PIA.GE FOUR Coeds Now Have Equal Rights Cow College Welcomed. Female Students But Look What Happened Since Then! If you should be asked what made 1947 significant on the Penn State, campus, you might give many replies. You, mgiht tell about Windcrest, the Thes ,pian show, the foobtall team, amt the lack of good movies. But how many would remem ber it marked the 75th year since women arrived on this' campus? What has happened in those years? What has the fairer sex brought to the College? Who were some of the first studenst? Let us imagine that it is Au gust 29, 1871. Miss Ellen A. Cross, now Mrs. Ellen Cross Copp, has just registered at the College. She was the firct woman student. From some of her writings she tells us about her early college days. "My understanding of the origin of the 'women's department of the College is this. Dr. James Calder, president, believed in co education and proposed it for the Pdnmsylvania State College. He invited two young women of Hillsdale to go with him to 'start the department.' I was fortunate in being on,. of the two invited." . First Chem Student Mrs. Copp gives us an account of her work. "My principle stu dies were Greek and chemistry. The facts of the four-year's course in chemistry and the vast import 'once and thoroughness of the course made a lasting impression on my mind." Sara. Ellen Robinson followed' Miss Cross. Her father was Rev. Francis A. Robinson, M.A.. PhD. At that time, he was professor of mathematics and civil engineer ing at the College. She says this is the reason for her attendance at a man's school. In early cata logs shA is named as an instruc tor in music from 11871-73. She is now Mrs. J. H. Pillsbury, former ly of Waban, Mass. Rebecca Hannah Ewing, Ango la, Ind., was the first woman to receive a degree from the Col lege. She was a member of the class of 1.873. Domestic Economy came to the ,campus in 1891. The course was• introduced to give the women a knowledge of the application of science to the work of the kitch en and laundry. It also acquainted them with the principles of in terior decoration. The Home Ec. depart. was established in 1907. Miss Lovejoy was the first dean. Ther e were 20 coeds enrolled in October '1907. Women in Journalism Up until the 1900 s women took very little part in activities. Car oline R. Hunter, 'BB, .was named an associate editor of the Free Lance. According to Collegian, Nov. 15, 1926, the first' women's .debate team was organized. In March 1948 "It Pays to Ad vertise" was the Thespian pro duction. The program states: "On PERCHING on Prexy porch are these cheerful students of 1891 BACK IN the '6os was Miner Whitman, who attended botany classes of her father, Professor account of war 'conditions, it has been necessary for women to take the 'plac e of men in the ...female roles and the management hopes that th e audience will note how satisfactorily the women do the work of men in these difficult parts. Verily, the war worked wonderful changes." Honor 'women at the College were started in 19.22. Bow,. slip per, and fan were the names se lected symbolic of the girls who will not 'become obsolete. In the early days physical edu cation was not required for wo men until 1882. Then 'MN mark ed the beginning of organized gym classes. The .costumes con sisted of heavy, blue wool serge bloomers, middy blouses., black -GI CLUB PRESENTS AN INFORMAL DANCE Saturday, March 15, 8 p. m. at Woodman Hall (Cor. W. Hamilton and Allen) for Members of X-Gl Club, Residents of Pollock Circle and Their Dates are invited guests of the club this week • THE DAILY 00, SNiGIAN, STATE COLLEGE, PMNSYLVA IA J. S. Whitman. / • 4' stockings and white tennis shoes , Secret Sororities Greek letter societies started in 1911. On, was organized at that time and kept a secret until 1912 when the organization was 'orced to disband. In June 1926, the Student Welfare Committee gave clubs permissoin to petition women's national fraternities. Chi Omega was the first on e establish ed in 1926. 'Today there are 19 sororities on the campus. In !PST.' six women were en rolled at the College. 'ln 19118 there were 278 and in 19415 it greW to over WO. More than 7,- 900 women have received degrees from this institution. There have been 12 women who have served as 'Dean of Women. The first one was Jane W. Hoyt. preceptress and instructor in Ger man and French. Her service last ed from , 1872 to 1874. Charlotte E. Ray served from 1923. until 1946. 