In her memoir recounting her time at Dickinson, Elizabeth Low remembers the the role the Dickinsonian played in the lives of female students. Though female students were prohibited from writing for the Dickinsonian, much information regarding female students was included in the college newspaper.
In her memoir recounting her time at Dickinson, Elizabeth Low remembers the treatment of female students by their male peers. She recalled that, "Some of these [female students] were attractive, charming young girls, but they were all co-eds, and woe to the one who tried to force herself to a recognition that was not given voluntarily." She further explains that "Personality was a factor, of course, and when linked to fine scholarship won not only the respect but admiration of male students. Some were ignored."
In her memoir recounting her time at Dickinson, Elizabeth Low describes the backgrounds of early female students. She recalled that the group of early female Dickinsonians included the "daughters of Methodist ministers, the grandaughter of a Bishop, two daughters of members of the faculty, the daughter of the Rector of the Episcople Church in Carlisle, a jewess, and a Mennonitor, who did not wear Dunkard." Moreover, Low remembered that many female students had "come from families who had moved to the town to educate their children" and some commuted.
In her memoir recounting her time at Dickinson, Elizabeth Low remembered a studious female student. According to Low, "She did not take gym, nor join us on walks. Her time was spent in study. I never saw her at a game, an evening reception, nor a contest. She hesitated to go with us when we had a group picture taken on account of the time it would consume, but finally consented." In the end, the student Low described became a prominent missionary in India.
In her memoir recounting her experiences as an early female student at Dickinson College, Low discusses the relationships between early female students of the college and the prep school affiliated with Dickinson. She explained that "these girls made no distinction because I was in Preparatory School. We read together, sometimes Browning which I had been taught to consider strictly highbrow." Throughout her memoir, Low speaks of the close relationship shared between female college and prep students.
In her memoir recounting her experiences as an early female student at Dickinson College, Low discusses the various intricacies involved with late nineteenth-century student cultures. Low explained that a fellow female student told her to "be very careful in making friends, as once in a set it was extremely difficult if not impossible to change, as both the college and town were made up of cliques." Moreover, Low recalls being told about the proper etiquette after one has been serenaded.
In her memoir recounting her experiences as an early female student at Dickinson College, Low recalls a fellow "co-ed" sophomore who "was more like a Dean than just another student." Though Low never mentions the woman's name, she explains that "She took her work seriously and co-education as her personal responsibility." Moreover, at an early party hosted by the sophomore "co-ed" she urged her fellow female students to sign a pledge proclaiming that "'We are set apart, destined for careers, we were superior and should not allow any entangling alliances to interfere with our life work." Unf
In her memoir recounting her time at Dickinson, Elizabeth Low recalled a party for "co-eds." Hosted by a female student Low referred to as the unofficial "Dean" of female students, the party was an opportunity for early female students at Dickinson to develop a community. According to Low, "even at the party, her [the hostess] theme song was coeducation." Low explains that the party "was fun, and the only really good time some of those girls had during their entire college course."
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During her first few weeks at Dickinson College, Elizabeth Low attended her first football game. Accompanied by a male sophomore from Dickinson College, Low watched Dickinson play against Swarthmore. A few minutes into the game, their was an accident. The roomate of Low's escort was dead. He had hit his head while playing football. Low wrote that "That was the first football game I ever attended and by far the most tragic. There were many firsts in my life at Dickinson."
During her first week at Dickinson College, Elizabeth A. Low described the ways in which Carlisle was different from the rural area from which she came. While walking with a professor down the streets of Carlisle, the professor exclaimed, "Aren't you accustomed to walking on pavements?" Low was terrified by his question. She explained, "I felt so conspicuous and embarrased that I did not want callers. Perhaps this sounds exaggerated.