Date:
1937

Freshman, Ruth Porter, lands the lead role in Dickinson’s production of Ibsen’s classic, “A Doll’s House.”  She is praised in the ‘37 Microcosm; her “outstanding character interpretation” was “unanimously declared unapproachable.”

Date:
1937

The Microcosm's 1937 edition documents the addition of the first co-ed addition to the cheerleading group.  Floyde Williams' addition to the group was said to have created a “well-balanced team” that “publicly earned recognition as a most desirable cheerleading unit.”

Date:
1904

In a piece titled, "Dickinson Fifty Years From Now," the Microcosm wonders about what the future has in store for Dickinson College. The writer depicts the story as an Alumnus from 1905 coming to the college with his grandson, who is a member of the class of 1955. One of the most significant things the writer mentions about the year 1955 is how the "co-eds" have changed. They now live in a bigger home, with an adjoining gymnasium built into it. This gymnasium is now full of "dumb-bells...chest weights and rowing-machines and vaulting bars..." and this equipment is only for the women's use.

Date:
1903

In the 1903 Microcosm, each of the members of the Junior Class of 1904 is pictured along with a brief paragraph about themselves. Mary Elizabeth Colburn was fortunate to have one Microcosm staff write about Co-education in her paragraph.

Date:
1902

The Preparatory School section of the Microcosm had a page dedicated to a few women of the school. Not much is said about the purpose of the page except for a quote that "If poetry be thought in flower, Goodness is thought in fruit." This page is perhaps to recognize these 11 women for their good works and deeds.

Date:
1902

"A Leaf from the Diary of Darwin's Spirit" is a humorous poem written by H. Curran Wilbur for the 1902 Microcosm. Basically, Curran is writing as if he is Darwin observing the curious case of female students at college. He claims to have found "another product of evolutionary law...the "Co-ed" with her mortarboard and gown." Co-eds are a strange case to him because they are "supposed to be a woman, but it looks more like a man.

Date:
1935

Women’s athletics at Dickinson underwent a shift with the coming of new athletic coordinator, Mary G, Rehfuss during the 1934-35 academic year.  Under her direction, women’s sports like basketball, tennis, hockey and archery continued with their popularity while new activities like tumbling, tap dancing, volleyball, hiking and bowling attracted interest.  She implemented a new athletic program where emphasis was “placed on the correction of physical defects or deficiencies among women.”  Despite how negative this may sound, female participation in athletics seemed to flourish during this ti

Date:
1935

In addition to the noting of two male exchange students, the 1935 edition of the Microcosm documents Janine Morillot’s enrollment in the junior class at Dickinson College.  Morillot was a “valuable addition” to the student body and was “eager to learn everything she possibly could about this country and more especially about [the] College.”  The issue of the Microcosm also documents the date of her unfortunate passing, April 26, 1935, shortly after graduating from Lycee Fenelon.

Date:
1934

Female student Minnie Zilch has a satirical article published in the 1934 edition of Dickinson’s Microcosm.  Zilch writes with a keen sarcastic wit and in her article, lists seven humorous reasons why she decided to attend Dickinson College.

Date:
1900

The 1900 Microcosm was the first year to show women participating in the Gamma Literary Society. This literary society is special to the Preparatory School and included four female members. No further information is known about the society.

Date:
1900

The Dickinson School of Law in the 1900s Microcosm mentions that Sara Marvel, the first woman to be studying law there.

Date:
1899

According to the 1899 Microcosm, Sara Marvel is the first woman to attend the Dickinson School of Law. She not only attended the law school, but also served as the Junior Class secretary.

Date:
1900

The 'Third Floor Disturbance Club' is a fabricated organization by the Microcosm that meant to poke fun at some of the femles living in Ladies' Hall. According to the Microcosm, the ladies are to meet anytime from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. and are expected to discuss and gossip about the goings-on at the college. The author then goes on to tease the 6 committee members stating what comittee they represent.

Date:
1900

"The Soul of the Violet or Soliloquy of a Co-ed" is a poem written in the 1900 Microcosm about unrequited love. It is written from the perspective of the woman, whose love was not returned from the man she loves and so is forever haunted by the flowers he had once given her. All day she thinks about the violets, even when she must "muse in drear Ladies' Hall", she is constantly reminded.

Date:
1900

The 1900 Microcosm humorously writes a piece about the top ten reasons why parents should send their daughters to Dickinson. Some examples of reasons for women to study at Dickinson are that, "nobody knows where Dickinson is...therefore [it is] an excellent place for girls not studiously inclined", "no one is allowed to study or be silent in the girls study hall for more than five seconds at a time. Singing and dancing are especially encouraged", and that "several members of the faculty are still young and unfettered.

Date:
1933

Dickinson's all female Harman Literary Society actively studied prominent figures in the literary world during the 1933 academic year.  A great deal of their focus during the second semester was "devoted to famous women who had won world-wide recognition in literary and other fields."  The large number of female members in the group is significant in and of itself and mirrors the significance of their focus on and appreciation for the female presence in literature.

Date:
1900

In an editorial opinion and comment section of the Microcosm, co-education was amongst many of the diverse topics written about. The author argued about the value of co-education to society, arguing against the education of women alongside men. He felt that educating women has developed the idea of "women's rights clubs, mothers' protective unions, female temperance, political and religious agitators" that is only hurting society.

Date:
1900

After a year of its creation, the Phi Alpha Pi Sorority is still going strong. The Sorority still consists of 10 members. The picture in the Microcosm of these women significantly shows them all wearing very masculine bows and white blouses.

Date:
1900

The Omega Psi Sorority was created in 1899 and included 7 female members. This local sorority lasted until 1907, when it was adopted into the Chi Omega organization.

Date:
1932

The Microcosm’s 1932 issue documents women’s athletics as “intramural only.”  In years past, women’s sports had been “intercollegiate competition between varsity teams,” yet it is noted that this particular system was changed to intramural several years prior to the ‘32 edition of the yearbook.  The sports were “organized along a recreational plan,” where women were “enabled” to chose one of the six athletic options to participate in.  Options included archery, basketball, clogging, riding, swimming, and hockey.Â