Emily Howland Becomes First Woman to Receive Honorary Doctorate from SUNY

Emily Howland received an honorary doctorate in 1926 from the State University of New York, which conferred upon her an honorary Doctor of Literature (Litt.D.) degree. She was the first woman to be so honored by that institution. The inscription on the plaque at the Sherwood Select (Emily Howland) School read:"Citizen of Sherwood for more than a century, Emily Howland worked for Abolition of Slavery, Education of the negro, Woman’s Suffrage, Temperance and World Peace. In her 99th year the University of the State of New York conferred upon her the degree of Doctor of Letters. In 1882 she erected Sherwood Select School on this site and largely financed it until 1926 when she gave it to be organized as a public school."