The Oberlin Industrial School was organized in 1885 by Julia Finney Monroe (1837-1930) with the united effort of women from the various Oberlin churches. Its purpose was to teach young girls to sew and knit when their mothers were unable to do so. Classes were held for girls aged 6 to 16 in various local churches on Saturday afternoons from October to May. The girls were taught to make plain garments for themselves from materials furnished by the school and were given religious lessons at the same time. Over the course of 30 years, the school taught more than 900 students. Volunteers from each of the churches served as teachers. The school closed in 1914 when the public schools began to teach sewing.