Davis Hall is named for Mary Anne Davis, an instructor of mathematics and English at the University of Arkansas for more than 46 years who also served as the university’s dean of women from 1911 to 1923.
Davis was born Feb. 1, 1873, at North Middleton, Kentucky, and studied at New York University, the University of Chicago and Hamilton College in Lexington, Kentucky, where she was valedictorian of her class, graduating with special honors in mathematics.
She came to Arkansas Industrial University in 1893 to teach English, mathematics and history. For a while, she also took charge of the university’s preparatory school. She helped found the Delta Phi sorority, a precursor to establishment of the University of Arkansas chapter of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority in 1903.
As dean of women, she became a favorite consort and mentor to the women of Carnall Hall, the only women’s residence hall on campus. The residents held annual celebrations for “Miss Mary’s Birthday Party,” commemorating Davis’ 30th birthday, no matter her real age.
Aside from her academic work, she worked actively for the suffrage movement in Arkansas and the nation, attending the 1893 convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association as Arkansas’ delegate in 1893.
In 1915, she was formally appointed to the English faculty as an instructor of rhetoric and composition. “A vivid personality,” the Arkansas Alumnus wrote, “Miss Mary Anne’s memorable quality was her zest for life. This was reflected in her teaching of English. She inspired her students with a love for literature, particularly poetry.”
Although she began writing poetry as a way to engage her students with clever rhymes, her writing took on a more serious literary form in her later years. She contributed to Poetry World and other national and regional poetry publications, such as the Ozark Moon column in the Northwest Arkansas Times, and she read her poetry on KUOA, the university’s early radio station. She was a member of the Poetry Club and winner of the club’s first award for original composition. A book of her poetry, From My Window, was published in 1939, not long before her death.
She died of pneumonia on Dec. 26, 1939.
Two years later, construction on the university’s second residence hall for women commenced, and the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to name the building in honor of Davis. Arkansas Gov. Homer Adkins and university President Arthur Harding dedicated the building on Nov. 7, 1942.
Information for this story was collected and researched by Jessica Powviriya, a journalism major and student intern for the Office of University Relations.
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