Microcosm

The Beauty of the Co-ed

Date
1904

This excerpt from the Microcosm discusses the beauty of the co-ed. Each woman of the class of 1905  is named and her most striking feature is listed. The identity of the woman in the portrait is not known.

Association to Promote Co-Education

Date
1896

This association promoted Co-Education. It demanded that every member call on the Ladies Hall twice a week and would ensure that doors would be opened for female students, as well as providing them with escorts.

Hockey goes Varsity

Date
1954

The 1954 Microcosm documents the shift of women's hockey teams from intramural to varsity status.  The varsity squad competed with Wilson College, Penn-Hall preparatory school, and the Harrisburg Hockey clubs in the 1953-1954 academic year. 

AQUACADES!

Date
1953

The 1953 Microcosm documents a new athletic group for women on campus, The Aquatic Club.  "It was organized in the spring of 1952 with the purpose of furthering the interest of students in the development of swimming skills," and featured a presentation of synchronized swimming and pagentry set to music, performed by the Aquacades. 

Two Out of the Three Co-eds Elected to Editors

Date
November, 1889

The 1889 Dickinsonian comments upon the Junior class's selection of editors to write for the Microcosm. Both Elizabeth Low and Jessica Longsdorff were selected for editors of the yearbook. The Dickinsonian believed that "the usual sound judgment of this class must have been temporarily obscured by some sudden streak of gallantry" to let two of the three co-eds participate.

The Y. W. C. A. Entertains

Date
1911

The 1911 Microcosm includes a piece on the success of the Y. W. C. A.'s night of entertainment for the college. The show included two dramatic acts, one entitled, "The Costs of Independence or an Old Maid's Regrets" and the other called, "Beautiful Belinda or Why Girls Leave Home." One of the more successful parts of the night though was not on stage, according to the men, but more so in their bellies. Candy that the girls had made was sold between acts and the men bought it because "it was made by her own little hands."

The Co-Eds Are Speaking in Tongues

Date
1911

"Mysterious Code for Co-Eds" was published in the 1911 Microcosm complaining about the use of words by the co-eds on campus.

"A Fear That Suffragettes Might Develop Amongst Us"

Date
1911

In the senior class history in the 1911 Microcosm, there is a short paragraph written on the fear amongst the college that their women would turn into suffragettes. From this fear, the college held a meeting only for the females about their decision. A joint meeting was then held and "negotiations [were] entered into, and a treaty formed."

?, A "Questionable" Show

Date
1910

The 1910 Microcosm comments upon the show that the women of the college were to put on. All of the advertisements, tickets, etc., were punctuated with question marks, leaving the theme of the show open to much speculation by its audience. The program declared that the entertainment was to be presented by the Y.W.C.A., which some men thought it meant "Young Women Can't Act" but were made to think differently. The first act was a comedic piece titled "Mrs. Oakley's Telephone" about the many conversations between various characters that takes place on this one telephone.