McKee, Sawyer and Group

Upon her arrival at Western, Leila McKee, as the new leader, her enthusiasm led to her immediate success and popularity with the students and faculty. She was successful in gaining the trust of the experienced teachers who had served with her predecessor Helen Peabody, such as Miss Jessup, Miss White, Miss Crowther, Miss Skinner and the young Miss Sawyer. In the Spring of 1888, Ms. McKee accompanied by Miss White, the librarian, made a tour of colleges for the purposes of gathering new ideas which might be used at Western Female Seminary. They visited Lake Erie, Mount Holyoke, Yale, Smith, Amherst and Wellesley.