“Love, Sex & Marriage”

Georgia College & State University had a taste of history with a visit from Sally Russell during her lecture, entitled “Love, Sex and Marriage: Three Generations of Russell Women,” Wednesday.

As the granddaughter of Ina Dillard and Judge Richard Russell, Sally Russell visited GC&SU to obtain research for a biography of her grandfather while being present to represent the Russell family during the groundbreaking for the new library.

Sally Russell states that she chose her lecture topic because it dealt with women’s studies.

“I chose the topic `Love, Sex and Marriage: Three Generations of Russell Women,’ because it was focused on women’s studies,” Russell said.

Dr. Robin Harris, director of Experiential Learning, states that the university is excited to have Sally Russell visit because it allows the community of GC&SU to gain an understanding of the significance of the Russell family to this university.

“I think that having the granddaughter of Ina Dillard Russell and Judge Richard Russell on campus is a wonderful opportunity for our students to get an understanding of the just how significant the founding of this institution was,” Harris said.

The Russell family has played a big role in university; not only does GC&SU’s library bear their family name but so does Russell Auditorium.

According to University Relations, Ina Dillard Russell was the wife of Judge Richard B. Russell, the man responsible for introducing the first legislative bill requesting a state-supported college for women. Although the initial bill failed, Judge Richard Russell continued to support legislation for this purpose.

“This school, established as the sister school to Georgia Tech, represented ‘cutting edge’ opportunities for women. The Georgia legislature provided a liberal arts education for women that also prepared women to seek employment in an era and place where women had few educational and vocational choices,” Harris said.

After the college was originally founded, the Russell daughters attended this university.

“The six daughters attended the college, writing frequent letters home to their mother, Ina Dillard Russell. In 1999, the University of Georgia Press published a selection of Ina’s three thousand letters written to her thirteen children, including future Georgia governor and U.S. Senator Richard Russell, and her husband, who became the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court,” Harris said.

“Although I did not attend this university, I love being here,” Sally Russell said. “I believe that if my grandfather could see this campus today, he would be absolutely thrilled that he and his legacy played a part at this university.”

Ina Dillard Russell died in 1953; she is remembered as an energetic and talented woman who reinvented the traditional female roles to accommodate the life she lived. On the day of her passing, “flags throughout Georgia were lowered to half-mast in honor of her dedication to her state, community and family.”

“My grandmother founded a beautiful family, and she carried on the tradition to her daughters,” Sally Russell said.

President Rosemary DePaolo states that the university is honored to have Sally Russell visit this campus.

“It is wonderful to have Sally Russell on our campus,” DePaolo said. “It is a great representation of our rich legacy.”

“Without the long-standing support of the Russell family, this institution may never have come about and certainly would not have enjoyed the success that it has had through the years, ” Harris said.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 5 2001. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry