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This program is from a women's basketball game in 1984-1985.

This program is from a women's basketball game in 1984-1985. 

Equality for Females: Our Rights Today or E.F.F.O.R.T. is a women's feminist organization that began in the early 1980s. The group's purpose, as stated in their constitution, is to bring to Dickinson College "a better understanding of feminist issues" through the use of "lectures, films, petitions, discussion groups, and social events." EFFORT also stresses in its constitution that it does not take a specific stand on any feminist issues but "welcomes a variety of opinions." EFFORT's constitution provides the only information that is known of this organization.

Circa 1984, this constitution for the Equality for Females student organization outlines its mission of creating a community that better understands current feminist issues.

The Women's Center Meeting for February 16, 1984 was the first meeting to be held in the newly renovated Women's Center at 221 West Church Avenue. The main issues brought up at the meeting were the governance of the Women's Center and the program for the spring. On the issue of governance of the center, it was left unresolved at the end of the meeting. Some possibilities brought forth were "requesting a student worker, seeking a student intern," a female volunteer, or rotating the task amongst the board for 2 months or longer.

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."

This advertisement in the March 1, 1984 edition of the Dickinsonian
announces the grand opening of the student run Women's Center at
Dickinson with speakers Jo Banks and Ellen Rosenman on March 5th, as
well as a reading of original poetry by Sonia Sanchez at the Center on March 7th.

In an article published in the Dickinsonian in March 1984, Daphne
Moritz reports on the grand opening of the Women's Center and the
discussion of Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" given at the event
by Professor Ellen Rosenman and Jo Banks.

Rev. Myrna Bernadel returned to Dickinson College in 1984 for the Congress of African Student's Black Arts Festival. On Sunday March 4, 1984, she led a college church service in Memorial Hall at 11:00 a.m.

The 1984 yearbook for the Women's Track and Field team spotlights performances and moments from the season with pictures and captions. Featured athletes include "all-around performer" Caitlin Mullen, lead triple jumper Laurie Smith, and "Dickinson's number one threat in the 5000 meter event," Helen Turner.

In 1984, the Women's Track and Field Team boasted four wins and two losses as an overall record for the season. Captains Stacey Camillo, Jennifer Kulp, and Julie-Lynn Wirth and coaches John Cantalupi, Larry Moser, and Don Nichter led the team through a successful season that began at the Western Maryland Relays on April 7 where the team placed second. One foreign student--Carina Palmqvist of Sweden--participated in events like the 55m Dash.

In her 1984 research paper "The Presence of the Black American at Dickinson College from 1773 to the Present," Elaine Vivian Watson researched the influence of "Black America" upon Dickinson College. Her paper includes information on "unfamous firsts" at Dickinson as well as information on the Black Alumni Questionaire.

 

Some "Unfamous Firsts" Include:

 

1901: John Robert Paul Brock is the first black male student to graduate from Dickinson College.

 

The constitution for Women's Rugby outlines the purpose, electoral procedures, and the duties of officers for this sport club. The constitution's wording does not make clear whether the club's formation was in response to the lack of a rugby team for women or the lack of a rugby team on campus. The officers of the club include President Lisa Tartamella, Vice President Jodi Hakes, Secretary Donna Cassidy, and Treasurer Judy Stoeckel.

To celebrate the one hundredth year anniversary of women at Dickinson College, the Womens Center planned a series of events to create a welcoming environment in order to promote social interaction between students and faculty outside the classroom setting.Located at 222 Church St., under the coordination of Tina Groover,Office of Admissions, Nina Shover,Office of Student Services, Rena Convissor, Student Planning Board, and under the guidance of the Board of Directors, Professors Ellen Rosenman and Sharon O'Brien,the Womens Center strives to flourish across the Dickinson community so as to

In October 31, 1984, the Dickinsonian reported that Dickinson College celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Coeducation with the Metzger Series. The chairwomen of the annual Metzger Series decided to celebrate the anniversary by inviting four alumnae "from various walks of life" to talk about their post-college experience.

This article, in the March 3, 1985 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot tells of The Little Flags Theater's upcoming performance of "Mothers and Daughters" in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, sponsored by the Women's Center in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Consortium's annual Women's Studies Conference.

In 1985, the Women's Track and Field team had an overall record of eight wins and three losses in, according to an article in the Dickinsonian, "its third season of intercollegiate competition." Head Women's Coach John Cantalupi and coaches Larry Moser, Don Nichter, and Bill Nickey led the team of 21 females through a successful season. Highlights of the year included junior Linda Reinman's recovery from anemia during the 1984 season and subsequent outstanding performance in 1985.

