Female Faculty

Dickinson College was not Accepted into the Association of Collegiate Alumnae as Conditions for Women are not "Up to Par"

Date
March 20, 1920

In a letter dated March 20, 1920, F. Louise Nardin of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae informs President Morgan that Dickinson request for admission into the organization would likley be declined. She explains that "I find several points on which yur institutions does not satisfy the requirements of our Association. There are no women with professorial rank in the faculty; there is only one woman as an instructor." Moreover, women at Dickinson did not receive and equal salary and are not given equal opportunities. 

President Morgan's Letter and Questionnaire Sent to the American Association of University Women

Date
November 1, 1921

In response to Gertrud Martin's letter dated October 27, 1921, President Morgan sent Martin a brief letter explaining what was enclosed as well as a questionnaire addenda. The addenda contains information regarding female faculty members at Dickinson College in the 1920s. According to Morgan, at this point there were three female faculty members: Louise d. Vilaine (Associate Professor of Romance Languages), Josephine Brunyate Meredith (Dean of Women and Associate Professor of English), and Hazel J. Bullock (Associate Professor of Romance Languages).

President Morgan Contacts the American Association of University Women In Regard to Membership

Date
October 27, 1921

In a letter dated October 27, 1921, Gertrude Martin, the Executive Secretary of the American Association of University Women, wrote to President Morgan regarding Dickinson College's membership application to the AAUW. Martin apologizes for the delay and asks President Morgan to fill out and return a survey she enclosed. The application will then go before committee. ..

Madame de Vilaine's Background

Date
December 21, 1922

This document describes S. Louise de Vilain's educational training. According to the document, de Vilaine studied in France and Germany. In 1882, she received her A. M. at Karlsruhe, State of Baden, Germany. 

President Morgan Writes to S. Louise de Vilaine Regarding her Salary and Rank

Date
September 29, 1920

In his letter dated September 29, 1920, President Morgan responded to a complaint mad by S. Louise de Vilaine, instructor of French and House Mother at Metzger Hall. According to the letter, de Vilaine believed President Morgan's decision to not promote her to a a full professor was unfair. President Morgan took offense to this and told de Vilaine to remain calm and explained his stance.

Madame de Vilaine is not Happy with Her Salary

Date
June 2, 1919

After accepting the position as both house mother and instructor at Dickinson College, S. Louise de Vilaine wrote to President Morgan and expressed her disappointment. She wrote, "I accept your offer although it is not as generous as I had expected. My work is worth more and still count on your raising it to $1400 before the year is over."

S. Louise de Vilaine Accepts the Position of House Mother at Metzger Hall

Date
June 28, 1919

In a letter dated June 28, 1919, S. Louise de Vilaine, a French instructor at Dickinson College, accepts the house mother position at Metzger Hall. She wrote President Morgan requesting more information regarding the position, house rules, her teaching agenda, and whether or not she will recieve room and board.

Morgan Denounces the Association of Collegiate Alumnae

Date
January 15, 1921

In a previous letter (dated January 13, 1921) to President Morgan, Helen Witmer asked for information pertaining to Dickinson College's relationship with the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (ACA). Witmer was told that Dickinson College was not a member of the ACA due to the lack of women within its faculty. On January 15, 1921, President Morgan responded to Witmer's letter and explained that he had applied for membership and found that "its first interest the securing of faculty positions for women in colleges.

Dickinson College and the Association for Collegiate Alumnae

Date
January 13, 1921

On January 13, 1921, Dickinson alumna Helen L. Witmer wrote to President Henry Morgan requesting information pertaining to Dickinson's relationship with the Association for Collegiate Alumnae (ACA). According to Witmer, a women's college club was recently formed in Lancaster, PA. However, only women who attended institutions affiliated with the ACA were permitted to join the association. Witmer was told the Dickinson College was not allowed to to join the ACA because the school does not hire female faculty members.

"Historical" in " Women at Dickinson College" - by Josephine Brunyate Meredith

Date
circa 1935

The introductory part of her report 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.

Trustees deemed admission of women prior to 1884 inadvisable due to the saturation of recitation rooms, but co-education for Dickinson had been discussed for some time before housing conditions allowed women to
be admitted.