Community Corner
Then & Now
Another week, another historic look at Georgetown.This Patch-wide feature allows neighbors to see historic photos of the community paired with current images. Get a pain-free history lesson once a week.
was founded in 1799 by the Visitation Sisters. Archbishop Leonard Neale, then the president of Georgetown College, invited the sisters to form the school for girls in Washington, D.C.
At the time, there were few educational opportunities opened to Catholics, let alone women, according to the Visitation website. The Sisters of the Visitation were ahead of their time, offering free classes on the weekends, when free public education was unheard of. On top of that, the sisters opened the free classes to free blacks and slaves from the area, though teaching slaves was illegal.
Today's school is still exclusively open to young women. The student body includes about 450 women from D.C., VA and MD. You will note their attire is slightly different today...
Find out what's happening in Georgetownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
