The Passano Collection on Women of the South During the Civil War is a unique compilation on the topic of women's lives in that period. Of the almost two hundred United States library collections on the Civil War, no other focuses on the experiences of Southern women.

 The collection came to the Julia Rogers Library in 1989 as the gift of Nell Foster Jacobs Passano, who graduated from Goucher in 1936, Phi Beta Kappa, with a major in education. She next studied at the University of Iowa and received an M.A. from Columbia University. Most of her working life was dedicated to early childhood education, which she taught at all levels from nursery to graduate school. During World War II she managed, for the Maryland State Department of Education, all of its federally funded centers for the children of mothers in war work. After many years of living and teaching in Pennsylvania, she returned home to Baltimore, where for the past twenty-five years she has been a Christian Science practioner. Later in this guide, Mrs. Passano tells her book-collecting story.

These books were an especially welcome addition to Goucher, where they support the research interests of faculty and students. The history curriculum includes several courses in Southern history and the Civil War period. Members of the history faculty have published many relevant articles and books. Personal narratives are a particular strength of the collection and Professor Baker's essay describes their importance to students of history. Other departments and programs, such as women's studies, benefit from the collection as well.

 Because the Goucher library has many other materials related to both the Civil War period and the history of women in the United States the usefulness of the Passano materials to scholars is enhanced. Those books and periodicals are also mentioned in this guide. An earlier gift of special note, described later, is that of Sara Haardt Mencken '20.
 
 

Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Passano the collection continues to grow as new scholarship is published and old titles are located.