The Women's Track and Field team placed second at the Western Maryland relays and outperformed the men's team, which placed fifth out of the nine teams competing at the event. According to the Dickinsonian article by Tom Speranza, Coach John Cantalupi was pleased with the outcome, especially given that "some of his runners did not compete." The women's team set a new school record against Franklin and Marshall College in the 4x1600 meter relay with runners Julie-Lynn Wirth, Linda Grant, Linda Reinman, and Helen Turner.

The 1985 constitution of the Women's Soccer Club establishes the purpose of the club, which remains consistent with the purpose from its 1982 constitution (see http://coeducation.dickinson.edu/index.php?q=node/101 for more details). Like the Women's Rugby Club during the 1980s, this club required its members to pay dues.

A group of Dickinson students attempted to form a Korean Students Association in 1985. The members (their actual names are unknown at this point) stated the purpose of the group as follows:

1. Provide Korean culture and encourage Asian awareness on campus

2. Express Asian concern regarding minority affairs

3. Add a different dimension to minority awareness and involvement on campus

4. Provide a social and cultural outlet for Koreans on campus

Coach John Cantalupi of the Women's Track and Field team wrote a letter to then president of Dickinson College, Dr. Samuel A. Banks, pleading for the resurfacing or conversion of the Bibble Field Track. The coach expressed worry that the state of the track and its measurement in yards instead of meters  would hinder athletes from meeting national qualifying standards. He cited national qualifier Linda Reinman's achievement, saying that he would "hate to see Linda's chances of qualifying for next year's national championships hindered by our current setup."

Warren J. Gates, the Robert Coleman Professor Emeritus of History put together a Handbook for the Alpha Chapter of PA of Phi Beta Kappa. Included was this chart, showing the number of degree-seeking and class-attending male and female inductees over multiple decades. We can see that in many years, women rivaled men in earning this national honor.

Susannah Heschel, daughter of the Jewish philosopher Abraham Heschel, to visit Dickinson College on April 1st, as announced in The Sheepskin, the Chaplain's Office newsletter.  She is scheduled to teach two religion classes and then give an evening lecture titled "On Being a Jewish Feminist."

The Women's Track and Field team had a record of six wins and two losses in 1986. Under Coaches John Cantalupi, Larry Moser, Dick Ocker, Scott Thornsley, and Dave Bengston, the team won first place in a Division III competition at Moravian. Linda Reinman was the 1986 MVP, and the coach's awards went to Cyndi Lyn Olcott, Susan Baldwin, and Michelle Wolkomir. Linda Reinman continued her successful Track and Field career as a Division III National Qualifier alongside Susan Baldwin.

This image depicts the Congress of African Students. Seated on the left is the Prime Minister Elaine Watson.

Coach John Cantalupi had high expectations for the 1987 women's outdoor track season and their performance in the MAC championships, according to an article in the Dickinsonian. He is quoted as saying that  the team had "been third the past two seasons, and I think that this could be the year that we come through with a top finish." His expectations for the women's team were more optimistic than those professed by the men's coach, Jere Harbold.

Liz Lukacs and L. J. Simmons reported in the October 1, 1987 edition of the Dickinsonian on the decision of the Health Center to distribute condoms, free of charge, describing how the Health Center, Sexuality Resource Group and Women's Center were all involved.

In this article, Pete Bilderback and Mike Bunder report in the October 1, 1987 edition of the Dickinsonian on a panel
debate that took place in Memorial Hall on September 20, 1987 about
affirmative action at Dickinson and education nationally.

The 1988 "Greek Brief" is an effort to establish a positive understanding of the activities of the ten fraternities and 5 sororities.

Delta Delta Delta: Raised over $700 in Fall 1987 for the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey, PA. Sang Christmas carols to children in Hershey Medical Center.

Poster advertising the Sunday chapel service in the Interfaith Lounge.  This week Chaplain Morefield will be preaching a sermon entitled "Women & Men Together."

Chaplain Morefield's sermon entitled "Women and Men Together" discusses issues brought up in a recent letter to the Dickinsonian [January 28th, p. 7] about "a fraternity party whose alleged theme was 'be rude, crude, and abusive' to women."

Dickinson College’s annual Black Arts Festival or Multicultural Fair featured a concert by The Philadelphia Dance Company “Philadanco” on Sunday, March 6, 1988.  The company, which was comprised of predominantly black dancers, presented a program of five pieces of contemporary choreography.  The only female choreographer of the bunch was Elisa Monte; her piece was entitled “Dream Time.”

Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson (GLAD) submitted a request for funds from the Student Senate for the 1988-1989 academic year.  In the Budget, GLAD includes a tentative schedule of activities for fall of '88 and spring of '89 and the estimated costs of the events.  The document was submitted to the Student Senate by the GLAD Board of Directors and its Acting Treasurer, Karen Ruocco, class of 1988. 

