Associated Women of Whitman College Records, 1944-1970

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Whitman College. Associated Women of Whitman College
Title
Associated Women of Whitman College Records
Dates
1944-1970 (inclusive)
1952-1966 (bulk)
Quantity
0.6 linear feet, (1 box)
Collection Number
HTM_WCA3
Summary
Correspondence, organizational by-laws and constitutions, meeting minutes, annual summaries of activities, conduct codes, and records of specific programs and events sponsored by the Associated Women of Whitman College, an organization representing female students
Repository
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Penrose Library, Room 130
345 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla, WA
99362
Telephone: 5095275922
Fax: 5095264785
archives@whitman.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Associated Women Students (A.W.S.) was founded during the 1938-39 academic year. Its goals included the promotion of "a friendly, helpful fellowship among the women of Whitman College," and the maintenance of high social standards and the "spirit of unity and loyalty to Whitman College" ( Waiilatpu, 1939). The organization, whose membership encompassed all female students at Whitman College, also served as a women's representative body. The organization changed its name twice: in 1945, it became the Associated Women Students of Whitman College, and in 1949, it was shortened to the Associated Women of Whitman College (A.W.W.C.). The Director of Women's Affairs served as advisor to the organization until 1966. In 1967, the Dean of Women took over this function, and in 1970, the Associate Dean of Students became the organization's advisor.

During the 1950s and early 1960s, the organization concerned itself primarily with issues of dress and deportment for women students and campus activities, most notably the Homecoming Dance and the May Fete. In the mid 1960s, the character of the organization began to change. Evidence of this change include the organization's involvement in a panel discussion of The Feminine Mystique in 1964, and the loosening of social regulations in the Coed Code. By 1970, the organization's goals were completely revised and centered around providing women "an opportunity to express themselves as individuals" and a forum to "consider the needs and problems unique to women." (Constitution of the Associated Students of Whitman College, 1970). The last mention of the organization appears in the 1972 Waiilatpu.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The majority of the materials in this collection date from 1952 to 1966. The richest sources of information are the A.W.W.C. meeting minutes and annual summaries and the organizational by-laws and constitutions. The Coed Code, the rules and regulations governing women's behavior, provides much insight into the life of female students at Whitman College during the 1960s. Other records include planning documents and programs from the May Fete and the Modern Living Course, organizational financial reports and budgets, and the results of two surveys of women students. Also included is a small correspondence file from Miriam Wagenschein, Director of Women's Affairs at Whitman College from 1950-1967.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. Copyright owned by Whitman College.

Preferred Citation

Associated Women of Whitman College Records, Whitman College and Northwest Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Flat arrangement; files organized alphabetically.

Acquisition Information

Donated to the Whitman College and Northwest Archives prior to August 2004.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1 Annual Summaries 1947-1962
1/2 Associated Women Students Convention 1965
1/3 By-laws 1951-1960
1/4 By-laws, Revisions 1947-1959
1/5 Coed Code 1960-1970
1/6 Constitution 1944-1970
1/7 Correspondence, Incoming 1950-1967
1/8 Correspondence, Outgoing 1949-1967
1/9 Election Documents 1966, undated
1/10 Financial Reports 1959-1966
1/11 Gavel Provenance undated
1/12 May Fete Files 1957-1963
1/13 May Fete Programs 1957-1966
1/14-15 Minutes 1956-1966
1/16 Modern Living Course Files 1957
1/17 Organizational Profile 1964-1965
1/18 Petition undated
1/19 Sign-out and Demerit Cards undated
1/20-21 Student Survey Results circa 1959, undated
1/22 Wagenschein, Miriam, Correspondence 1954-1967

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Women college students--Washington (State)--Walla Walla
  • Women--Education (Higher)--Washington (State)--Walla Walla

Corporate Names

  • Whitman College. Associated Women of Whitman College--Archives
  • Whitman College --Students

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Wagenschein, Miriam--Correspondence (creator)