist and colleague, unearthed the <\/span>Podokesaurus Holyokensis<\/span><\/i>, believed to be one of the earliest known dinosaurs in the eastern United States and put both Talbot and Mount Holyoke on the map in paleontological studies.<\/span><\/p>\n

She taught at Mount Holyoke for ten years, and taught a variety of courses, such as: Greek Sculpture and Architecture, Aegean Archaeology, Roman Archaeology, the Topography of Rome, Greek and Roman Numismatics, Vase Painting, and Greek Drama. Galt expanded her interest in the Classics beyond the confines of the classroom and joined a number of different Classics related groups in the area. She was a devoted member of the Classical Association of New England (CANE), American Numismatic Society, and the American Association of University of Professors. As a member of these different societies, she had the opportunity to present at seminar meetings on the subject of her travels in Sicily, Italy, as well as her archaeological studies on \u201cThe Romans in Egypt.\u201d Furthermore, Galt served as a sponsor to the Society of American Fellowships in French Universities, where she would attend boards and councils.<\/p>\n

While In Athens<\/h1>\n
\"rg19-galt-c-f01-i001-003-hpr-2\"
Caroline M. Galt in the Art Department, ca. 1914 (ASCMHC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Galt devoted much of her time to the School of Classical Studies in Athens as an avid member of the managing committee from 1915 to\u00a01937. She was also on the executive board from 1920 to 1922. While on the managing committee, she worked alongside elected representatives who shared her\u00a0desire to improve\u00a0the School of Classical Studies in Athens. In 1917, Galt\u00a0took a second year of absence and returned to Columbia University to study for an entire year. Although she\u00a0had planned on completing her master\u2019s degree, she was unsuccessful in her attempts.<\/p>\n

From 1920 to 1922, Galt worked on the managing committee for the School of Classical Studies in Athens, along with other elected representatives. While serving as Associate Professor of Greek and Archaeology in 1923, she taught classes and published articles. Her most renowned, \u201cA Bronze Statuette\u201d of 1929, cast a spotlight on Mount Holyoke\u2019s most cherished ancient sculpture.\u00a0<\/span> In 1926, Galt had the privilege to be the Annual Professor at the American School of Classical Studies\u2019 in Athens, and conduct research on types of archaeological dig site and their artifacts. Additionally, as an Annual Professor, she could interact and work with students closely, thus developing stronger connections and forging lasting relationships. When Galt returned from her year in Athens, she earned a full Professorship of Archaeology and Greek, and taught until she passed away from cancer on January 17, 1937.<\/p>\n

Another important contribution was her establishment of the Friends of Art program in 1931, which has made its mark on the college. The program has expanded exponentially, and has brought a plethora of exhibitions and collections to the college\u2019s art museum in the process. Both students and individuals from the public sphere are encouraged to join the program, in hopes to preserve and cultivate their appreciation of the arts. Galt did not only play a key role in the realm of academics and in the development of the museum, she also served as Mount Holyoke\u2019s House of Dean for Safford Hall from 1935 to 1936. Additionally, she served as Marshal of the College from 1929 to 1936, thus demonstrating her love and eternal devotion to the college.<\/p>\n

The Bronze Statuette<\/h1>\n
\"bronze_statue_for_miss_galt_may_1927\"
Bronze statuette, May 1927. (ASCMHC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Bronze Statuette remains one of the most prized possessions in Mount Holyoke\u2019s collection.\u00a0<\/span> In her article \u201cA New Treasure in Dwight Hall\u201d, Galt\u2019s rich, evocative language and style of writing truly brings her find to life. It is worth prefacing that the purchase of the statuette was made possible by the Nancy Everett Dwight Fund, which also funded a number of other pieces in the Mount Holyoke collection. By providing a brief history of what the world in 470 BCE looked like, she only paints a picture, she transports the reader into another world, another time. She predicts the statue to hail from Piali, a modern village situated in the ancient site of Tegea in Arcadia. In spite of providing a thorough and irreproachable account of the bronze statuette, there remains an ounce of doubt on her part regarding who the artist was, or even the school to which the artist belonged to.<\/p>\n

This victorious athlete is made of bronze, also known as the sculptors of the fifth century B.C.\u2019s beloved material. Although the sculpture is relatively small and measures just under nine inches in height, the perfect proportions make for a memorable and impressive statuette. Galt reveals to the reader that the youth probably held a phiale, or ceremonial saucer, in his right hand at some point. This phial would have contained a libation, poured as an offering to a Greek god, thanking him for the athlete\u2019s success during the sacred games. Despite the speculated missing phial, the statuette is in a surprisingly exceptional condition. Along with the phial, the only other parts missing from the object are the material inset for the eyeballs and the left arm. The most significant damage is the bent right leg from the thigh down which stems from an accidental mispositioning of the statuette. Seeing that the right foot bears a majority of the statuette\u2019s weight, the right foot should have been flat on the ground. Galt provides the reader with additional insight and sheds light on her archaeological knowledge by writing how the original position of both feet serves as an indicator of the date when the object sculpted; a time before artists had experimented with raising the heel of the foot, in order to effectively balance out the weight.<\/p>\n

