1930-1939

In the subsection entitled "Women's Quarters at Denny Hall," Meredith gives us an insight to how rooms on the college grounds enabled day students (town students ?), commuters, and boarders to take advantage of the time spent on campus.
 
Located in the basement, the women's quarters at Denny Hall consisted of: a small washing room, a toilet, a small kichenette, and a rest room. Although she mentions that the rooms were clearly makeshift, she also says that they were comfortable and in good condition.

The subsection entitled "Metzger Hall," in Dean Meredith's historical account of women at Dickinson,  gives a general overview of the physical layout of the building. This subsection is followed by  another, more detailed account of specific rooms, their inadecuacies, shortcomings and some scattered suggestions for improvement.
 

In her essay on the "History of Women at Dickinson College," Dean of Women Josephine Meredith included the following section titled "Why Women Come Here," listing motivating factors/reasons why students chose to attend Dickinson. Her account illustrates the minimal role Dickinson played in proactively seeking to attract even more 'superior' women students; yet she concludes that this could be remedied by being more selective and insisting on personal interviews.

Trends of reasons for attending Dickinson:

In her essay, "History of Women at Dickinson," Dean of Women Josephine Meredith included a section entitled: "Value of Types." In it Meredith defines three types of students that attended Dickinson College. The description of each type briefly accounts for the value each group brought to the campus.

 
Types of Students:

The context of why this essay was written remains unknown; however, it provides an in-depth account of college life for women during the time Josephine Meredith was Dean of Women.
The introductory part of her essay is entitled "Historical." In it she briefly accounts for the reasons women had not been admitted into Dickinson College up until 1884 and outlines the various developments that arose from that year on. Developments addressed include: additions to faculty and trends in enrollment.

The Junior Basketball Group of 1932-33, the Class of 1934. Top row: E. Wentzel, J. Bastress, M. Jacots, M. Davis, E. Billow,
Bottom row: W. LaBau, H. Baker, R. Sharp (capt), H. Allen, E. Hibbs

Pictured here are the ladies of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority in 1937.

Pictured here are the ladies of the Women's Student Government Association (Women's Student Senate) of 1933.

Riding at Dickinson was offered as a spring or fall "elective" for physical education provided an opportunity for female students to enjoy the "outdoor life" to take rides through the woods after learning the basics in a ring. According to the 1934 Microcosm, sometimes the College would plan long trips in which students could horseback ride over the mountains and cook dinner over a fire at the end of the ride.

Photograph taken in 1932 of female archers within the Dickinson College's Physical Education Department. It can be found in the Josephine Meredith Scrapbooks as well as in the 1932 Microcosm, page 234. In the back row, left to right, are Eleanor F. Peters '34, Mary E. Bell '36, Jeanne C. Whittaker '33, Dorothy Hillig '33, (and in front, left to right) Elizabeth M. Pyles '34, Helen M. Epler '34, and Mary L. Loy '31.

Numbering over 60 women, the McIntyre Literary Society was created for the goals of literary appreciation and self-expression.  This photo documents the group in 1933.

Photograph circa 1935 of women's archery practice.

Shown here in the alumni gymnasium is one of the many formal dances that took place on campus.  From the looks of the decor and garb, the photo is most likely from one of the spring formals, and perhaps circa 1935.

After some consideration and review, O.D.K. considers a revised plan
for the all-College Senate. The women of Dickinson were not in favor of
the original plan which called for presidents of sororities to
“automatically receive seats in the Senate,” because that gave an unfair advantage to those already in a position of power.  Instead they hoped that
more un-affiliated women of the campus would be able to be involved.
After a meeting with O.D.K. and the Women’s Senate, it was decided that

The Dickinsonian calls for revisions of the all-College Senate plan proposed by Omicron Delta Kappa.  Flaws in the membership of the heads of fraternities and sororities are
addressed in this opinion article and are deemed ‘inefficient’ in that
there would be a constant influx of new members to the Senate, as the
presidents of the Greek organizations would be continually changing. 
The Interfraternity and Pan-Hellenic Councils are also to be eliminated
in the original plan for the new senate and the Dickinsonian predicts

The Dickinsonian, still advocating a unified, all-College Senate,
writes an opinion in the November 30, 1934 issue.  The editor supports
the argument for a re-organized senate with documentation from the
minutes of Men’s Senate meetings; the responsibilities of the group and
the matters discussed and voted upon effected the women of Dickinson's student
body in addition to the men.  The author states, “there is no reason in
logic or justice why the situation of men voting on matters in which

Representatives from various groups on campus met on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 in Old West to organize the all-College Senate. The President of Omicron Delta Kappa Whitfield J. Bell spoke at length, explaining the purpose and structure of the new Senate. Copies of the constitution were also distributed among those present and voting for the positions of chairman, secretary, faculty member and the committee on committees of the new Senate took place at the meeting.

