Meredith, Josephine B.

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.'

Nancy Watkins Lucas reports in an interview that female students corresponded with soliders and sailors during the World War II period. Lucas, who smoked at the time, recalls that cigarettes were difficult to obtain. In fact, the brand Lucky Strike Green, whose cigarette packaging was green, started a campaign during the war, "Lucky Strike Green - Gone to War." Lucas claims that "the servicemen could always get you cigarettes." Lucas dated a sailor who brought her cigarettes during the war.

As explained by Margaret McAdoo in her interwview, Josephine Brunyate Meredith also known as "Dean Meredith", was Dean of Women from 1919 - 1948. She goes on to describe that due to  her ominous presence, partly as a result of her somber appearence, Dean Meridith was regarded as being "very, very strict" when it came to dating, (Margaret McAdoo stated that Dean Meredith suggested that girls should always carry with them a newspaper of some sort of stacked paper just it case the girls needed to sit on a boys lap), school dances, as well as womens everyday wear.

Mary Snyder Hertzler describes social and dating life at Dickinson during World War II in an interview. Women could not wear slacks during that period. Mary VanAuken was the only exception as she took flying lessons. During the winter, women wore heavy socks to stay warm as they walked from Metzger Hall, located off-campus, to their classes. Men lived on campus. Hertzler, her beau, and two other couples were once caught by Dean Josephine Brunyate Meredith at Snyder's Drug Store in Mount Holly.

The American Association of University Women (A. A. U.W) was one of 17 organizations that formed part of the International Federation of University Women.

On July 17, 1923, in Portland, Oregon, Dickinson College became a corporate member of the A. A. U. W. Dickinson's President (Morgan), appointed the Dean of Women - Josephine Brunyate Meredith, class of 1901 - as the college's A. A. U. W.' executive secretary. She was to fulfill this post until an executive secretary could be chosen formally at a later time.

Helen Alexander Bachman (Class of 1946) describes social events during World War II in a 1990 interview. Dickinson College had sororities and fraternities, which planned pledge dances and parties. As a Zeta Tau alpha, Bachman remembers using the fraternity houses for sorority pledge dances. Professors and their wives would chaperone dances and other student activities. When male students were drafted into the army, it affected the social life on campus. Female students went to the movies, played bridge, or went to dinner.

In an interview with Helen Alexander Bachman (Class of 1946), the Dickinson alumnus describes the rules for student conduct and dress codes during the World War II period. Dean Josephine Meredith supervised the women, requiring them to sign in and out of their dorms, to act in a lady-like manner, and to avoid drinking. Moreover, female students needed to receive signed permission from parents if they wanted to visit home for the weekend. Bachman explains that these rules "existed to protect the girls...." Dress codes for the female students were strict; they coudl not wear slacks.

In an interview, Christine Crist (Class of 1946) recalls the "big revolution" the students organized in December 1945. Although Dean Josephine Meredith had appointed Crist as a student government representative when she arrived on campus, Crist eventually became dissatisfied with the rules that the Dean of Women imposed on the female students and the "ridiculous authoritarianism that crept in" to the administration.

Christine Crist (Class of 1946) describes the heavy-handedness of Dean Josephine Brunyate Meredith when the cadets arrived on campus. Although Crist remembers a date with a cadet from Texas, she says that the dean did not tolerate such fraternizing. The female students received an earlier curfew when the cadets arrived.

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.