Administration

1955 Microcosm lauds new Dean of Women

Date
1955

The 1955 Microcosm lists Victoria Kathryn Hann as the new Dean of Women and lauds her as an "ideal Dean of Women" who is enthusiastic, efficient, has a "winning manner," and understands "women students and their problems."

New Dean of Women...Again

Date
1951

The 1951 Microcosm lists a new dean of women, Mary-Margaret Kellogg. In 1950, the Microcosm listed Phoebe Follmer as dean of women.

New Dean of Women Appears on the Scene

Date
1950

The 1950 Microcosm lists the college administration, including a new dean of women. While the 1949 Microcosm listed Dean Helen B. Norcross, the 1950 yearbook presented Dean of Women Phoebe Follmer.

Goodbye Meredith, Hello Norcross

Date
1946-1947

The 1946-1947 Microcosm bids farewell to Dean Josephine B. Meredith, who served the college as dean of women for 25 years. The Microcosm cites her "philosophy and indefatigable sense of humor, together with her wisdom about youth and its trials" as what made her well-suited to giving female students advice. In this Microcosm, Dean Helen B.

Female Students Represent in Forensics

Date
1944

The Microcosm's page on the Debate Squad referenced the effect of World War II on the size of the team. As a result of the lack of male "veterans," three women tried out for the team during the first semester and were the first women "in recent history" to represent Dickinson in forensic contests. According to the Microcosm, President Corson approved their participation in the debate squad and hoped that more women would become involved every year.

Frances Marries the New Chemistry Professor

Date
April 21, 1994

Frances Vuilleumier (Class of 1924) describes in an interview how she met her husband, Ernest Albert Vuilleumier, in her chemistry class. The current dean placed her in the class, and according to Frances, "being new, I required a good deal of assistance, you know, so somehow or other..." Professor Vuilleumier, who chaperoned dances, sent a note to Frances inviting her to a fraternity dance. Frances explains that it was acceptable for female students to date professor as "it had happened before." Previously, President James Henry Morgan married a student.

Grievances against the Dean of Women

Date
December 15, 1945

"Suggestions Considered Requisite by the Students of Dickinson College for the Improvement of the College," distributed to faculty and trustees on December 15, 1945, documents the reasons for the appointment of a new dean of women.

Defamation

Date
December 15, 1945

Distributed to faculty and trustees on December 15, 1945, "Suggestions Considered Requisite by the Students of Dickinson College for the Improvement of the College" calls for the appointment of a new dean of women. The document cites the numerous occasions on which the dean "defamed the character of the women students" by ridiculing them and calling into question their moral judgement.

In Bad Faith

Date
December 15, 1945

"Suggestions Considered Requisite by the Students of Dickinson College for the Improvement of the College," a document distributed to faculty and trustees on December 15, 1945, claims that the Dean of Women dealt with female students "in bad faith" by breaking promises. The document cites two cases in which the Dean of Women broke promises: in one case, the dean tried to discover who had disobeyed a ruling by promising to revoke disciplinary action for those who confessed.

Incompetent as a Personal Advisor

Date
December 15, 1945

In "Suggestions Considered Requisite by the Students of Dickinson College for the Improvement of the College" distributed to faculty and trustees on December 15, 1945, students explain the need for the appointment of a new Dean of Women, calling the Dean of Women Josephine B. Meredith "incompetent as a personal advisor." According to the document, she does not give women students sympathy in personal matters and places them on probation without adequate grounds.