75 Years From Now? With the passing of this anni versary one might ask, what will the next 5 years bring? Will the College return to a men's school or will women continue to prove their abilities as students? Pram 'lBB6 to 1t89&, some of the outstanding memories took place in the chapel. The girls sat one side and the boys on the other. In a survey made by Miss Edith P. Chace, past head of the Home Economics School, 13 years after the first women students had been admitted to the College, it was discovered that 76.6% of all home economics women grad uates of the first ten years ob tained a Mrs. degree. Room and board for women at the College was $2 to $3 a week in 1872. Coeds Take Over All Dorms After Old Main Debut in 1872 Coeds on the campus in 75 years have not only taken over many of the College activities, but have also taken charge of all regular campus dormitories, as well as many town houses. They started off in 1872 with the top floors of Old Main, and by 1947 had complete control of McAllister Hall, Women's Buildings, Grange Memorial Dormitory, Frances Atherton Hall and the Irvin Jordan, Watts Tri-Dorms. There is quite a difference between the first rooms on the top floors of Old Main which were furnished with an iron single bed, two chairs, a table, a bureau, and a washstand, and the proposed new dormitories which will be provided with pastel colored rooms, bri g h t curtains, large closet and desk space and all of the home luxurieS. First Dorm "Ladies' Cottage" The women's dormitory build ing program began back in 1888 when the College administration decided that the accommodations in Old Main were. not sufficient for the women students, and the• first permanent dorinitory for women known as "The Ladies' Cottage," now called "Women's Building," was constructed. • The Ladies' Cottage had to be enlarged twice and then in 1915 McAllister Hall, a men's dormi tory, was taken over and refur nished for women's occupancy. WRA Activities Include All Coeds Women's 'Recreation Associa_ tion, which includes all under graduate women in its member ship, cooperates with the School of Physical Education and Ath_ letics in establishing and promot ting an extensive program of in tramural and recreational activi ties for the entire women student body. WIRA was organized in 19119 to promote sports for girls.. In 1920- 21 a full athletic program was arranged, with teams con•peting in hockey, volleyball, basketball and track; and opportunity was given for individual competition. in tennis and golf. The Associa tion gradually strengthened its organization and improved its fa cilities. By 19.27, athletics for women developed, rapidly and began to play an important part in student. life. An intramural program for women was developed,. with teams representing the sororities, dormitories and independent units under the direction of an intramural board consisting of a head manager, and a representa_ tive from each of the constituent units. In 1938-39 women'. athletics entered upon a new era of .prog_ ress, owing mainly to cornipletion of Mary Beaver White Recreation Hall. - WIRA was organized, pro.. moting a program of intramural and recreational activities for women students. There are 11 organized clulbs including archery, bowling, bad_ minton, dancing ' fencing, golf, rifle, swimming; tennis and rid ing clubs. STATE PARTY MIXER DANCING and REFRESHMENTS Pi Kappa Phi 2to 5 p.m. Sun., Mar. 16 ALSO - Party Meeting Sun. Evening 7:30 p.m. 405 OLD MAIN' Get Your Date NoNi for the ILM• A. Spring Frolic SATURDAY, March 22, 1947 REC HALL Music by the - • CAMPUS • OWLS Dancing 91-12 $1.20. per Couple Meinbers Admitted' Free . FRIDAY 'MARCH. 14 , 1947 During World War I many men and faculty went into the serv ice, enabling some of the girls to live temporarily in the Univer sity Club. After the war, and the men came back to claim their quarters, women students were scattered in campus houses orig inally built for faculty families. Freshmen Placed in Town During the 1920's women appli cants increased steadily; in fact more women students were re fused admission each year than were admitted owing to lack of housing facilities. This situation was remedied-partly by placing freghmen in town• houses, and later by erection of the Grange Memorial. Dormitory in 1930. Because the Dormitory did not .in any way reduce4he number of town houses required for girls, the College officers decided on the building of Frances Atherton Hall in... 1937. Ex-Wac 'Enrolls In Ag Among the group of former servicemen of Mifflin County en rolled in the Veterans 'Training in Agriculture program is one lone female, 'Miss Lillian Lane. ex-WAC. •
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers