Edna Ruth MacDonald, class of 1919 and Ruth Dorothea Peterson, class of 1919 Edna Ruth MacDonald, class of 1919 and Ruth Dorothea Peterson, class of 1919 MacDonald, Edna Ruth interviewee Peterson, Ruth Dorothea interviewee Raab, Barbara interviewer mixed material 1990 eng In a joint interview, Edna MacDonald and Ruth Peterson, speak on the academic atmosphere at Brown and the heavy constraints placed on women's conduct and careers in the early 1900s. They begin by discussing their decisions to attend Pembroke, describing the expectation of college education their families had for them. Edna imagines that perhaps their mothers regretted getting married early and not going to college, and wanted something different for them. Edna and Ruth speak on the tremendous dropout rate of their class, with about half of the less than 100 women withdrawing from Pembroke during their course of study. They consider the strict division between campuses, and the disappointment of being prohibited from classes with certain professors and the imperative of being "seen not heard" for women in the academic world. They reflect on the limited career choices women had in 1919, and the devaluing of women's education and intellectual competency. Ruth and Edna end their interview by describing how they adored college, and pointing to how far women have come. 1919 Edna MacDonald grew up in Providence and attended high school in East Providence. As the oldest child in her family, she had freedom in choosing her college. Her family always expected that she would pursue a higher degree after high school, and she attended Pembroke College at Brown University as part of the Class of 1919. After graduating with an A.B. from Brown, she was a counselor at Hope High School. Ruth Peterson grew up on Williams Street in Providence. An only child, she was always expected to attend college after high school. She had attended events at Brown throughout her life, and Pembroke College was a natural choice for her. She graduated Brown with an A.B. as part of the Class of 1919. 1910s Academics Gender expectations Marriage Professors Sexism oral histories (literary works)