Admissions

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:

The only foreign student at Dickinson during the 1962-3 year was Hsiao Mei Tsou from Singapore. She remarks in this article on the differences between America and Singapore, most notably that girls never talked to boys back home. Very studious, she works often in the library but wishes that it were open later, but finds the Dickinson students very helpful. In Singapore, about half of children go to school and even less complete post secondary education. Hsaio loves the United States and thinks she wants to stay after graduation.

"Personal Adventures in Race Relations" by Esther Popel Shaw (class of1919), Dickinson's first African American female graduate, was published in 1946. It addresses the sources of prejudice and racism, and she urges in her introduction that cooperation is necessary to overcome these detrimental assumptions regarding African Americans. "At a time when all our energies are needed to meet and solve together the crucial problems of the postwar period, we find a large element of the population torn by resentment, suspicion and hatred.

In October of 1884, The Dickinsonian published their first issue following the institution of coeducation. The "Locals" section includes an instance in which a professor forgot that he had female students in his class. The excerpt reads, "Prof. R.-- 'Now gentlemen--Oh! I beg your pardon, Miss Longsdorff.'" Zatae Longsdorff, the female student mentioned in this peice, was the first woman to graduate from Dickinson College.

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 her 1951 memoir, Elizabeth A. Low remembers there being few early women's organizations at Dickinson College. She explained, "You may may wonder why we did not form a soceity of our own. The answer is obvious. There were too few of us, and our interests too diverse. Should each write a history not two would be alike."

In her 1951 memoir, Elizabeth A. Low discusses the reaction of many male students to the institution of coeducation. According to Low, many male students rescented early female students. Low explains, "So far as I know there was never any scandal connected with the name of any co-ed. Much of the opposition resulted from the fear that Dickinson would degenerate into a young ladies seminary-type."

Upon her arrival at Dickinson College in 1886, Elizabeth Low was shocked to find that no housing arrangements had been made for female students. Unlike their male counterparts, early female Dickinsonians were not permitted to live in dorms on campus. Moreover, the school had not found housing in town for the young women.

During the summer of 1886, Elizabeth A. Low's family decided to send her to Dickinson College. Low wrote, "The visit of Dr. MacCauley [sic] to my home in the summer of 1886 may have influenced my father to send me to Dickinson. I was away at the time and did not meet him." Low pursued an education at Dickinson College, graduating in 1891.

On June 26th, 1883, President McCauley presented his report on the 1883 school year, announcing the faculty desicion to admit women to Dickinson College. He explained that it was, "Resolved that the faculty recommend to the Board of Trustees that ladies be admitted to the classes of the College upon the same conditions as gentlemen." The following year, women were admitted to the sophomore and freshman classes.

On May 24, 1883, the faculty discussed whether or not female students should be admitted to Dickinson College. Referencing the discussion regarding coeducation that took place two years earlier, the faculty decided that the conditions of the college grounds were now suitable for female students. Thus, the faculty decided to "recommend to the Board of Trustees that women be admitted to the classes of the college on the same conditions of men." Nearly all the faculty, with the exception of Professor Harman, voted in favor of coeducation.

On September 10, 1884, the faculty of Dickinson College admitted Zatae Longsdorff to the insitution. Zatae Longsdorff would become the first female graduate at Dickinson College.

The 1890 Microcosm shows an advertisement for Dickinson College and the services it offers. In the category of the Preparartory Department, the advertisement mentions, "The course of study covers three years, and prepares students of both sexes thoroughly for Dickinson College, or for any literary institution in the country." This shows the college's acceptance of co-education by advertising directly for new students of both sexes.

On June 4, 1923, the Board of Trustees discussed the number of applicants they received. As opposed to further limiting the number of women at Dickinson College, the Trustees decided to stick by their quota and instead limit the number of both men and women admitted to the school.

On June 4, 1923, Trustee Boyd Lee Spahr asked that the Board of Trustees return to the 1917 discussion on a quota on female students. He argued that the number of female students should be limited to 125 beginning in the 1924-25 school year. Disagreeing with Spahr, Trustee Walter Sounders contended that the number of female students should be capped at 25% of total enrollment. The Board agreed with Sounders and the amended motion was carried.

