The Sierra Seminary (originally: Miss Clapp's School) was a private, co-educational school in Carson City, Nevada, US. With the support of the Nevada Territory Legislature, Governor James W. Nye and U.S. Senator William Morris Stewart, it was established in 1860, and founded the following year, by Hannah Keziah Clapp, the first instructor and librarian at the University of Nevada, Reno. Clapp was assisted by Mrs. Cutler and later by Miss Elizabeth C. Babcock. Many of Nevada's prominent citizens of the day were educated at this school.[1] By 1864, there were about 40 students,[2] and in 1865, a new building was erected.[3] Mark Twain visited Sierra Seminary twice, subsequently incorporating some of what he observed into his 1876 novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.[4] It existed until approximately 1886.[5]
- ^ Nevada Historical Society (1909). Biennial report of the Nevada Historical Society (Public domain ed.). State Printing Office. pp. 58–. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- ^ "LETTER FROM MARK TWAIN - MISS CLAPP'S SCHOOL". Carson City, NV: Territorial Enterprise. January 14, 1864. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
- ^ Ohles, Frederik; Ohles, Shirley M.; Ramsay, John G. (October 1997). Biographical dictionary of modern American educators. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 63–. ISBN 978-0-313-29133-3. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- ^ "Hannah Keziah Clapp". University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
- ^ Nevada Historical Society (1922). Nevada Historical Society papers (Public domain ed.). State Printing Office. pp. 124–. Retrieved February 5, 2012.