Title Information
Title
Class of 1954
Name: Corporate
Name Part
Class of 1954
Role
Role Term: Text (marcauthority)
interviewee
Type of Resource
mixed material
Origin Information
Date Created (keyDate="yes", encoding="w3cdtf")
2004
Language
Language Term: Code (ISO639-2B)
eng
Abstract
Jettabee, Diana, Felice, Pearl, Diane, Patricia, Marilyn, Margery, Joan, Kay, and Barbara begin their interview by discussing their admissions process and reasons for choosing Pembroke. They speak on the coordinate status and atmosphere of Pembroke before moving on to discuss dormitories. They swap stories, reminiscing about pranks they would play and "enclaves" full of friends. The eleven women then move on to talk about dating and the social lives of Brown and Pembroke students. The alumnae begin to reflect on the label "silent generation" to describe women of their time. The women decide that they were aware of more domestic issues and civil rights, and were concerned about injustice in the world in a broad general way, but did not know what to do politically: "we cared, we just were naive." While specific political issues were not as accessible to them, community engagement and volunteer work was. The women discuss their work in these areas, and reminisce on major political moments of their time, including the McCarthy hearings. The women then move on to discuss academic requirements, the scandal of posture pictures, extracurriculars, parietal rules and gracious living, and the honor system, remembering the strict rules and codes they were expected to live by. Barbara and Kay discuss their experiences as married women in college, and their prohibition from dormitories. Barbara says she got the impression that she was contaminating, dangerous, going to lead other women astray. The alumnae discuss Dean Lewis, female teachers, and role models at Pembroke, reflecting on the importance of supporting the Pembroke Center and valorizing the history of women at Brown. They conclude their interview by considering their own careers and lives, agreeing that the message at Brown and for the rest of their lives was to lead a life of usefulness and reputation.
Note: biographical/historical (displayLabel="Class year")
1954
Note: biographical/historical (displayLabel="Biographical note")
Jettabee "Chris" Edman, Diana Coates Gill, Barbara Reuben Levin, Felice Rinder Kirsh, Pearl Schwartz Livingstone, Diane Lake Northrop, Patricia Crabtree Bradley, Marilyn Carlson Simon, Marjorie Gould Sharpe, Joan Bliss Wilson, and Kay Hellstrom Shields share their memories of Pembroke College in Brown University in the early 1950s.
Subject (Local)
Topic
1950s
Subject (Local)
Topic
Academics
Subject (Local)
Topic
Dating
Subject (Local)
Topic
Deans
Subject (Local)
Topic
Dormitories
Subject (Local)
Topic
Posture pictures
Subject (Local)
Topic
Professors
Subject (Local)
Topic
Sexism
Subject (Local)
Topic
Social life
Subject (Local)
Topic
Student activities
Genre (aat) (authorityURI="http://vocab.getty.edy/aat/", valueURI="http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300202595")
oral histories (literary works)