After a year of its creation, the Phi Alpha Pi Sorority is still going strong. The Sorority still consists of 10 members. The picture in the Microcosm of these women significantly shows them all wearing very masculine bows and white blouses.
By 1899, the Harman Literary Society for women had doubled in size. In 1898 there were only 9 women who were apart of the society. By 1899 though, the organization now had 18 women involved.
The 1899 Microcosm showed the first mention of the Phi Alpha Pi Fraternity of female students. Phi Alpha Pi was a local fraternity created in 1898 and consisted of 10 female students. This chapter at Dickinson lasted briefly because it then "died a natural death from want of support." Until 1903, the Phi Alpha Pi remained a local organization when Pi Beta Phi, a national sorority, then absorbed it.
"The Dickinson Dorcas Society" was featured in the 1898 Microcosm that made fun of some of the female students. It included 14 female "members" along with an interpretation of their names, what they are famous for, what committees they are apart of and what their "good work" was. Each category is a satire on the individual, poking fun at their traits, both positives and negatives.
The 1898 Microcosm included a brief history of the women's Harman Literary Society, as well as a list of its active members. Since its creation in October of 1896, the Harman Literary Society showed activity and creativity on campus. Along with the Belles Lettres and the Union Philosophical Societies, the Harman Literary Society participated with them to put on a program in celebration of Washington's birthday.
The Harman Literary Society was first conceptualized on October 21, 1896 by the ladies of Dickinson College. The female students first met in Denny Hall for the purpose of organizing a literary society and were allowed to make a temporary one. The society is named after Dr. Henry Harman, a professor of Greek and Hebrew who was also a member of the Class of 1848. Dr. Harman was known as a staunch opponent of coeducation, but the Professor did give his approval for use of his name. On November 11, 1896 the committee was formed and their constitution formally adopted.
In 1896 the first Y.W.C.A. was formed in Carlisle in addition to the Y.M.C.A. Mary S. Dunn, the State Secretary of the Y.W.C.A., visited Carlisle in 1895 and began organizing the association. The Y.W.C.A. included in its membership all the ladies of the college and preparatory school, as well as some of the alumnae. Ladies from the school that were chosen to run it were Mary Thompson as president, Frances Logan as Vice-President, Anna Isenberg as Corresponding Secretary, Grace Vale as Treasurer, and Helen R. Horn as Recording Secretary.