Browse by Date

 

 

The last page of the 1962 Drinkinsonian features two, small sketches of nude women. There is no evidence of references to these sketches in the articles themselves.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of April 11, 1962, members of the Dining Room committee decided that women could continue smoking in Morgan and Drayer. In addition, the representatives of Metzger requested permission to wear bathing suits while sunbathing. Additionally, residents were requested not to bring chicks into their dorm rooms and House Directors complained about casual clothes:

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meetings of April 18 and 25 and May 16 1962, significant changes were introduced to the Dis 'N Data (women's handbook for social rules/dorm regulations):

April 18

From Head to Toe is a section in "Inside Information," a guidebook for women published by the Dean of Women's Office in 1962. This section provides information on appropriate dress, stating, "the stylish coed is the one who has an eye for those things in which she looks best. To be stylish does not necessarily mean to attract attention. " Other suggestions include, wearing sturdy shoes, having proper rain attire, not wearing ankle-length skirts (because an individual might have to run to class), and finally to be meticulous about one's appearance.

"...and that's what you are!" A Young Man's Fancy is a section in "Inside Information," a guidebook for women published by the Dean of Women's Office, that provides suggestions to women on "respectable dating." This section offers suggestions on appropriate date clothing (which should be neat and clean-at all times), suggestions on proper behavior (that will ensure a great report to his friends), and suggestions on suitable social graces.

"Inside Information" is a guidebook published by the Dean of Women office, starting in 1955. This guidebook provides rules and regulations for dormitory life, guidelines for social life, proper dress and manners, suggestions for academic success, information on sororities, and independents. "Inside Information" was sent to freshmen students prior to the start of the academic year. This edition was distributed in 1962.

"Extra-Curricular" is a section in "Inside Information" a guidebook for women published by the Dean of Women's Office. This section encourages female students to get involved in activities outside of their academic life but cautions them "not to swallow every bit of college at once." Meaning, to fight temptation and only join one or two activities that they can "follow with genuine support and worthwhile contribution."

"The Academic Side of Life" a section in "Inside Information," a guidebook published by the Dean of Women's office, provides suggestions to academic success for female students. The guidebook encourages students to place academics first, hand assignments and other materials in on time, not wait until roll call to "become concerned about the academic record you are establishing," attend each class "looking for information," and finally avoid wasting time and energy that can never be "restored."

Day Girls is a section in "Inside Information," a guidebook for women, published by the Dean of Women's office. Day Girls was the term used to refer to the female students that commuted to classes.

According to "Inside Information" a guidebook for women published by the Dean of Women's office, there were four national sororities on campus, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Chi Omega, and Zeta Tau Alpha as well as a group known as the Independent Women. The Independent Women was a social group of women that chose not to participate in the greek system.

From the Wishmeyer Scrapbook, this listing provides over a dozen rules and regulations for all girls rushing sororities. Things like social phone calls between upperclass women and freshman  and showing any "preference between upperclassmen and freshman or rushee or unaffiliated upperclasswoman going through rush" are absolutely forbidden. In the text here, counselors must remain impartial and not support any one sorority by wearing letters or insignia or discussing certain sororities.

In The Dickinsonian, an article entitled "Tips from the Top" featured interviews with upperclass students who offered some advice for new freshmen. An unidentified sophomore co-ed suggested that "Freshmen men should date upperclass women."

An article in The Dickinsonian explained that construction on the new women's dormitory was ahead of schedule and was expected to be ready for the next year's class. Ground-breaking for the new dormitory took place on February 8, 1962, and the administration chalked up the early completion to good summer weather and the work of the construction company. The residence hall would have 125 rooms, suites for two house mothers, an air-conditioned recreation room, and a dining hall for 250 people. A federal loan and college funds would pay for the project.

A reprinted article from February 11, 1922 in The Dickinsonian's celebration of the college's 90th anniversary described the "love code" of galoshes, saying that many women at the college indicated their stages of "fastenedness" or "unfastenedness" based upon the number of buckles they left open or closed.

No buckles open = married

One buckle open = I am not looking for a sweetheart

Two buckles open = Engaged to be married

Three buckles open = Not engaged to be married

Four buckles open = Have a sweetheart, but not engaged

The Dickinsonian observed Dickinson's 90th Birthday by reprinting old pictures and articles, trying to capture the history of Dickinson as it related to the students of the '60s.

