The subsection entitled "Metzger Hall," in Dean Meredith's historical account of women at Dickinson, gives a general overview of the physical layout of the building. This subsection is followed by another, more detailed account of specific rooms, their inadecuacies, shortcomings and some scattered suggestions for improvement.
Â
In her essay, "Women at Dickinson," Dean of Women Josephine Meredith included a section entitled: "Value of Types." In it Meredith defines three types of students that attended Dickinson College. The description of each type briefly accounts for the value each group brought to the campus.
Â
Types of Students:
This memo outlines the cost of furnishing a female student's room in Drayer Hall. Interesting to note that in addition to a bed, mattress, a chair with desk, female students also had the use of an arm chair, two lamps, a waste basket and a pillow! The total cost is $253.60, which in 1952 had the same (2009) buying power as 2046.56 US dollars.
Drayer Hall, the first major building built by the college on the Benjamin Rush campus, was also the first building to be constructed with the women of the college in mind. An unidentified newspaper clipping anticipates a successful celebration for the dedication of the women's dormitory. The "celebration will be the first in the long history of the college arranged entirely for honoring Dickinson women." The Women's Day festivities include high ranking guest speakers, a luncheon, the distribution of honorary degrees to "eight outstanding women" by co-ed student sponsors, and tours of th
Written by Martha Slotten, this history of Metzger explains the building's early beginnings as a Prep School for Girls. After Drayer was built in the early 1950s, only freshman girls lived in Metzger until it was sold in 1963 and later dismantled. The completion of Drayer offered a local housing option for female students who would no longer have to walk many blocks to classes.
Drayer Hall postcard advertising Dickinson College's all female residence, closer to campus than any prior female housing.
Telephone usage was only allowed during specified times during the day. The only phone in Metzger Hall was located in the Dean of Women's office.
Construction finished, Drayer Hall's first residents move in and Drayer becomes Dickinson's first dorm built just for women.
Drayer Hall is planned as Dickinson College's first purpose-built all female dorm on South College St.
Historical sign regarding Metzger Hall, a women's dormitory. "Metzger Hall: One of the Dormitories of Dickinson College, Erected in 1881 as the Metzger Institute, By the bequest of George Metzer of the Class of 1798.
Karen Barrowclough '66
Ruth Ann Dorfler
Mary Nolan
Priscilla Hinebauch '66
Kim Larsen '66