Cadets on campus during WWII

Date
Fall 1990

Christine Crist (Class of 1946) reports in an interview that the Air Force cadets came to Dickinson's campus in March 1943. At this point, the 44 men and "central part of the student body had just left." The presence of the cadets wrecked havoc on campus life. According to Christine, "the prime times for having classes and all the prime professors were taken up with air cadets." The cadets' domination of Dickinson College made the women and other students feel like they "didn't matter." While Christine confirms that there was socializing between female students and the cadets, she also explains that any socializing was not allowed. In fact, the yearbook made a facetious reference to a date bureau that arrived with the army air corps. Dean of Women Josephine Brunye Meredith "kept a heavy hand" on fraternizing.

Location of Document in Archives
World War II Oral History, Crist, Christine