Corson, Fred P.

The Dickinsonian reports that two female students, Alice Abbott and Ann Housman, were among those who signed up to take a Civil Aeronautics Authority flying course at Dickinson.  Professor Wellington Parlin, a member of the Dickinson Physics Department, will teach a portion of the course.  The article specifically notes that the women "have been given the authority of President Corson to participate."

President Fred Pierce Corson reported to the Board of Trustees that the college would have a full enrollment of female students. However, he cautioned that increasing the number of women students would also increase costs for the college due to the need for new facilities and other additions. The college would lose money in the process unless it changed the quota policy for women. There is no indication in the minutes that this suggestion was accepted by the Board.

President Corson recommended to the Board of Trustees that the college give Josephine Brunyate Meredith "the honor of being the first woman elected to a full professorship at Dickinson College" in the English Department. Meredith had served as Dean of Women and an Associate Professor of English since 1922. The president added that offering the dean this position would not entail raising her salary or giving her a permament appointment as the head of this department.

In a memo on smoking, Dean J.B Meredith states the regulations on smoking for female students. Stating, "smoking by female students on the premises of Dickinson College is stricly forbidden" and "any students found smoking in dormitory rooms will be indefinitely suspended." This was authorized by President Corson of Dickinson College. In a handwritten note added to the document later Dean Meredith notes that smoking rooms were arranged in residence halls starting the fall of 1944.

The Microcosm's page on the Debate Squad referenced the effect of World War II on the size of the team. As a result of the lack of male "veterans," three women tried out for the team during the first semester and were the first women "in recent history" to represent Dickinson in forensic contests. According to the Microcosm, President Corson approved their participation in the debate squad and hoped that more women would become involved every year.