1980-1989

A group of Dickinson students attempted to form a Korean Students Association in 1985. The members (their actual names are unknown at this point) stated the purpose of the group as follows:
1. Provide Korean culture and encourage Asian awareness on campus
2. Express Asian concern regarding minority affairs
3. Add a different dimension to minority awareness and involvement on campus
4. Provide a social and cultural outlet for Koreans on campus

Sponsored by the Congress of African Students (CAS), the 3rd Annual Black Student Union Conference was held at Dickinson on September 27, 1980.The Conference's keynote speaker was Dr. Marion Oliver, who spoke on the topic of "1980's: Challenge to Succeed" in the Social Hall. After Dr. Oliver's address, attendees of the Conference broke off into small discussion groups, ate a buffet dinner, and then had a "Disco" as a closing social event.

This program is from a women's basketball game in 1984-1985. 

This program is from a women's basketball game in 1984-1985.

Christina Bartolomeo writes an article for The Dickinson College Magazine in the May issue of the publication about the state of women on campus. In her article she includes several interviews from various women on campus, many of whom say that the status of women is discouraging.

Warren J. Gates, the Robert Coleman Professor Emeritus of History put together a Handbook for the Alpha Chapter of PA of Phi Beta Kappa. Included was this chart, showing the number of degree-seeking and class-attending male and female inductees over multiple decades. We can see that in many years, women rivaled men in earning this national honor.

In a particularly gruesome experience documented in the STOP THE VIOLENCE publication, a student recounts a night at an SAE party in which violence towards women was the party’s theme.  She recounts  misogynistic posters and that the brothers tried to deny that this mentality towards women was the theme of the festivities.

Written by Martha Slotten, this history of Metzger explains the building's early beginnings as a Prep School for Girls. After Drayer was built in the early 1950s, only freshman girls lived in Metzger until it was sold in 1963 and later dismantled. The completion of Drayer offered a local housing option for female students who would no longer have to walk many blocks to classes.

Circa 1984, this constitution for the Equality for Females student organization outlines its mission of creating a community that better understands current feminist issues.

1980s Physical Education Offering for Women, Slimnastics.

Kristy Sutherland, '83, and Donna Yoder, '83 happily stand together in front of Dickinson's library, reading a magazine as the camera looks on.

An article in the Dickinsonian announces that the local Alpha Delta Epsilon sorority voted to affiliate with the national sorority Gamma Phi Beta. The group was to be a colony as of February 9 and initiated as the Delta Rho chapter to the international sorority in May of 1980. The former President of ADE, Peggy Silberthau, said that the group was “looking for more structure, support, and guidance from a strong organization which could also offer us advisors and active alumni support” and which they ultimately found in Gamma Phi Beta.

Dickinson College’s annual Black Arts Festival or Multicultural Fair featured a concert by The Philadelphia Dance Company “Philadanco” on Sunday, March 6, 1988.  The company, which was comprised of predominantly black dancers, presented a program of five pieces of contemporary choreography.  The only female choreographer of the bunch was Elisa Monte; her piece was entitled “Dream Time.”

Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson (GLAD) submitted a request for funds from the Student Senate for the 1988-1989 academic year.  In the Budget, GLAD includes a tentative schedule of activities for fall of '88 and spring of '89 and the estimated costs of the events.  The document was submitted to the Student Senate by the GLAD Board of Directors and its Acting Treasurer, Karen Ruocco, class of 1988. 
 

The Women's Center Meeting for February 16, 1984 was the first meeting to be held in the newly renovated Women's Center at 221 West Church Avenue. The main issues brought up at the meeting were the governance of the Women's Center and the program for the spring. On the issue of governance of the center, it was left unresolved at the end of the meeting. Some possibilities brought forth were "requesting a student worker, seeking a student intern," a female volunteer, or rotating the task amongst the board for 2 months or longer.

The Women's Center Board Minutes for February 23, 1983 mainly discuss upcoming events and tasks to be completed. The Minutes display that final plans were made for the opening of the Women's Center, which is to be on March 5th at 2:30 p.m. A list is included of all the miscellaneous objects and food needed for the opening of the center.

