Coeducation (arguments for)

In a letter to president Morgan, Dickinson College Trustee L. T. Appold expresses concern regarding the possibility of allowing women on the Alumni Council. Claiming that his opinon on the matter has noting to do with his negative stance on coeducation at Dickinson, Appold argued that this could have a negative affect on the organization. Moreover, few women were a part of the organization at this time.

In a letter dated August of 1923, President Morgan wrote to Bishop William F. McDowell an informed him that coeducation at Dickinson College was in danger. Morgan wrote that "A few of the trustees have not been friendly to coeducation for a good many years, and raised the question at commencement, having it to take the form of a purpose to limit very decidedly the attendance of women." According to Morgan, Boyd Lee Spahr, Mr. Appold, and Mr.

In a letter dated August 9, 1923, President Morgan wrote to Reverend John R. Edwards, warning him that three prominent Dickinsonians are attempting to abolish coeducation at Dickinson College. Morgan explained, "A few of the trustees have not been friendly to co-education for a good many years, and raised the question at commencement... Since commencement, however, it has developed that two or three, Boyd Lee Spahr, Esq., of Philadelphia, being their spokesman, Mr. Appold of Baltimore and Mr.

In a letter dated February 28, 1927, President Morgan wrote to the President Henry M. Wriston of Lawrence University in regard to a recent article Wriston published in the Educational News. In his article, Wriston advocated having separate campuses for men and women at coeducational institutions. Morgan explained that he was interested in this idea and wanted further information.

 The November 1893 Dickinsonian about Co-education from the Yale Courant. Ridiculing intellectual students who spend their time looking for the facts about love in books, the poet suggests that they now take advantage of co-education, which would provide many more answers to this life-long question of love.
" You have a key now to the situation , / To learn of love just try Co-education."

The November 1889 issue of the Dickinsonian mentions briefly a fellow alumnus's comments on co-education. Richard Field had spoken out positively on his experiences with co-education at Dickinson. He stated that in his first year "the girls grabbed all the prizes" and in the second year "the fellows had to study twice as hard, in order not to get left. I am for it."

Two advocators for the admittance of a women's literary society write for the 1889 March issue of the Dickinsonian. The writers speak out against the prejudice against women at Dickinson, and advocate for the creation of a literary society. They speak for the rights of the female students, that it is only fair they be able to create such a committee simply because they attend Dickinson. The other speaker discusses the benefit of allowing the literary society, for its diversity of opinion would provide an increase of interest in the society.

"Should there be a Ladies' Literary Society at Dickinson?" is a question that the 1889 Dickinsonian asks its readers. The article gives seven reasons for consideration towards a women's literary society. The Dickinsonian proclaims in one of its reasons that women's "exclusion from the societies is a direct injustice and loss to the lady students" and it is the "ladies' right to be thus admitted" because of the privileges given to them by studying at this institution.

The December 1888 issue of the Dickinsonian calls for the consideration towards a Ladies' Literary Society. In the column, the Dickinsonian feels that because women are so limited to organizations they can join, namely both the Belles Lettres and Union Philosophical Societies are restricted to them, they should be allowed to form their own literary society. They acknowledge that some members of the college are probably still against the idea of co-education, but they call for them to recognize that women receive all the privileges of the institution as well.

The February 1888 Dickinsonian describes the arrival of co-education at Dickinson and its positive impact all over the country. The brief commentary in the Dickinsonian details how the term "Co-ed" has become the "familiar abbreviation applied to the lady students." Since there is now this "growing demand for female education" it indicates in society a "progressive spirit in this age of enlightenment." Because of co-education's growing acceptance, the Dickinsonian affirms that now at the best colleges, boys and girls are both permitted to drink from the same fountain of learning."

The January 1888 Dickinsonian presents in its article on the gymnasium opening a paragraph about a toast offered in honor of the co-eds. Mr. Webbert, the class president of the sophomores, toasts co-education and remarked with regret upon his "bachelor class" as having no co-eds.

The "Locals" section of the October 1887 Dickinsonian contains a brief update on a graduate who was against co-education. "Crooks" from the class of 1889 was notorious for speaking out against co-education, but as the Dickinsonian had noted, Crooks was now attending Wellesly, a co-educational institution. The Dickinsonian comments upon how Crooks was always "considered to be a bitter foe of co-education...but here appears a mysterious inconsistency...[he] has become a "co-ed" at Wellesley."

The 1888 January Dickinsonian starts off the New Year with a brief article about the "advantages" of co-education. Apparently, the president of the class of 1889 deviated from his speech because he had caught the eye of a particular co-ed that he was found of, in front of everyone. The Dickinsonian further comments upon the scene that if only the 1890 class president had glanced in the same direction, his speech might have been more inspired.

The February 1886 Dickinsonian shows once again that the Freshmen are in a heated debate over co-education. Within the past few days both sides of the class, the co-ed and anti-co-ed, have had "several dreadful encounters."

