Women's rights movement

Women's Group Calls for More Female Professors

Date
March 7, 1972

The members of the Women's Group composed a letter to professors calling for more female faculty at Dickinson College. The Women's Group writes that the foundation of coeducation  presupposes that it is valuable to have both men and women students participate in the educational experience. They explain that this concept should be applied to faculty as well and cite the ratio of male to female faculty of 10:1. The male to female student ratio, by contrast, was 4:3.

Women's Group Seeks Official Recognition in the 1970s

Date
1971-72

The Women's Group submitted a statement of purpose, criteria for memberships, rules, and list of officers to the Student Senate Committee in order to receive recognition as an official group on campus. Their purpose statement explained that they wanted to serve as a consciousness-raising group; to present films, speakers, and hold conferences that dealt with women in education or the Women's Movement; and to investigate potential discrimination at Dickinson. Any member of the Dickinson College Community could become a member, and the Women's Group would hold weekly meetings.

"Alumnae Clubs"

Date
February 1924

Alumnae of the college would form active Dickinson Clubs in the cities they moved to and habitually reported to the 'Alumnus.'
The Philadelphia Club included about 70 Dickinsonians who lived in the vicinity in 1923. They met twice a year. Grace Filler, class of 1910, was secretary.
In Atlantic City, there were 7 Dickinson Alumnae, all of which were affiliated and worked actively with the A. A. U. W. (American Association for University Women). Mabel Kirk, class of 1905, sent the report of a sketch they presented to the 'Alumnus.'

Performance of Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf"

Date
April 8, 1979

On Sunday April 8, 1979, in ATS, the Symbrinct Associates performed Ntozake Shange's choreopoem, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf."

 


The performance consisted of Seven Black women performing and dancing a book of poems to the sounds of Jazz. "The women speak, and tell stories of pain, of joy, of struggle, of coming of age as a black woman in America. Although the play addresses the emotionality of the black woman, it posseses a universal quality and delivers a message that can be understood and appreciated by all."

 

Women's Center will soon open. "Women's Center will host feminist events"

Date
February 23, 1984

This article, written by Marcy Feldman, describes the resources that will soon be available at the opening of the Women's Center on March 1, 1984. "The Women's Center, intended to provide a meeting place for women's groups on campus...will offer lectures and exhibits focusing on feminist issues. The Women's Center is also intended to raise women's consciousness of pertinent issues on and off campus."

The Constitution of Women Helping Other Women (W.H.O.W.)

Date
November 1982

In November 1982, Women Helping Other Women (W.H.O.W.) compiled their constitution. W.H.O.W. worked to support women leaders on campus. Moreover, W.H.O.W. held lectures, workshops, and other forms of programming in order to make "men and women on this campus more aware."

The organization was open to the entire female campus. The names of the organization officers and the day in which weekly meeteings were held are included in the document.

Shall Women Enter the Law?

Date
1891

This oration analyzes whether or not women should be permitted to study and practice law. Low argues that since procured positions within the medical field, philanthropic organizations, newspapers and academia, "humanity has been lifted up during the period in which she has been permitted to play her legitimate part in the drama of human life." However, she argues that woman's work is not done and that women must continue to fight for equal acess as men will not freely give up their power within closed professions, particularly the law.