Commencement Weekend

The photo depicts a group of female students at the 1910 Commencement. The photo was entitled "The Suffragettes."

This photo depicts a group of female Dickinsonians at the 1910
Commencement Services. The names of the women in the photo are unknown.

This photo depicts a group of female Dickinsonians at the 1910 Commencement Services. The names of the women in the photo are unknown.

 

Fifty years following her graduation from Dickinson College as the first female student, Zatae Longsdorff Straw received an honorary degree from her alma mater. The award was bestowed upon Zatae due to her position as "the first woman graduate of Dickinson College, a pioneer among women in the field of medicine, combining with a professional career the duties of motherhood and the demands of public service..."

 

 

In her speech delivered during a 1937 Commencementt Week Dinner, Zatae Longsdorff Straw remembers her time at Dickinson College. In the beginning of the speech, Straw admits that this was her first time back to Dickinson since she graduated in 1887. Thus, her mind flooded with memories of Dickinson during her 1937 visit. As the first female graduate, Straw described the harassment she received from her male counterparts. She described many of the faculty including Dr. Rittenhouse whose "eyes filled with tears" when male students treated her unkindly. Dr.

In a letter dated August of 1923, President Morgan wrote to Bishop William F. McDowell an informed him that coeducation at Dickinson College was in danger. Morgan wrote that "A few of the trustees have not been friendly to coeducation for a good many years, and raised the question at commencement, having it to take the form of a purpose to limit very decidedly the attendance of women." According to Morgan, Boyd Lee Spahr, Mr. Appold, and Mr.

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 activities and speeches during the 1888 Commencement week at Dickinson College were recording in the 1888 July issue of the Dickinsonian. On Thursday of that week, there was a speech given on "Some Questions for the Twentieth Century." Among these questions, the speaker comments briefly on women in the future. He states that in the Twentieth Century "woman will have more voice in great questions than now."

The July 1888 Dickinsonian discusses the occurrences and speeches given at the 105th commencement of the senior class. One of the speeches includes humorous and bogus gifts for each of the members of the senior class. For the women, such as Hildegarde Longsdorff, she would receive the gift of a ballot box for her "strong opinions on Woman's Suffrage." Another female classmate, Elizabeth Bender, would receive a marriage certificate because of what is in store for her future.