Minnie Vautrin (1886-1941)

Wilhelmina (Minnie) Vautrin was an American missionary, diarist, educator and president of Ginling College.She was a missionary in China for 28 years.

Her mother died when she was only 6 and for 3 years was fostered before her father was allowed to look after her. She went to University, having to work to pay for the fees. She came out top of her class.

A request was made by the Foreign Missionary Society for her to replace a teacher in China. She accepted the request and established in Hofei the San Ching Girl’s Middle School.

In 1918 returned to USA to pursue a master’s degree in education. Ginling College, in China, approached her to serve as president for 1 year. She stayed for many years, with furlongs home, until 1940.
During the time of the Nanking Massacre the college was a place of refuge for 1000s of refugees.

In 1941, a year after returning to the USA , she committed suicide due to the extreme stress and trauma from the massacre. Minnie was postumously awarded the Emblem of the Blue jade by the Chinese government for her humanitarian work during the massacre.