In the late 80’s, Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson (GLAD), was an organization of gays, lesbians and their supporters, and sought to recognize “the presence of gay and lesbian students, faculty, staff and administrators within the Dickinson College community."  Some of the hopes of the organization, as stated in their constitution, are, among others, "to provide support for gays and lesbians, provide gays and lesbians with a college-recognized forum for voicing concerns to the administration, and to represent gay and lesbian perspectives in college political and social processes."  The consti

Equality for Females: Our Rights Today or E.F.F.O.R.T. is a women's feminist organization that began in the early 1980s. The group's purpose, as stated in their constitution, is to bring to Dickinson College "a better understanding of feminist issues" through the use of "lectures, films, petitions, discussion groups, and social events." EFFORT also stresses in its constitution that it does not take a specific stand on any feminist issues but "welcomes a variety of opinions." EFFORT's constitution provides the only information that is known of this organization.

Rev. Myrna Bernadel returned to Dickinson College in 1984 for the Congress of African Student's Black Arts Festival. On Sunday March 4, 1984, she led a college church service in Memorial Hall at 11:00 a.m.

On Friday, April 4, 1980, a student talent show held in ATS featured talent from women students Frances Fernandez (presenting a welcome speech and acting as the mistress of ceremonies), Patience Bonner (performing a piano solo), Pamela Foster (performing a reading), Michelle Arter (presenting a dance solo) and Linda Fisher (performing a solo).

On Sunday April 18, 1982, renowned poet Nikki Giovanni performed in Memorial Hall for the Congress of African Students's 12th Annual Black Arts Festival. The theme that year was "Expressions in Black."
"Writer, poet, recording artist and journalist is often referred to as the Princess of Black Poetry. Her works are collected experiences of being Black, being a woman, a mother, a person."

The 1988 "Greek Brief" is an effort to establish a positive understanding of the activities of the ten fraternities and 5 sororities.
Delta Delta Delta: Raised over $700 in Fall 1987 for the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey, PA. Sang Christmas carols to children in Hershey Medical Center.

On Monday March 31, 1980 at 8:00pm, celebrated Soprano artist Gwendolyn Bradley performed in ATS for the Congress of African Student's 11th Annual Black Arts Festival. Bradley had previously sung with the Central City Opera, Opera/South, the Cleveland Opera, and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. She had been a soloist for the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Charleston Symphony, Pittsburgh Youth Symphony and Halle Orchestra (Germany).
In addition to her performance in ATS, Bradley led a workshop for the campus community at 3:00pm in Memorial Hall.

Coach John Cantalupi of the Women's Track and Field team wrote a letter to then president of Dickinson College, Dr. Samuel A. Banks, pleading for the resurfacing or conversion of the Bibble Field Track. The coach expressed worry that the state of the track and its measurement in yards instead of meters  would hinder athletes from meeting national qualifying standards. He cited national qualifier Linda Reinman's achievement, saying that he would "hate to see Linda's chances of qualifying for next year's national championships hindered by our current setup."

In a letter to Coach Harbold, Cyndi Lyn Olcott explains that she cannot attend the scheduled meeting and that she is prohibited from participating in Women's Track and Field until the second week of January. "If my injuries don't prevail," she writes, "I'll be out on the track more psyched than ever."

Cara Lima wrote to Coach Jere Harbold expressing interest in Women's Track and Field. She ran track during junior high school but was unable to participate during high school due to the lack of a team. She writes that she is "willing to begin working hard now."

The 1988 Outdoor Track and Field yearbook includes both the men's and women's team. The co-captains for the women's team were Cyndi Lyn Olcott and Susan Baldwin. Susan Baldwin won the MVP award for the year and qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships in javelin. Baldwin also played women's basketball at Dickinson and won the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships in javelin.

After the Women's Track and Field Club's first petition in 1981, David L. Watkins, the chairman of the Department of Physical Education, wrote to Comptroller Robert W. Belyea in 1982 urging the club's elevation to intercollegiate team status. He writes that women students have participated in the Track and Field Club for five years and have conducted "a quality program." He argues that creating this women's team would allow the college to offer nine intercollegiate sports for women in comparison to the ten for men.

At the conclusion of its letter petitioning for intercollegiate team status, the Women's Track and Field Club proposed three budget options. The first outlined a minimal budget without food, awards, or travel expenses; the second a moderate program after the model of the men's team; and the third a "high quality program separate from but equal to the men's program." The club cited the existing economic environment as the impetus behind its recommendation of the second program.

According to a petition by the Women's Track and Field Club for elevation to intercollegiate team status, the club was formed during the 1980 season. The petition juxtaposes the lack of the club's intercollegiate team status to the speed with which the Women's Cross Country Club went intercollegiate: formed in 1979, it competed in the intercollegiate capacity during the 1980 and 1981 season. As a club, Women's Track and Field had access to equipment and coaching "only through the good graces of the men's team," which was already in existence.