The 1945 Microcosm lists the editor-in-chief of the Dickinsonian as Nancy Person. Similar to 1944, the staff was dominated by female students in 1945 as the World War II continued to place strains on human resources at the college. Marjorie M. Arnold was the Business Manager for 1945.
As World War Two reached its peak in the years following the early 1940's, as Margaret MacGregor recollected in her interview, many Dickinson students supported the war effort by taking time off of school to work in the factories. In the years 1942 and 1943 Margaret recalled that she stayed at home to work in the York Safe and Lock company as a means to manifest her patriotism and save money (York Safe and Lock had defense contracts). She returned to Dickinson in 1945 alongside the other Dickinson students who had gone off to join the war effort overseas.
As illustrated by Margaret MacGrefor in her interview she stated that in dormitory life, rules and regulations were implemented and monitored by proctors. Members of the opposite sex were not allowed inside the female dorimitories only in the parlors prior to curfew. When the womens relatives or acquaintances would come to pay them a visit the ladies were allowed to leave with them for the day only upon signing in and out. If you intended on staying out late or leave for the entire weekend special permission was required to be obtained.
Being a former member of Chi Omega sorority Margaret MacGregor reported in her interview that in order to govern and monitor student conduct across campus, sororities
had what were called patronesses, ladies from the area who were a part of that
Greek organization or were simply interested in volunteering their time towards
that sorority. Visitations to these chapter patronesses were required and
entailed formal wear in which the ladies had to "get dressed up with white
gloves and hats..." with "... their best finery." If for some
As expressed by Margaret MacGregor in her interview she evoked that during the Second World War the great majority of Dickinson College women were extensively involved in social service deeds. As a result of drastic nurse shortages brought about by the global effort overseas, dozens of women would take the Red Cross nurses aid course and for several hours a week worked at the Carlisle Barracks, the Army War College, and the Carlisle Hospital.
The Little Theater group was a special interest group who under the extensive support of English Professor John C. Heppler congregated and acted and directed plays. According to Margaret MacGregor who during her interview explained that if a student was an active member of the theater group who consistently helped out or performed in plays then they too would eventually become a part of Tau Delta Pi, an honorary dramatic fraternity.
Once again the infamous iron fist of Dean of Women, Mrs. Meredith was mentioned by Margaret MacGregor in her interview as she touched upon the strict regulations implemented at the college. There was no smoking, drinking, curfew was very strict, the essence of anything coeducational was nonexistent, as well as the women were not allowed to wear slacks or shorts. To consolidate this rule of conduct, Dean Meredith instituted a Bifurcation Edict which established that "no female could wear trousers", a judgement that was opposed by a group of individualist women.
As dozens of incoming first years arrived on the Dickinson Campus for their orientation ceremony and activities there was a distinct factor among the men. As was explained by Margaret MacGregor in her interview by Renee Leszczynski, during orientation only the new male students were required to wear red beanie hats called "dinks", a tradition that undermined the presence of first year women.