1920-1929

Frances Vuilleumier (Class of 1924) explains in an interview that her sorority, Phi Mu, did not extend membership to black or Jewish students, adding that there "was probably some[one] else we didn't allow." Calling Phi Mu exclusive, she explains that these practices were normal during that period. She points to the 1960s as the decade in which "they didn't stand for that anymore," although the national chapter of some sororities, according to Vuilleumer, still prevented the pledging of minority women.

On June 4, 1923, the Board of Trustees discussed the number of applicants they received. As opposed to further limiting the number of women at Dickinson College, the Trustees decided to stick by their quota and instead limit the number of both men and women admitted to the school.

On June 4, 1923, President James Henry Morgan reported that, "physical training for the young women has been inadequate, though we have made good use of what was available." Thus, President Morgan argued that Dickinson College should look into creating a relationship with the recently established Y.W.C.A. in Carlisle. Such a relationship would give female Dickinsonians access to the Y.W.C.A.'s athletic facilities and Director.

The Male:Female ratio within the Dickinson Faculty was very disproportionate. In this picture you see Josephine B. Meredith - Dean of Women and English; Sophie Louise de Vilaine - French faculty; and Hazel Jane Bullock - French faculty as the only women amongst an otherwise entirely male faculty.

The "Dickinson Marching Song" was introduced by the Glee Club under the direction of Professor C. E. Wass, and presented to the entire student body.

The song was written and composed by Mrs. Helen Hall Bucher of Boiling Springs, PA - the mother of Helen Bucher Malcolm, who died before graduating but would have been part of the class of 1915.

 

 

In the 1923 meeting of the Board of Trustees, the issue of club expenses was discussed. In the end, the Trustees decided to divide cost based on gender.

On June 4, 1923, Trustee Boyd Lee Spahr asked that the Board of Trustees return to the 1917 discussion on a quota on female students. He argued that the number of female students should be limited to 125 beginning in the 1924-25 school year. Disagreeing with Spahr, Trustee Walter Sounders contended that the number of female students should be capped at 25% of total enrollment. The Board agreed with Sounders and the amended motion was carried.

Mrs. Hugh A. Curran passed away at the home of President Morgan on February 7, 1924. Hypostatic pneumonia was the cause of her death at 81 years of age. Curran left a legacy of Dickinsonians by marrying a member of the class of 1860. She outlived her husband, and saw her son and daughter graduate from Dickinson. Mary C. Morgan was a member of the class of 1888 and James H. Curran graduated with the class of 1892. Mrs. Hugh Curran became the grandmother of 3 Dickinsonians.

 

• Lily Mault, class of 1895 (Law School) became the President of the Woodhaen Women's Republican Club.

• Jessie Houck, class of 1901, married and become Mrs. N. H. Shaffer. She moved to Oak Lane.

• Elizabeth M. Craighead, class of 1901, became a French teacher in a Worcester, MA High School.

• Edith Super, class of 1902, married a Mr. Clifford Anderson. Both were from Bakersfield, California. They became the "happy parents" of David Byron.

The Women's Student Government Association of Dickinson College sought to "enact and enforce laws in accordance with the agreement between the official administration  of Dickinson College and the women students of Dickinson and to transact any business pertaining thereto." This constitution, printed in the student handbook of 1923, included information on membership, meetings, the executive, lesgislative, and  judicial departments, dues, amendment rules and by-laws. The senate board was comprised of the following women: