"Pride on the One Hand and Prejudice on the Other": A History of Jane Austen Studies at Seton Hill University
- Summer Griffin
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
On March 29, 1929, in the then-small town of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, an all-women’s Catholic college staged what its student newspaper would later describe as “one of the most noteworthy in the history of class plays”: a dramatized version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
“Frills, frizzes, and wide flowered skirts were in order,” the Setonian reported, “with characters ranging from the deferential, pompous clergyman… to the fussy, tactless Mrs. Bennet, endowed with an overdose of nerves and too long a tongue.”
The all-female cast left a lasting impression on its audience, but, as the paper noted, “the human element was especially strong, for the love that melted away pride on the one hand and prejudice on the other.”
This 1929 production was not an isolated moment within Seton Hill’s history. Eight years earlier, the Setonian published a spirited response to a critique of Austen by a Mr. Firkins, defending her artistry with a true sense of Austen wit and loyalty. “If Mr. Firkins were a woman,” the paper teased, “it is just possible that we might live to see the realization of the wish expressed in these verses:
As the host of the Jane Austen Summer Program in 2026, Seton Hill University offers not only a beautiful campus, but a setting deeply aligned with the values and aspirations that animate Austen’s work. Founded in 1885 by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, the then–Seton Hill College began with a mission to educate women at a time when women’s access to higher education was far from guaranteed, while remaining grounded within the Catholic tradition.
The university’s namesake and first American-born saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, was also a near contemporary of Jane Austen. While they never contacted one another, both women were born just a year apart in the mid-1770s; both navigated societies that underestimated women’s intellectual capacities; and both helped reshape the landscape of literacy and learning for future generations.
Elizabeth Ann Seton’s letters, in particular, reveal a voice that may seem strikingly familiar to an Austen reader—intimate, observant, and gently humorous. Writing to her husband, William Magee Seton, she remarked:
“Your Eliza’s eye is very ugly but not very painful… it will prevent the possibility of my going out. Therefore you must devote a great deal of your time to me—come as early as possible…”
Nearly a century later, the “irrevocable Jane” continues to find her place within Seton Hill’s halls. As recently as Spring 2025, Seton Hill offered a special topics literature course dedicated to the study of Jane Austen’s works, taught by Dr. Sarah Marsh. In this course, students—including me—engaged in a specialized study of the life and times of the English novelist, reading four of Austen’s major novels excluding Northanger Abbey and Emma. The class emphasized vigorous in-class discussions and concluded with student panel presentations exploring a range of topics in Austen studies.
When viewed together, these moments show that Jane Austen’s presence at Seton Hill is neither accidental nor temporary. She has been staged, defended, taught, and gossiped about on The Hill for more than a century, with each generation finding new reasons to return to her timeless work.
As Seton Hill University prepares to host the Jane Austen Summer Program in 2026, it does so with a history that naturally supports Austen’s legacy. From early student performances to contemporary classrooms, our Jane remains firmly at home within the halls of Seton Hill.
Registration for JASP 2026 is open! Don't miss out on the Early Bird Discount!
Pride, Prejudice, and the Pursuit of Happiness will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through a four-day public humanities program exploring the Enlightenment roots of American democracy and the transatlantic exchange of political ideas. To honor this milestone, JASP is relocating from UNC Chapel Hill to Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, a state closely associated with the American founding.