Curfews

Presidents' Council Minutes: Big Changes to Dis 'N Data

Date
April-May 1962

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meetings of April 18 and 25 and May 16 1962, significant changes were introduced to the Dis 'N Data (women's handbook for social rules/dorm regulations):

April 18

President's Council Minutes: Cut Classes, MP Late Permissions, Dress and Drugs

Date
November 15, 1961

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of November 15, 1961, the Council discussed a variety of topics including women excusing missed classes with illness and then going out, "late permissions" for women Mermaid Players working on productions, "appropriate" dress for campus functions, and prescription drug sharing:

"Sickness and Illness Excuses: Presidents' Council discussed the problem of girls receiving illness 
excuses from a house director to cut classes during the day and then going out that night. It was 

President's Council Minutes: Concerns Over Class Trips/Lateness to the Dorms

Date
November 1, 1961

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of November 1, 1961 the issue of women arriving back late to their dorms due to a class trip was discussed and the question of excusing the "late minutes" was raised, as was possible actions to avoid a similar situation:

President's Council Minutes: Curfews and Late Hours

Date
October 11, 1961

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of October 11, 1961 specifics of women’s curfews and the possibilities of taking “late” hours was discussed and debated. Drayer and Biddle Halls put forth dorm specific suggestions:

"Correction to October 4 minutes: When a girl has signed up for two late hours and arrives back at the dorm 19 minutes or less after the first late hour is up, she may take the extra minutes as late minutes rather than take the second late hour.

Presidents' Council Minutes: Changes in Curfew Rules/Dis 'N Data

Date
October 4, 1961

During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of October 4, 1961 a variety of suggestions were put forth in regards to curfew and rules, particularly those within the rule book/advice guide given to women students-Dis 'N Data:

Late Late Late! Curfews for Women in the 1960s

Date
January 4, 1963

Tardiness required suitable excuses or punishments were inevitable! This is report to the House Council in Barbara Wishmeyer's (the Dean of Women) Scrapbook for Zelda Clutch on January 4th, 1963. She was 5 minutes late on this Friday night for curfew because she had an argument with her date.

The Social Situation: For the Guidance of Dickinson Women

Date
c. 1943

Found in Marion Bell's personal scrapbook from her years at Dickinson College (1941-46), this document of six pages outlines female regulations in dress and socialization in games, bars, dancing, and dining, with a special section regarding social possibilities on Sundays. It also includes rules regarding curfews, tardiness, noise disturbances, and distinctions between freshman women and upperclassmen not "on rules- those having a 75 average." It even provides a section for transfer students.

Women's Interdormitory Council Revises Dorm Rules for Freshmen

Date
January 12, 1968

According to an article in The Dickinsonian entitled "WIC Revises Dorm Rules for Freshmen," the Women's Interdormitory Council voted to extended freshmen women's curfew to 11:30pm Sunday through Thursday. Freshmen women, reports the article, had complained that it was difficult--nay, nearly impossible--to return from Mermaid Players rehearsal, see a late movie, or go to the snack bar if they needed to return to their dorms by 11pm.

Women in Fraternities

Date
September 21, 1961

An article in The Dickinsonian, "New Social Rules Changes Result from SREC Efforts," explained some of the changes adopted that the Social Rules Evaluation Committee proposed, including unchaperoned visiting hours for women in fraternity houses as well as more permissive visiting policies for men in sorority houses. The SREC's proposals also resulted in increased late hours and car privileges for upperclass women with a minimum grade point average.