Built in 1930, “The Little House” was bought by Clemmie Jane Henry in 1924. Throughout Clemmie’s career at Maryville College (1918 – 1962, she served in multiple positions including Special Assistant to the President and was one of the first two women on the college Board of Directors.
Clemmie’s needle-working program was known nationwide as it made college feasible for women by giving them a way to raise tuition money. Her efforts raised over $500,000 for Maryville College resulting in her being granted an honorary Doctor of Law degree.
Clemmie shared the house with Dr. Elizabeth Jackson, who taught English for over forty years at Maryville College. Her career included editing the Merriam-Webster New International Dictionary, serving as a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune and dialect mapping.
Eventually, the house was sold to Bill Ribble, Director of Maryville College Financial Aid and later willed to the home’s current owner, Dr. Margie Stevenson Ribble.
A Maryville College faculty member for 21 years, Dr. Ribble is known for her love of mathematical patterns, especially the Fibonacci. She is also an accomplished violinist.