On June 21, 1919, Trustee Boyd Lee Spahr moved that, "beginning with the academic year 1919-1920, the number of women students admitted to each incoming Freshman Class shall not exceed 25% of the total number of Freshman of the preceding year." Trustess L.W. Johnson and E.M. Biddle Jr. moved to amend the motion by waiting until the 1920-1921 school year. James H Morgan and Frank. B. Lynch moved to table the whole matter. After a vote, the resolution was tabled.

Following their decision not to abolish coeducation but rather to implement a quota on female students, the Board of Trustees discussed living arrangements for women on Dickinson's campus. The president of the College asked the Board of Trustees to turn South College into a dormitory for women. The president argued that Lloyd Hall was too small for the women of the college, many of whom had to find housing elsewhere. Thus, the Board of Trustees agreed and decided to renovate South College with a "moderate outlay of money."

On February 25, 1909 convened to discuss the system of coeducation and whether or not coeducation should be continued at Dickinson College. According to the committee, though men were ardently against coeducation at its onset in 1884, many male students are no longer "irritated" by the presence of women at Dickinson College. However, many male students and alumni were concerned that female students, "have won an altogether disproportionate share of College honors and prizes.

On June 28, 1888, the Local Executive Committee was instructed to "make provisons for the ladies during the intervals between recitations." The motion was carried.

On June 25, 1884, the Board of Trustees decided to leave the desicion of women's admission to the college with the faculty. The faculty were to decide whether women be admitted on a case by case basis.

In his annual report to the Board of Trustees, President McCauley announces the beginning of coeducation at Dickinson College. The President asserts that since the first conversations regarding the admittance of women, changes have been made to the college buildings. Such changes include the building of rooms in which to hold recitation. Previously, recitation was held in men's dormitories (a location women in which women were not permitted).

Following its formation on June 26, 1883, the Committee on the Admission of Women presented its report on June 27, 1883. Trustee Alexander Gibson presented the report verbally. According to the minutes, "On motion consideration of the question was postponed for the present."

On June 26, 1883 the Board of Trustees decided to form another Committee on the Admission of Women. Trustees Gibson, Bird, Young, Hill, Hendrickson, Fisk and McKeehan were appointed to the committee.

At the previous meeting on June 27, 1878, the Board of Trustees decided to adopt a resolution allowing women to enroll at Dickinson College. They then sent the resolution to the Faculty for approval. After looking over the resolution, the Faculty agreed that the admission of women was not in the best interest of female students. According to the faculty, "there are certain proprieties & adaptations that can not be overlooked.

The enrollments for the academic year following 1923 were expected to be large both for the College and Law school. It was expected that there would be 520 students at the College and that a large number of prospective students would be turned away.
Hence, early in July, an edict was issued stating that " NO more women students would be admitted to the college" (emphasis added). Nonetheless, applications from women aspiring to be admitted continued to arrive.

On June 29, 1887. the Dickinson College Board of Trustees recognized the first female graduate, Zatae Longsdorff. Zatae Longsdorff received an A.B. in 1887.

The day after the formation of the "Committee on the Admission of Females," the committee presented its report. Presented by Clarence J. Jackson, the report was immedately adopted.

Following the formation of the first "Committee on the Admission of Ladies" in 1876, a second "Committee on the Admission of Famales" was formed on June 25, 1878. The committee was comprised of three Trustees.

At the third session of the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees in 1877, Colonel J.A. Wright presented the report on behalf of the Committee on the Admission of Women.

During the second session of the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees in 1876, General James Fowler Rusling moved for the appointment of a committee of three to "consider the advisability of admitting ladies to the studies of the college or of making some provision for conferring degrees upon bodies." Rusling suggested that Colonel Wright, a member of the Board, lead the committee as Chairman. The motion was carried and the president appointed Colonel John Armstrong Wright, Charles Joseph Baker Esq., Reverend John Wilson to the committee.