Clara French

Clara French (July 30, 1863 – October 6, 1888), together with Vida Dutton Scudder, was the first American woman admitted to the graduate program at Oxford University.

At the age of fourteen, she assisted in classifying and arranging the cabinet in the Mansfield, Pennsylvania, Normal School.

A significant period in Clara's life was spent at Indiana, Pennsylvania, where the family moved in 1878.

The plan was to open a settlement in 1887, but French died in 1888, and the other three decided to renounce to the idea for the time being.

Later, Helen Rand opened the first college settlement at Rivington Street in New York City.

[1] In 1885, Scudder and French were the first American women admitted to the graduate program at Oxford.