The Tradition
Mary Goodale Slocum
Wife of Pres. William F. Slocum
Founder of WES
Members of the Woman's Educational Society of Colorado College are volunteers in a tradition of social responsibility that has its roots in the nineteenth century and will be no less valid in the twenty-first. WES was founded in 1889 as an autonomous community organization to help Colorado College students in financial need to pursue their educations. During its first century, even when its resources were meager, WES helped more than a thousand students.
The Purpose
A WES member today contributes to tuition and book allowances for twenty-one Colorado College women, selected as "WES Scholars" for their achievement and academic and personal promise as well as need. A WES member also contributes to WES "projects"-usually campus improvements-and helps link together the college and the Colorado Springs communities. These works-student aid, campus improvement, and goodwill between college and community-are the historic purposes of WES.
The Finances
For the 2006-2007 school year each scholar receives $3,750 for tuition and $900 for books. The following is an example of the costs to attend Colorado College for the current school year.
- Tuition
- $32,124
- Room (average cost)
- $4,368
- Board (the most-used food plan)
- $3,684
- Books
- $904
- 2006-2007 Total Costs
- $41,080
The WES scholarship award of $3,750 for tuition is approximately 11.7% of the total tuition cost. For WES to increase the amount of the scholarship, the endowment must increase. To add $100 per scholar, WES needs to increase the principal by $42,000. (WES uses a 5% payout formula; 5% of $42,000 is $2,100 -- enough to to give each of our 21 scholars an extra $100.)
WES can increase the amount of money given to each scholar if members increase the level of their membership, make bequests and other contributions for scholarships. It is the hope of the entire Board of Managers that through the generosity of our members, WES can increase the level of financial support provided to our 21 scholars.
The "Quiet Work"
The founder of WES, Mary G. Slocum, used the phrase "a quiet work" in 1897 to characterize WES accomplishments. Among its works, WES built the first women's residence, Montgomery Hall, in 1890-91; gave a complete infirmary in 1936, and helped equip the present one; furnished the Special Collections study room in Tutt Library in 1974; improved congregational lighting in Shove Chapel and purchased a commercial stove to aid CC students who run a community soup kitchen in Shove Chapel, both in 1994; and, for its centennial in 1989, endowed the Southwest Studies lectureship "Women in the West."