On Monday March 29, 316 votes were cast by the student body in a response to Omicron Delta Kappa's plan for a reorganized student government association. In favor of the plan were 259 votes, while those opposed only numbered 51 people in the student body. The Dickinsonian reports that "the new plan will go into operation in May at the time of the expiration of the terms of the present senators" and would be able to operate "in full swing with the opening of school next fall."

The Dickinsonian documents the finalization of Omicron Delta Kappa's plans for an all-College Senate. The plan is published in its completed form in this particualr issue of the Dickinsonian, allowing for "ample time for discussion of its provisions before the plan is formally prsented to the student body as a whole for ratification or rejection." The different articles that the plan addresses are as follows: Name, Objects, Membership, Senate (which contained the most detailed and specific description in O.D.K.'s plan), Student Assembly, Veto, and By-Laws and Amendments.

The January 17, 1935 issue of the Dickinsonian reports that Omicron
Delta Kappa "national honorary society has drafted the general outlines
of the constitution of an all-College Student governing body." The
article reports that O.D.K.'s plan for the senate calls for a strong
central governing body which would weld the functions of all the
present student government activities into a unified control. The new
senate would be comprised of members of the current Men's and Women's
Senates, Interfraternity Council, the Pan-Hellenic Council, the

The Dickinsonian, "never a friendly critic" chastises the Student Senate for their inactivity and once again calls for a "senate with powers and constructive energy, a senate which both students and faculty will respect, a senate which will do more than spend most of its time discussing the Tribunal and all of its money buying keys." In hopes of finally enacting the proposal of an all-College Senate , these remarks from the Dickinsonian, students, and faculty continued to circulate around the college community.

The women of Dickinson's campus recognize the need for an all-College Senate, but also realize that there are "certain matters which affect only the women" of the campus.  Thus they propose that they maintain the seperate Men's and Women's Senates and "for the control of the other issues which affect the entire student body, an all-College Senate is both desirable and necessary."  The editor calls this third senate the "super-senate," and argues that it would not be an effective solution to the issues among the student governing organizations.  The caliber of membership would lower and acti

In a response to the editorial in the October 18th issue of the Dickinsonian, which advocated an all-College Senate, the Women's Senate writes and "gives their endorsement to this proposal." Similar to the editor's concerns, the Women's Senate argues that since the Men's Senate "legislates on subjects which are of importance to the entire student body" and membership to the Men's Senate is limited only to men, the practices of said Senate seem unfair because only three fourths of the student body are represented.

In an editorial in the October, 1934 Dickinsonian, the author reports that an old question of whether or not the Men's Senate should have power over the entire student body, has arisen once again. "Women, as well as men," argues the author, "contribute to the budget," as well as other aspects of college life, that often times, the Men's Senate are responsible for.

Yates Snyder, class of ’39, was not only a bright scholar as a member of the Harman Literary Society, and heavily involved in extracurricular activities, including chorus, athletics, and Greek life, but was also noted as an extraordinary campus beauty.  Her senior year she was crowned Queen at the Midwinter Ball and during her four years at Dickinson, “graced the pages of the beauty section of the Microcosm,” perhaps setting an example for future female students that it is possible to have beauty and brains.

Long time contributor to the college, librarian, May Morris, earned the dedication of the 1939 edition of Dickinson’s Microcosm.  A woman who is praised as having contributed to the “advance and achievement of the college,” Morris helped to introduce to Dickinson’s library “a sufficiency of material and the efficiency of system unparalleled in its history.”

Elizabeth Carter, Virginia Heisey, and Jane Housman earned the prestigious honor of the Junior Blazer for the ‘38 academic year.  The Junior Blazer was the highest award given for participation in women’s athletics and only three are awarded each year to junior girls who possess the greatest “ability, interest and sportsmanship in their athletic activities.”

The Microcosm's 1937 edition documents the addition of the first co-ed addition to the cheerleading group.  Floyde Williams' addition to the group was said to have created a “well-balanced team” that “publicly earned recognition as a most desirable cheerleading unit.”

Women’s athletics at Dickinson underwent a shift with the coming of new athletic coordinator, Mary G, Rehfuss during the 1934-35 academic year.  Under her direction, women’s sports like basketball, tennis, hockey and archery continued with their popularity while new activities like tumbling, tap dancing, volleyball, hiking and bowling attracted interest.  She implemented a new athletic program where emphasis was “placed on the correction of physical defects or deficiencies among women.”  Despite how negative this may sound, female participation in athletics seemed to flourish during this ti

In addition to the noting of two male exchange students, the 1935 edition of the Microcosm documents Janine Morillot’s enrollment in the junior class at Dickinson College.  Morillot was a “valuable addition” to the student body and was “eager to learn everything she possibly could about this country and more especially about [the] College.”  The issue of the Microcosm also documents the date of her unfortunate passing, April 26, 1935, shortly after graduating from Lycee Fenelon.