Swimming

This photo depicts the women's swim team and their fans, c1945. The women in the photo are unidentified.

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. 

An article in The Dickinsonian chronicles the Dickinson adventures of Laila Nada, a freshman co-ed from Egypt who had never left her country before coming to Dickinson. A biology major, the international co-ed wanted to continue her education after Dickinson and planned to remain in the United States over the summer. She reported that Dickinson students were more friendly than Egyptians and admitted that she would like to see a women's swimming team at Dickinson.

Girls sports were conducted on the intramural plan under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Physical Education for Women at Dickinson College, Miss E Winifred Chapman. Hockey, indoor and outdoor archery, swimming, tennis, basketball, riding and volleyball. Volleyball was newly inroduced as a sport. A playing field was devoted to the girls' use for hockey and archery.  Every woman was required to complete two hours a week from any of the sports. The facilities had greatly improved in the last few years. The Athletic Council, along with Miss Chapman, supervise all sports.

In 1933 the Microcosm reported that each female student was required to participate in two hours a week of the intramural sports offered. In the fall the choices were: hockey, outdoor archery, swimming, tennis, and horseback riding; in the winter: swimming, basketball, and indoor archery; and in the spring: tennis, volleyball, swimming, and riding. Miss Winifred E.