Oral history

Frances Vuilleumier (Class of 1924) explains in an interview that her sorority, Phi Mu, did not extend membership to black or Jewish students, adding that there "was probably some[one] else we didn't allow." Calling Phi Mu exclusive, she explains that these practices were normal during that period. She points to the 1960s as the decade in which "they didn't stand for that anymore," although the national chapter of some sororities, according to Vuilleumer, still prevented the pledging of minority women.

Miriam Riley Weimer (Class of 1940) recalls in an interview that she knew only one student who was thrown out of school: Bes Jones. Weimer calls her "a rebel in her time" who was caught sneaking out of Metzger Hall on multiple occasions. Dean of Women Josephine Brunyate Meredith threw her out of the college. According to Weimer, Jones became a librarian, presumably having finished her education.

Miriam Riley Weimer (Class of 1940) reports in an interview that college relations with the town of Carlisle were "very good." Some "townies" attended Dickinson College, and women in town welcomed students into their homes. She admits, though, that some "town girls" thought the college women were snobs. According to Weimer, town and college boys did not share the same type of relationship as town boys did not like college boys.

Miriam Riley Weimer (Class of 1940) describes student-faculty relations in an interview. She remembers that Professor Mulford Stough, who she paints as "a character, but a nice guy," dropped a note in Miriam's lap during an exam in Bosler Hall. As Miriam recalls, the note read, "With the sun coming in on your hair, it's just the color that I'm sure the hair of all James Fenimore Cooper's heroines had." At the end of the note, the professor asked if Miriam played bridge. According to Miriam, Professor Stough and Dr.

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.

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) reports in an interview that the dean of women, Josephine Brunyate Meredith, locked her in the infirmary when she was sick. The dean feared that Joyce had scarlet fever, but Joyce claims that, in locking her in the infirmary without care, they "practically killed me." According to Anderson, not only did this quarantine cost her a semester in college, but it also led to other problems later in her life.

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.

Winona Mensch Gray (Class of 1948) describes female dormitory life during World War II in an interview. Gray lived in Metzger Hall during her freshman and sophomore years. She was only one of two sophomores who lived in the hall. She describes Metzger Hall as an "old building with high ceilings." There was a dining room in the basement and wash basins down the hall for laundry. The dean of women lived on the second floor in an apartment. She remembers the beds being uncomfortable.