Plaster Cast: Charioteer of Delphi (Mount Holyoke College, Plaster Casts Collection)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When admiring the bronze statuette more closely, it is impossible to overlook the fine detail of the head with the meticulous arrangement of the long hair in \u201ccoronet\u201d style, with two braids and \u201cfront locks looped over a fillet with ends falling over the temples.\u201d The hairstyle\u2019s function is not merely an aesthetically pleasing addition, it accurately recreates the hairstyle athletes adopted in order to prevent hair from going in their face and impede on their performance during the games. The treatment of the sculpture also reveals the Phidian time period, as well as signature characteristics of the Phidian style. The overall treatment of the muscles along with the flat dry modelling both hint at the Phidian tendencies and how during this period, artists evolved from the strict and predefined to the unpretentiously exquisite. She also broadens her research by addressing the similarly impressive object in Mount Holyoke\u2019s collection of small bronze statues: the Charioteer at Delphi, brought by Professor Kennedy.<\/p>\n

A Lasting Legacy<\/h1>\n
\"rg19-galt-c-f01-i001-001-hpr-2\"
Caroline M. Galt reading in the Archaeology Department at Mount Holyoke College, February 19th, 1937. (ASCMHC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Galt was an influential professor at Mount Holyoke College, whose lasting legacy is still visible today. She made lofty contributions to the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum of artifacts, mostly acquired during her trip to Athens. Seeing that she was an admirer of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art, it is suspected that most of the pieces she donated were from Greece and Egypt, ranging from the Middle Kingdom to the 6th century. Her influence also stems from her burning desire to put the Classics Department on the map and encourage students to study the antiquity. As President Mary Woolley aptly described Galt after she passed away, \u201cCaroline Galt was a gentlewoman and a scholar\u201d as well as \u201can inspiring teacher\u201d. Her notable legacy was celebrated in the Galt Memorial Exhibition of Ancient Art held in 1941.<\/span>\u00a0In fact, <\/span>The New York Times<\/span><\/i> \u00a0(italicize title) featured an article about art collections in colleges and private collectors in the United States, which referred to the Galt Memorial Exhibition of Ancient Art. Although the show featured artifacts from Galt\u2019s private collection, the main attraction was, unsurprisingly, the Bronze Statuette, which Galt had put made famous years earlier in her influential article of 1929.<\/span><\/p>\n

Timeline<\/h1>\n
1875<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Born on November 7th in Aurora, Illinois.<\/p>\n

1893 – 1897<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Graduated from Bryn Mawr College.<\/p>\n

1898 – 1903<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Professor of Latin at Pennsylvania College for Women.<\/p>\n

1903<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Summer Quarter University of Chicago<\/p>\n

1903 – 1904<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Reader (Latin)<\/p>\n

1904 – 1910<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Instructor (Latin)<\/p>\n

1908 – 1909<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Graduate studies at Columbia University<\/p>\n

1910<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Studied at the American School of Classical Studies in Rome.<\/p>\n

1911 – 1913<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Associate Professor (Latin)<\/p>\n

1913 – 1917<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Associate Professor (Archaeology)<\/p>\n

1917 – 1918<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Leave of Absence<\/p>\n

1918 – 1923<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Associate Professor (Archaeology)<\/p>\n

1923 – 1925<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Professor (Archaeology and Greek)<\/p>\n

1925 – 1926<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Annual Professor at the American School of Classical Studies\u2019 in Athens, Greece.<\/p>\n

1926 – 1929<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Professor (Archaeology and Greek)<\/p>\n

1929 –\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Professor (Greek and Archaeology)<\/p>\n

1937<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Died on January 17th.<\/p>\n

1941<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Galt Memorial Exhibition of Ancient Art.<\/p>\n

Works cited<\/h1>\n

Classics Department, Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollege Mourns Loss of Miss Caroline Galt,\u201d Classics Department, Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections. 1937.<\/p>\n

Galt, Caroline. Art and Archaeology<\/em>: “A New Art Treasure in Dwight Hall”, Vol. VI., No. 3, September, 1917.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreek Professor At Mt. Holyoke Dies in Hospital,\u201d Holyoke Transcript, January 18, 1937.<\/p>\n

Hart, Deanna. “A Lasting Legacy: The Contributions of Professor Caroline M. Galt”, May 7th, 2012.<\/p>\n

Immerwahr, Sara A. \u201cCaroline Morris Galt \u2013 1875-1937\u201d Mount Holyoke College Art Museum Donor Files.<\/p>\n

Office of the Registrar Transcript for Caroline Morris Galt, File of Caroline Galt, Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections.<\/p>\n

South Hadley Massachusetts, Archives and Special Collections, Caroline M. Galt Papers.<\/p>\n

Talbot, Mignon. \u201cPodokesaurus holyokensis, a new dinosaur of the Connecticut Valley\u201d American Journal of Science, 1911, (31): 469-479.<\/p>\n

“Women in Old World Archaeology.” Women in Old World Archaeology<\/i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2016.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by<\/em>\u00a0Lucinda Covington, Class of 2017<\/em><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Caroline M. Galt undeniably qualifies as a Founding Sister. In addition to her own illuminating research and contributions as a professor in the Classics Department, Galt\u2019s passionate belief in the power of art to teach introduced a hands-on method of learning that continues to thrive across disciplines in the Mount Holyoke College Museum today. \u201cA […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":264,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-58","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/58","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/58\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":981,"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/58\/revisions\/981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/commons.mtholyoke.edu\/foundingsisters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}