Another reprinted article from November 12, 1936 in The Dickinsonian's celebration of the college's 90th anniversary discussed the need co-eds had for telephones. The author, rhetorically asking if his readers have ever tried to call a co-ed, says that anyone who has succeeded in doing so has "the makings of a genius or magician."

An article from October 25, 1928, reprinted in The Dickinsonian's celebration of the college's 90th anniversary, claims that two freshman co-eds were found "almost perfect." Otherwise, physical examinations revealed that the rest of the freshmen women had more than two defects. These defects included being overweight or underweight, having round shoulders or falt feet, "showing" head forward, or having lateral curvature of the spine.

The Dickinsonian staff reprinted an article from February 25, 1922 in honor of the college's 90th anniversary. Entitled "Women Debaters Get Briefs Torn in 'Sweat Box'," this article explains that women on the debate team did not "hold themselves above using methods employed by the opposite sex when it comes to winning honor for Dickinson." They adopted the "sweat box" method of the men's debate team in order to prepare for competition and have withstood gulling at the hands of faculty coaches.

The Dickinsonian printed a picture from 1892 showing an all-male editorial board for the newspaper. The caption explains that although co-eds were not represented on the newspaper's staff, they had entered the college eight years prior to 1892.

An article in The Dickinsonian's celebration of the college's 90th anniversary described the "Species Dickinsonienses" as presented in the October 1, 1920 issue of the newspaper. Writes the author, "Those students having skirts, wavy hair, and an athletic stride are co-eds."

An article in The Dickinsonian's celebration of the college's 90th anniversary entitled "Dolly Destroys Dickinson Tranquility As Students Protest Coed Admission" explains the 1884 furor over the admission of a coed on campus. When Dolly Longsdorf became the first coed, writes the author, the Freshman divided over the "coed question." Dolly and the Board of Trustees stood their ground, and sixteen women were admitted to the college by 1890. The college needed to remodel Old West in order to accomodate female students.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of October 10, 1962, women were instructed not to wear gym clothes during meals:

 

The Dickinsonian staff reported on the defeat of a birth control champion at San Francisco State in an article entitled "Sex Loses Out." According to the author, Jeff Poland, a champion of birth control, ran for student council on a platform that advocated the sale of contraceptives at a discounted price in the student bookstore and the distribution of information and advice on sexual matters to college students.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of October 31, 1962, the Council's representative to SREC (Social Rules Evaluation Committee) was selected and new proposals regarding women drinking and fraternity parties were put forth:

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of November 14, 1962, residents of Drayer and their (male) visitors were issued a rebuke about behavior in the dorm:

 

• "Drayer Report: "Residents of Drayer and their visitors are reminded to act like ladies and gentlemen" 

 

The Dickinsonian staff reported in "Cupid Hits Target" that seven fraternities had announced pinnings. Neil Knowlton of Sigma Alpha Epsilon pinned Carol H. French from the Hague, Holland. Pinning occured when a man gave his pin to a woman in order to indicate publically that they were a romantic item.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of November 28, 1962, specific dress restrictions were put in place for dorm dining rooms:

 

In The Dickinsonian's "Quotes of the Week," a list of humorous quotations gathered each week, a co-ed admits the reason she did not attend Swarthmore: "I didn't go...because I look horrible without lipstick."

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of December 12, 1962, it was decided to allow women (only from two dorms mentioned) to wear slacks in specific circumstances:

 

The only foreign student at Dickinson during the 1962-3 year was Hsiao Mei Tsou from Singapore. She remarks in this article on the differences between America and Singapore, most notably that girls never talked to boys back home. Very studious, she works often in the library but wishes that it were open later, but finds the Dickinson students very helpful. In Singapore, about half of children go to school and even less complete post secondary education. Hsaio loves the United States and thinks she wants to stay after graduation.

From the Wishmeyer scrapbook, this schedule of meals includes etiquette regarding when to say or sing Grace before meals, seating assignments, and dress code. All meals are family style and occur at specific times throughout the day, much unlike our modern cafeteria meal plans today.

Alice Watts, Priscilla Hinebauch (Class of 1966), Elizabeth Wagner (Class of 1966, and Joanne Harris (Class of 1965) dress up for Saint Lucia Day in Metzger Hall, January 1963.

