Eslinger, Margaret

A small pamphlet compiled by Dean Meredith, the Dean of Women, contains prayers and Biblical selections for: "My Neighborly Duty," "The Right Use of Time," "Loyalty," "Essential Beliefs," Profitable Troubles," "Self Discipline," "Prayer," "Enduring Happiness," and "Good Health as a Duty." Miss Margaret Eslinger  kept this little book to remember her membership in the Young Women's Christian Association.

In two notes written to Miss Margaret Eslinger from the President and Vice President of the Young Womens' Christian Association, Betty (Elizabeth) Bucke '23 and Betty (Mary Elizabeth) Chambers '24, they request Eslinger's help by being a "big sister" to a freshman named Mary Clemens and to "Be the Best Big Sister you Can Be." Miss Bucke states that "We want to work not for our Little Sister, but with her."

The Inter-Society Debate took place on March 9, 1922 between the Harman Society (a female society created in 1896) and the McIntyre Society (also for women, founded in 1921- It appears to have only been active in 1921) at Bosler Hall. It discussed the enactment of a constitutional amendment for the protection of women against political, legal or civil discrimination due to their sex. Margaret Eslinger (this document came from her personal scrapbook of her Dickinson years) assisted Kathryn Smith '24 on the negative side of the argument.

Miss Eslinger received notice of a job offer from Girard College as an "experienced substitute dietitian" for the summer of 1921. She would assist 500-600 boys and would be paid $137.50 for 1 month's work. $137.50 dollars in 1921 had roughly the same buying power as $1638 in 2009. There is no information in the scrapbook that implies that Miss Eslinger took the job for the receipt stub at the bottom, which notifies the Bureau of Occupations for Trained Women that the job offer had been accepted or denied, is still attached.

Written from Rachel Pflaum of the Bureau of Occupations for Trained Women in Philadelphia in response to Miss Margaret Eslinger's request for information, this letter explains the process of becoming a member. In the post script, it indicates that Miss Eslinger had been looking for a position at hotels or summer resorts. The Bureau suggests that she apply directly to those hotels. If she needs any further help, she will need to register and have an interview. This sort of placement service for women appears to help to assist educated women find employment.

On November 7, 1921 the minutes for the Women's Student Senate were documented and the idea of a joint Senate was brought forth. Margaret Eslinger was appointed the chairman of a committee that would talk to President Morgan about joining the women's Student Senate with the men's. No conclusion to the joint senate idea was mentioned in these minutes.

On April 4th, 1921, a special meeting was called for the resignation of the president of the Student Senate and was documented in the Women's Student Senate minutes. At this special meeting, the Dean of Women, Josephine Meredith, attended and explained that "certain matters of discipline [were] under consideration" for the president of the Student Senate. The president of the Student Senate's resignation letter was read at the meeting in order to make the resignation finalized.

The minutes from the Women's Student Senate meeting on October 25, 1920 discuss issues brought to the association. One of these issues was the possibility of having a female cheerleader and what they should do about the matter. Another issue brought forth was the permission to allow females to march to games as a body. No resolution on either of these issues was documented in the minutes.

According the the 1922-23 student handbook, published by the college's Christian organizations, two women's debating teams were formed in 1921. After competitive try-outs, one team from the Harman Literary Society and one team from the McIntyre Literary Society were selected as the two teams to represent the school. The Harmon debating team included: Esther Reigel, Laura High, Elizabeth McCrea,  and Eleanor Klemm. Members of the McIntyre debate team were, Elizabeth DeMaris, Kathryn Smith, Margaret Eslinger, and Mary Garland.

Under the Women's Student Senate, a separate organization from student
senate that governed male students, 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 1921-22, included information on membership, meetings,
the executive, lesgislative, and judicial departments, dues, amendment