1890-1899

Taken from the George Edward Reed scrapbook, this newspaper clipping announces the marriage of Zatae Longsdorff (Class of 1997) to A. Gale Straw of New Hampshire. They married at 105 West Louther St., Carlisle, PA, and all of the Dickinson faculty were present. The article goes on to describe the wedding party, dressed in blue with chrysanthemums as well as cream silk dresses for the bridesmaids. Zatae wore a white silk dress with a veil. The Dickinson College Glee Club provided entertainment at the reception.

The "Locals" section of the 1891 Dickinsonian included a quote by Professor Harman about male and female students. He is quoted as stating that, "Yes! The boys play foot ball and the girls take the prizes."

The November 1891 Dickinsonian declares in its pages about the prospective wedding of Zatae Longsdorff. She is to be married to a Dr. A Gale Straw on the fourteenth of November, 1891. Zatae's maids of honor were Lenora Whiting (Class of 1891) and Jessica Longsdorff (Class of 1891), her sister. The Dickinsonian "sends congratulations and well wishes after the happy couple."

The whereabouts of the graduated class of 1891 is documented by the October 1891 issue of the Dickinsonian. Three of the female students are among the other graduates mentioned. Elizabeth Low is mentioned as a teacher in the public schools in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Jessica Longsdorff is studying at the Woman's Medical College in Philadelphia and Lenora Whiting is staying at her home in Carlisle.

The 1891 July Dickinsonian further comments on Jessica Longsdorff's performance for the Senior Oratorical Contest. Her oration was written on "The Uncrowned," which is about paintings from the French Revolution. The Dickinsonian proclaims that hers was "one of the best orations of the evening."

The event of the Junior Oratorical Contest of 1891 was documented in the July issue of the Dickinsonian. Minnie Mack was the first speaker, who chose her subject to be "Woman's Work and Woman's Wages," which stirred much interest in those listening. She spoke on the "great injustice done to women, who...very often performing the same labor as men, yet received much less compensation." Minnie Mack then further comments on the changing times, how now women are more fitted for "mechanical or professional work" than the chief role of adorning a house.

The June 1891 Dickinsonian in the "Alumni Personals" section, included a brief paragraph on Hildegarde Longsdorff, one of the sisters of Zatae Longsdorff. The 1888 graduate, had recently graduated from the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia and intended on "practicing her profession" in Carlisle.

This photograph displays a group of female students enjoying the outdoors.

The 1890 November Dickinsonian once again brings forth the question of allowing the women of the college to have a literary society. This issue has become a "yearly issue" and comes up "as regularly as the foot ball discussion." After about three years of debate, people are still of divided opinion on the subject. The Dickinsonian believes though that this is "a case for individual belief" and it would not be fair if it were up to the faculty to decide.

The "Editorials" section of the 1890 July issue of the Dickinsonian formally apologizes to the female students over their choice of words. They apologize for the lack of proof reading and for not writing about the female graduates using the feminine gender.