Anecdotes are told about the preparations for and celebration of Radcliffe College's centennial, a special event for alumni, students, relatives, and friends of the college. Stories recount near-disasters--meteorological, aquatic, logistical, and political. (MSE)

Although the number of African-American women who attended the elite Seven Sisters colleges prior to 1900 was small, these women were highly influential. Early integration is discussed for: (1) Wellesley College; (2) Radcliffe College; (3) Smith College; (4) Mount Holyoke College; (5) Bryn Mawr College; (6) Vassar College; and (7) Barnard College.…

The role of the women's rights press in reporting on and advancing coeducation in the United States is considered. The women's rights press was linked to the women's rights movement and articulated the goal that women should enjoy full participation in all aspects of U.S. life, including higher education. This analysis is based on 12 of the most…

The origin and development of two women's colleges, Mount Holyoke of Massachusetts and Meredith College of North Carolina, are compared, illustrating some of the early chapters of American higher education, when religious purposes for schools were common, but when schools for women were not. The social, historical, and religious contexts of the…

The early history of physical education for women in the northeastern section of the United States is presented. Short biographies of notable contributors, both men and women, to the expansion of physical education programs, first in womens colleges, and later in coeducational institutions, are presented. (JN)

This paper presents a chronological description of the evolution of women's advancement in higher education, particularly in administrative capacities, and examines the establishment of the three types of institutions that came into being in order to meet women's educational needs: the single-sex college; the coordinate college; and the…

This collection of essays describes women's ongoing search for equity at Brown University, Rhode Island, since their first entrance there in 1891. After a preface by Joan W. Scott and an introduction by Polly Welts Kaufman, the volume contains the following 10 essays: "The Woman's Club Movement Creates and Defines the Women's College" by…

Views on the importance of the woman's contributions to shaping culture and the role of female leadership at Mount Holyoke College are considered. According to historian Mary Ritter Beard, the "woman's tradition" of imparting a progressive social consciousness to the culture has been an important influence. Beard addressed Mount Holyoke…

The history of the Mississippi University for Women (MUW) from 1884 to 1984 is described. MUW, the first state-supported college for women is now coeducational, but adheres to its original mission of providing educational opportunity for women. Educational, administrative, and architectural developments are traced, with attention to leaders who…

Reviews the history of Black women's higher education and focuses on three issues: (1) coeducation versus single sex institutions, (2) curricular needs, and (3) psycho-social needs of Black women. Cites examples from two major Black women's colleges. (KH)

Reviews literature on the history of women in higher education in the United States, focusing on colleges for women (specifically Bryn Mawr and Wellesley) in comparison with each other and coeducational colleges (specifically Oberlin and the University of Michigan). Discusses women's access at the community college level. (DMM)

Based on information on women who attended Oberlin College between 1833 and 1860, a sketch is drawn on the lives of American females during that period. Attention is directed to such demographic factors as the area of the country from which they entered the Oberlin College, the number of years they remained at the college, their mobility,…

The creation and development of 10 women's colleges are discussed: Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Wellesley, Smith, Radcliffe, Bryn Mawr, and Barnard (the Seven Sisters colleges), and Sarah Lawrence, Bennington, and Scripps. Consideration is given to: how each of these colleges offered to women an education equal to that offered by the best men's…

Orthodox medical education for women in the nineteenth century is examined to determine to what extent women's actual experience reflected their stated goals. It is contended that although women successfully founded some medical schools providing creditable, and in some cases outstanding, training to females, women physicians' ambivalence about…

Reviews the history of arguments opposing coeducation in the university setting. Traces the arguments chronologically in order to detect patterns and processes. Concludes that, although the Victorian fears of association between males and females are no longer accepted, our patriarchal institutions remain intact in higher education. (KO)