 

In the late 80’s, Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson (GLAD), was an organization of gays, lesbians and their supporters, and sought to recognize “the presence of gay and lesbian students, faculty, staff and administrators within the Dickinson College community."  Some of the hopes of the organization, as stated in their constitution, are, among others, "to provide support for gays and lesbians, provide gays and lesbians with a college-recognized forum for voicing concerns to the administration, and to represent gay and lesbian perspectives in college political and social processes."  The consti

According to Jane Myer Sellers (Class of 1955), there were no women of color and only one or two men of color at Dickinson during the 1950s. She reports that there were "a few Asian girls" who were considered to be minority students. The only sorority that accepted minority students, says Sellers, was Pi Phi.

Jane Myers Sellers (Class of 1955) describes in an interview the relationship male and female students had at Dickinson during the 1950s. She reports that there were panty raids, water fights, and serenading. During these so-called "panty raids," men would invade the women's dormitories and steal panties.

This March 28, 1988 edition of the Campus Clipboard announces a Women's
Interfaith Seder Discussion to be held Tuesday, March 29th of  Holy Week
at the Women's Center.

Jane Myers Sellers (Class of 1955) describes in an interview how women achieved the effect of soft waves, a hairstyle popular during the 1950s. She reports that female students used pin curls with bobby pins and slept on them every night. Sellers explains that it was "terribly uncomfortable" and that "before you went to bed, no matter how late you stayed up studying, you would have to do those pin curls." According to Sellers, female students did not want the men in the dormitories during panty raids because they did not want the men to see them in pin curls.

This article, published in the March 31, 1988 Dickinsonian, documents the first meeting of Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson College (GLAD). Headed by Karen Ruocco, the organization held its first meeting at the Women's Center on March 30th. The group provided "support for gays and lesbians" at Dickinson College. The organization also worked to educate the campus on issues effecting the gay/lesbian community.

The 1988 Outdoor Track and Field yearbook includes both the men's and women's team. The co-captains for the women's team were Cyndi Lyn Olcott and Susan Baldwin. Susan Baldwin won the MVP award for the year and qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships in javelin. Baldwin also played women's basketball at Dickinson and won the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships in javelin.

The Women's Center sponsored Dr. Mary Leonard, staff psychologist and associate professor at University of Maryland, and Ms. Lori Serratelli, Harrisburg attorney, to speak on sexual harassment in the Weiss Center.

On Sunday, April 10, 1988, students participated in "Take Back the Night"
rally and march, sponsored by the Women's Center, to protest and raise
awareness of rape.  Mike Dever reported on the event, describing the march route and some opposition the
marchers experienced in the Quad in the April 14, 1988 edition of the Dickinsonian.

This article by Tari Getz '91 in the June 1988 edition of Dickinson Today presents the history, purpose and spirit
of the Women's Center, describing it as a place of comfort for all.

Virginia Weber (Class of 1946) claims in an interview to be the first female editor-in-chief of  The Dickinsonian. Asked if she believed that she became the editor due to the shortage of students during the war, she responded affirmatively, saying that "there was a lot of competition" for the position: applicants submitted editorials and were judged by a faculty committee. Weber recalls that the newspaper ran stories related mostly to campus events and did not usually cover national or international events.

Dickinson College Chapel program for "A Celebration of Women" as part of the observance of the women's decade.  Chaplain Mary Anne Morefield preaches the meditation or sermon, entitled "Women: Celebration and Solidarity."

Biology Professor Barbara McDonald, who began to work in Dickinson during the Fall of 1956, in her interview reiterated that she was a member of the AAUP as well as an active member of the reppraisal committee. The American Association of University Professors who upholds academic freedom and tenure for College or University professors, played a pivotal role in the "Le Vallee Affair" during the Spring of 1956.

In her paper titled "The Women's Liberation Movement: It's History and It's Effects Upon the Faculty of Dickinson College" Eve M. Draeger analyzes the impact of the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970 upon Dickinson Faculty. For her paper Draeger interviewed a diverse group of Dickinson Professors.

Winona Mensch Gray (Class of 1948) admits in an interview that she helped to instigate Dean of Women Josephine B. Meredith's resignation. Gray recalls that Meredith resigned during her sophomore year (1946). According to Gray, Dean Meredith was strict--her father and husband had both been Methodist ministers--and forbade female students from activities on Sunday.

Joyce Rinehart Anderson (class of 1945) shares in an interview the effect of World War II on her life as a female student. She had been engaged to someone from Dickinson College who was killed in May (she does not specify the year) in Okinawa. Anderson says that the "war hit me real hard because the guy I expected to be married to was killed."

Joyce Rinehart Anderson (Class of 1945) describes in an interview how women began to publish the Dickinsonian when male students left for World War II. According to Anderson, male students ran and published the Dickinsonian prior to the start of the war. Anderson deems her experience as a copy editor for the newspaper as a "very valuable part of my education." Anderson recalls not only editing other students' articles but also writing articles herself. She worked for other publications post-graduation.