The 1963 Microcosm staff continued to place the Miss Microcosm feature in the front half of the yearbook like it did in 1962. Unlike in 1962, however, the staff does not divulge how it made the selection. Miss Microcosm Barbara Duvall "will be married in June" and "represents the model of beauty, charm, and personality of the Dickinson coed." Her maid of honor and runners up included Brenda Sadler, Linda Goodridge, Carnie Green, Joanne Harris, Ginny Krueger, Cheryl Livingston, and Ginny Sutton.

Tardiness required suitable excuses or punishments were inevitable! This is report to the House Council in Barbara Wishmeyer's (the Dean of Women) Scrapbook for Zelda Clutch on January 4th, 1963. She was 5 minutes late on this Friday night for curfew because she had an argument with her date.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of January 9, 1963, it was decided to allow women to wear sweatshirts and sportsclothes to specific meals at specific times:

 

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of January 16, 1963, the issue of women being 'bothered' by men on and off campus was addressed and Dean Wishmeyer explained the procedure for handling this:

 

A photograph from the Wishmeyer Scrapbook shows a room ransacked of its contents during the rush season. The caption reads: "During the 'Silent Period' we raided our counsellors' room of all contents- what could they say??!" This probably relates to the many rules, also found in the Wishmeyer Scrapbook, listed as Fall Panhellenic Rules, that female students faced while rushing and pledging.

 

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of February 6, 1963, women of all dorms (except, for some reason, Drayer and Metzger) were advised of what could be considered acceptable footwear for bad-weather days: 

 

Some quotations featured in The Dickinsonian's "Quotes of the Week" reveal what professors at the college were saying about women. An anonymous English professor supposedly said that a "woman is like a rose because she appeals to the sense of taste and the sense of touch as well as the sense of sight." Another English professor purportedly said, "You look at her lips and wish to use them in certain rites but you can't until she says, 'I'm ready.'"

The Dickinsonian began a series of illustrations meant to function as a coloring book. In one of these illustrations, a woman in a tight skirt leans against a wall and appears to be either bored or asleep. The caption beneath this illustration indicates how Dickinson students may have felt about the rules and regulations governing female students: "This is a Dickinson Coed. The college protects her virtue with many rules and regulations. Color her bored."

Dickinson College planned to replace Metzger Hall, former home of the co-eds, with the new women's dormitory at the start of the Fall quarter. The building could house 168 women and would have 77 double rooms, 8 single rooms, and two triples. The dormitory had a center core of bathrooms and laundry facilities; rooms were equipped with built-in desks and bulletin boards along the side wall.

In The Dickinsonian, an article entitled "Statistical Survey Shows Men Spend Money on Women" begins "That it is a man's world every woman sometime or another admits." A senior at the college conducted a survey for a statistics class in which he asked 132 men and 72 women how much money they earned during summer months and how much of it they spent on various expenses througout the schoolyear. Dickinson co-eds, he found, earned less than their male counterparts over the summer. Women, however, spent more for tuition and living expenses than men.

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of March 20, 1963, residents of Sellers Hall requested permission for male visitors to be allowed in the dorm. This request was granted:

Barbara Wishmeyer, the Dean of Women for the Academic Year 1962-1963, included photographs of her female students in her scrapbook of their pledge formal attire during the sorority rush/pledge spring season. Women had the opportunity to pledge Chi Omega, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha. In these photographs from top to bottom are:

Peggy McBee

Doris Detweiler '66

Carol Frey '66

Ann Davis

Elisabeth Lane '66

Lori Shimer

Historical sign regarding Metzger Hall, a women's dormitory. "Metzger Hall: One of the Dormitories of Dickinson College, Erected in 1881 as the Metzger Institute, By the bequest of George Metzer of the Class of 1798.

Karen Barrowclough '66

Ruth Ann Dorfler

Mary Nolan

Priscilla Hinebauch '66

Kim Larsen '66

Kim Larsen (Class of 1966) and Sally Stevenson (Class of 1966) of Metzger Hall in its final years study for Spring semester courses.

Jackie Jackson (Class of 1964) of Metzger Hall rushes to kill a bug that has found its way inside.

Kim Larsen (Class of 66) returns indoors through a Metzger Hall window after being serenaded by a male student outside.

Female students sunbathe outside behind Metzger Hall in May 1963, relaxing or perhaps studying. Swimsuits showing lots of leg obviously in style!