Student housing

From the "Hen Coop" to the "Gilded Cage"

Date
1904

The 1905 Microcosm includes a story abour what Dickinson College would be fifty years in the future: 1955. The Dickinson of 1955 is much different than the Dickinson of 1905. The author highlights the difference in housing for women. He wrote, "There isn't a hen coop any more. We call it the "gilded cage". The college bought the deer park you used to tell me about, enlarged the house, built a gymansium adjoining, and made everything so lovely for the girls that the fellows had to change the name."

"Girls' Fraternities" in Josephine Brunyate Meredith's report "Women at Dickinson College"

Date
c1935

In her essay "Women at Dickinson College," Josephine Brunyate Meredith has a section in which she discussed "Women's Fraternities" (now referred to as sororities) at Dickinson College. Meredith explained that "We have never had such good spirit existing between the Fraternities as exists at present. Pan-Hellenic rules and rushing methods, the result of years of hard work and experiment are now fairly satisfactory to everybody." Pleased with the women's work, Meredith argued that the college must provide better housing for the female fraternities as they do for the male fraternities.

Josephine Brunyate and Kathryn Kerr's College Room

Date
circa 1901

This photo depicts the room Kathryn Kerr and Josephine Brunyate's shared during their college days. The caption reads, "Where things happened. Room 264 Pomfret Street."

Women Studying, circa 1940

Date
circa 1940

This photo depicts female Dickinsonians studying in a dorm. The names of the women in the photo are unknown.

Front Hall of the Women's Dormitory

Date
1940

This photo depicts the front ahll of the women's dormitory. The caption below reads that the house is "decorated for Christmas."

The Women of Metzger Hall, c1915

Date
1915

This image depicts a group of female Dickinsonians sitting on the steps of Metzger Hall, c1915. The names of the women in the photo are unknown.

Another View of Metzger Hall

Date
c1920

This postcard depicts an image of Metzger Hall, one of Dickinson College's early female dorms.