Della Irving Hayden was an educational trailblazer. An 1877 graduate of Hampton Institute, Irving spoke at Hampton’s graduation exercises, delivering an address to her graduating class entitled. “Our Work as Women.” In 1890, she returned to her alma mater to serve as “lady principal”. She was also “lady principal” of the State Normal School at Petersburg for thirteen years. In 1904, she organized the Franklin Normal and Industrial Institute and was its principal. By 1916 Franklin had buildings and a land to run a small farm and board dozens of women students.
