Mary MacRae (ca. 1873-1940) with the staff of The Tar Heel, 1898

At Alderman's request, Mary MacRae, daughter of the law school dean, became the first woman to register. A graduate of St. Mary's College in Raleigh, MacRae did well at the university and became literary editor of The Tar Heel in 1898. The first generation of female students generally made excellent grades and won a number of prizes for their academic achievements.