HWS Founders
The co-founders of the Hardy Women’s Society met while attending the Tremlett College for Women on Antheia Island. Tremlett, founded in 1635, is a premiere educational institute located just off the rugged coast of Maine on a large island that encompasses the college grounds, the Tremlett estate house, extensive orchards, and dense wooded areas.
In 1903, Ada and Bunny attended an English literature class taught by Professor Evangeline Trevelyan. The idea for the Hardy Women’s Society developed from a study of Aemilia Lanyer’s 1611 poem “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” and a series of unusual events that occurred on the island that year. The poem became the charter for the fledgling HWS.
In 1903, Ada and Bunny attended an English literature class taught by Professor Evangeline Trevelyan. The idea for the Hardy Women’s Society developed from a study of Aemilia Lanyer’s 1611 poem “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” and a series of unusual events that occurred on the island that year. The poem became the charter for the fledgling HWS.
Ada Gentry Adair
An accomplished gardener, botanist, and literature scholar, Ada came from the Midwest, growing up in an apple orchard near the Spoon River in Illinois. She was known for her impeccably-hosted garden gatherings and timeless eye for garden design. After receiving her degree from Tremlett, she went on to become a teacher (after living an adventurous early life), occasionally returning to the Maine island school for guest lectures. Her tireless work in the HWS kept the membership thriving even as the original founders moved away from their beloved Tremlett College for Women.
Bunny Campbell
Hailing from Los Angeles, Bunny grew up in the city and looked up to her real-estate entrepreneur grandmother. Soft-spoken but fierce, Bunny had a talent for opera singing and for building social connections across diverse groups of students. While records show Ada and Bunny experienced some rocky moments in their friendship, the two maintained close ties after leaving Tremlett and often joined up for excursions, often into wilderness areas in search of botanic wonders.