1920-1929

This essay by Dean Meredith outlined the problems faced when women attended fraternity dances. She argued that such dances were chaperoned however, before and after the dance was not. Often women would to travel to such events and it was impossible to watch them all the time. Thus, improper behavior occured between men and women.

In a letter to Dean Filler, Dean Meredith explained the College's policy on female students' relations with men of the War College. According to Dean Meredith, the female students often go to the War College to entertain the soldiers. However, there is a strict rule that prohibits women from "entertaining a young man not of the student body without special permission from the Dean of Women." She further explains that such a ruling is not "against the Uniform" but rather against a "chance acquaintance."

 

 

In her letter to President Morgan dated January 22, 1920, Dean Meredith discusses the running of the household at Metzger Hall. According to Meredith, in order to run the Hall, "two cooks, two house maids, two waitresses, a dishwasher, and George [a janitor]" are needed. The Dean of Women is concerned that the current staff, hired by Sarah K. Ege (the "Lady in charge of Metzger College"), are stealing from the college. Moreover, she argues that they do not do their jobs.

In a letter to President Morgan while on the S. S. Arabic in 1927, Dean Meredith explains her plans for the new female physical training program. She and Miss Frances Janney, instructor in physical culture, discussed the equipment needed as well as the text books required for the program. Dean Meredith ends the letter and proclaims that "physical education will progress next semester."

 

 

In a letter to Dean Meredith, President Morgan advised the Dean of Women to make sure that women who are ill are using the infirmary. It had recently come to his attention they were not and were putting others at risk.

In a letter to Dean Meredith dated April 6, 1920, President Morgan informed the Dean of Women that many female students have been absent from gym class. He wrote that "many of the young women are evading physical exercise. Professor Sellers, for the Absence Committee, says that he gets altogether too many excuses for sickness, but in most cases he feels some hesitation about probing too closely." Thus, President Morgan decided that excuses for gym class must be approved by Dean Meredith before being accepted.

In a letter addressed to Dean Meredith, an unidentified woman discussed the rules regarding dance chapersones. The woman argued that the female staff of the college must chaperone the dances. They will take turns doing so and must be notified by the organization or indivdual hosting the dance. Morevoer, she argues that women who do not live in Metzger Hall should be subject to the same rules as the women living on campus. She suggests that their parents could be notified and should enforce such rules.

In a letter dated February 12, 1920, President Morgan responds to Mary Evans Rosa's letter regarding the Association of Collegiate Alumnae. According to President Morgan, he contacted the ACA a few years earlier and found that they required that women be on the faculty on equal footing as their male counterparts. He explained that "We had at that time no women in our faculty and could not, of course, meet conditions. I doubt very much whether we will meet them now. Women are not in our faculty on par with men.

The literature regarding the Association of Collegiate Alumnae sent to President Morgan from Mary Evans Rosa included a brochure listing schools with membership to the organization. The list included nearly 70 American schools as well as institutions in Europe.

Sent to President Morgan by Mary Evans Rosa in 1920, this brochure outlines the mission of the Assocaition of Collegiate Alumnae. According to the literature "the organization is a national organization composed of women graduates from some seventy-five American colleges and univerisites whose Bachelor's degree, and the eight American universities who higher degree, entitle them to membership." Moreoever, the ACA explained that the association was founded in 1882. The primary purpose of the organization was to unite alumnae from different institutions for "practical educational work."