Women's Student Government

In her 1979 Women as Leaders Survey sent out by Dickinson College, a graduate of 1923 remembers her days at Dickinson. When asked about the issues of the day, the alum remembers, "our topic of debate was the Equal Rights Amendment."

She goes on to recall the anger at there being two senates: a women's and a school senate run by men. To protest the issue, a group of women attended the men's senate.

In a letter to President Morgan, Dean Meredith explained how she prohibited the women of Dickinson College from attending the Leap Year Dance. According to the letter, the dance was not held on Dickinson College's campus and was in the evening. For these reasons, Dean Meredith opposed the event. In the end, Miss. Mildred Conklin (Class of 1920) spoke with the women and they decided not to go and hold to the rules of the Student Government.

Meredith's historical account of women's experiences at Dickinson College is further developed in her exploration of womens' interests and roles within student organizations. She dedicates several pages in her essay to explore specific organizations such as: Woman's Student Government; Y. W. C. A. and Religious life; Sunday Services; Literary Societies; Music; Dramatics; Girls Fraternities and Co-educational Organizations.

Woman's Student Government

In a letter dated March 1, 1922, Mary Dubson writes on behalf of the Women's Student Government to thank President Morgan for improvements to Metzger Hall and Denny Hall. Dubson wrote that President Morgan's "kindness and interest" was much appreciated.

Isabel Endslow, the first president of Women's Student Government, is captured in this photograph from 1918.

Interviewed by the staff of the Dickinsonian, Dean Josephine B. Meredith is quoted as saying that she liked "teaching students who provide me with such a unique response." According to the article, the dean could not analyze the reason for the students' responsiveness. She congratulated the newly-formed Chapel Committee on its chapel programs. She advised the men to organize their own student senate separate from the women's student senate. The dean's interviewer also asked whether or not she would do anything about the "eleven o' clock rule at Metzger," or the women's curfew.