The January 1886 Dickinsonian mentions one of the advantages of women receiving an education. This advantage is that it makes them independent, or in "homely phraseology 'able to hoe their own row'."This case of independence has become manifested in the college's co-eds by the community's observation of them.

The "Editorials" section on the front page of the November 1885 Dickinsonian includes an article titled, "A Divided Class," which are divided on co-education. Some members of the class are for "the co-eds" and others are "anti-co-eds." The Dickinsonian calls for the Freshman class to "come to terms" with co-education and to not make themselves a laughing stock of the school. The paper also claims that their fight against the women is ridiculous because "chicks are timid creatures and daren't hurt anybody."

The October 1885 Dickinsonian mentions in the "Locals" section that the Freshman class is torn over the question of co-education. It was stated that ten members of the class "refuse to join the class-organization if the co-eds. are allowed to join." The other half of the class insisted that an invitation be "extended to the fair causes of strife."

The July 1885 issue of the Dickinsonian praises in the "Miscellany" section a fellow co-ed student, a Miss Bender, for her good work at the college. Elizabeth Bender received the prize for best scholarship in Greek and for leading the class in general work. This was published to show those "few petty, jealous and narrow minded students who believe that woman's place is no place" as well as the "theory of the natural inferiority of woman to man" has been debunked and those beliefs look bad upon the character of those who believe them.

The "Miscellany" section of the December issue of the 1884 Dickinson includes a letter to the editor about the "petty prejudices" towards the co-eds. by the male members of the Sophomore class. The paper recommends that these negative actions detract from the class's former reputation.

The December 1884 Dickinsonian mentioned the "Seven Reasons why Dickinson Gave Thanks and Ate Turkey" in the "Locals" section. Among the seven reasons, the Dickinsonian mentions co-education as possibly being one of them.

In the July issue of the 1884 Dickinsonian, it briefly mentions this short phrase in its 'Miscellany' section. "Hurrah for Co-education!" was placed in this section randomly amongst other short unrelated paragraphs. This phrase is unique because it shows up a few months before the decision to have co-education at Dickinson.

The 1909 Microcosm published a humorous piece, the "Debate on Co-Education: Spirited Riot in Harman Literary Meeting." This piece is about a debate amongst the ladies of the Harman Literary Society on whether co-education is better for women or if it is better for women to study at an all-girl's institution.

"The Co-Eds, Et Al." is a humorous poem on how co-education changes education in the law school. These women who are studying to become lawyers alongside the men cause them to study and work hard to impress them. Unfortunately for them, the women there are not striving to win a man, but "rather to have a professional name." The poem then goes on to praise each of the five women who are studying law with them and wishes them the best of luck in the future.

The Microcosm satirically writes about a fictitious debate on the question that is to be "resolved that the co-ed must go." The first "speaker" begins by complaining that there are too many co-eds around they are "to the right...to the left of us...co-ed doctors, lawyers, preachers, [and] wives..." and that they need to go. The second "speaker" argues against the first, saying that the co-ed "must be with us always" because college life would be "sad and dreary" without their smiling faces.

In the 1903 Microcosm, each of the members of the Junior Class of 1904 is pictured along with a brief paragraph about themselves. Mary Elizabeth Colburn was fortunate to have one Microcosm staff write about Co-education in her paragraph.

The 1900 Microcosm humorously writes a piece about the top ten reasons why parents should send their daughters to Dickinson. Some examples of reasons for women to study at Dickinson are that, "nobody knows where Dickinson is...therefore [it is] an excellent place for girls not studiously inclined", "no one is allowed to study or be silent in the girls study hall for more than five seconds at a time. Singing and dancing are especially encouraged", and that "several members of the faculty are still young and unfettered.

In 1884, a toast to the new female students at Dickinson College was published in the Dickinsonian. The toast read, "The Ladies of Dickinson! May they add learning to beauty, and beauty to learning, subtract from the age of wisdom, multiply cheerfulness, divide time by industry and recreation, reduce idleness to its lowest denomination, and raise scholarship to its highest power!"

In October of 1884, the Dickinsonian formally recognized coeducation at Dickinson College and explained that, "Co-education starts at Dickinson with a good prospect of success. Including those attending the preparatory school we have among us nearly a dozen of the fair sex."

In the October 1884 edition of the Dickinsonian, the staff of the paper addressed the resentment many male students felt toward the new female students. The author explained that "the impression seems to prevail that there will be too much "Co" and not enough "education." However, the article further explained, many of the male students admited that they realized that going coed was the "right thing to do."

The first mention of coeducation in the Dickinsonian appeared in October of 1884. The male editors of the Dickinsonian advised male faculty to not, "show any partiality to the co-eds. (Co-eds. in the parlance of to-day means girls) After-recitation communications cannot be tolerated. Private instructions to a co-ed are only justifiable where the subject is particularly hard to grasp."