Mt. Holyoke and the 'Uncommon Woman'

(Ed. Note: The following is the first in a series of several articles on women's colleges within the Seven-College Conference.

The articles will attempt to explore the academic, social, extra-curricular, and the unique and peculiar aspects of life at each institution.)

Friday is a day of transition at all women's colleges, and Mount Holyoke is no exception. For on this particular day of the week, the great change takes place: the motley assortment of blue jeans, Bermuda shorts, and sloppy shirts gives way to the plaid skirts, high heels, and camel's hair coats.

Week-End Transition

Some of the girls depart for such far-away places as Hanover, New Haven, Princeton, and some even come to Cambridge; others remain on the campus to entertain visitors. The switchboard in every dormitory is tied up for the entire afternoon, and the living room is full to over-flowing. A mad flurry of excitement pervades the scene, and the slow week-day pace quickens in preparation for the holiday.

The atmosphere is very congenial. As one Harvard undergraduate remarked, "When you walk into a Smith dorm, you feel as though the walls are made of icebergs; when you walk into a Holyoke dorm, everyone is warm and friendly." The girls at Mount Holyoke admit very freely that, by the end of a male-less week of study, they are indeed happy to lay eyes on the great American college man.

But the girls are, hopefully, interested in more than socializing, despite an apparent pre-occupation with pinning, engagement, and marriage. The description offered by one of them, that they are "both interested and interesting," is, in the majority of instances, very apt.

"That our daughters may be as cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace."--Psalms 144:12.

On February 11, 1836, the Massachusetts legislature granted a charter for the founding of Mount Holyoke Seminary, thus making the present-day college in South Hadley the oldest institution in the United States for the higher education of women. The leader in the fight to found such an institution was Mary Lyon, who chose the above quotation from the Bible as the motto for the school.

Militant Feminism

But as Mount Holyoke's president, Richard Glenn Gettell, noted, higher education for women has come a long way from "the earlier day of militant feminism. College has no gender today: both sexes can be awfully good students."

At his inauguration last November, President Gettell delivered an address entitled "A Plea for the Uncommon Woman," saying, "If we fail to distinguish the uncommon from the common, fail to provide superior teachers for the superior students, fail to reserve the best education for the best qualified and most promising young men and young women, our failures will spell the descent of college education to the level of mediocrity."

Later in this speech, Gettell brought up the sociological problems of educating women in the modern age. He first observed that "man's life is divided into two phases: first, early years of training and schooling, then an adult lifetime in gainful occupation."

"In an earlier day," he continued, "woman's life was also considered two-phased: first, a growing up period requiring some training, ... then an adult lifetime of home-making, devoted and subservient to the husband and the family. This concept of the role of women is vastly outdated--particularly so for the uncommon woman."

Today's females, especially those in college, lead far more complicated lives than their great-great grandmothers. As Gettell pointed out, "Some of our graduates start a career before marriage, and stop before the first child; others continue throughout their married life. Some merely interrupt a career, and resume it as the children grow up; others marry so early that they never get started. Some occupy themselves with part-time or unpaid work. Some become frustrated, searching for something useful to do. Some support their husbands in the early years; others support them all their lives. Some go domestic, and want nothing else; in the eyes of some men this is an excellent arrangement, but one wonders if, with all its satisfactions, it is completely satisfactory to the intelligent woman."

The Zest for Life

Just what he means by "the uncommon woman," Gettell explained at this year's Convocation, September 28. "This term ... which is, hopefully, the definition of the Mount Holyoke type, is susceptible to misinterpretation."

"She is not the deviant for sake of deviation, nor the person who likes to be different, solely to attract attention.

"The uncommon woman is the person who is different from most in that she rises above mediocrity, leads rather than goes along with the crowd, forms her own opinions rather than accepts others' uncritically, but has her opinions well-grounded on information and thought, not on hasty judgment or prejudice. Who is superior intellectually and morally, but doesn't rub it in in the presence of others. She is a person who has a zest for life, a drive to accomplish great things, and a sense of responsibility to others. Who is never satisfied with the shoddy, and who is always striving for improvement. She is the person who knows how to think and enjoys doing so, whose curiosity is never-ending and whose horizons are without limit, whatever her future life, whether as a custodian of our highest culture, a molder of the next generation, or an active participant in the busy world's affairs."

Gettell admits, however, that "no one is an uncommon woman as a freshman, nor fully so as a senior. It takes a lifetime of accomplishment to deserve the title. But Mount Holyoke, if it performs its highest function, can start students on their way."

But it cannot be forgotten that many other women's colleges, and many co-educational institutions as well, are preparing girls for the same kind of future in much the same way. And the girls themselves are the first to agree with this, at the same time appearing somewhat leery of the President's hopes for their future.

"We all like him very much," said one. Another added, "He's on our side, but his views have to change a little." Commenting on their roles as uncommon women, which, many complained, was the focal point of every Gettell speech, one girl admitted "We're average girls over here." "We're sort of a stereotype," a fourth commented.

Stiff Academic Requirements

One senior was afraid that "when we graduate, we're not prepared for anything," but another felt that "the aim is accomplished. We're ready to do anything we want to do." And agree that the student body is indeed varied, in fact that Mount Holyoke is a "college of non-conformists."

The most basic way that a college molds its students is through its academic program. President Gettell feels that the standards at Mount Holyoke are "without question" as high as those at any man's college, and while most of the girls will not go quite so far in their praise, they generally feel that their academic program is excellent.

Just as at any college, "Some people put the emphasis on the work, but a lot of people don't," as one sophomore commented. Other thoughts on the academic situation included "There really is an excellent faculty," "We have an awful lot of homework," "I miss the boys in classes," "I was amazed at the lab facilities," and "I don't think Mount Holyoke is a very inspiring place to be."

For the first two years of study, the student's program consists mainly of courses in General Education. According to Academic Dean Meribeth Elliott Cameron, seven or eight of the ten courses in the freshman and sophomore years are taken to fulfill the Mount Holyoke General Education requirement, which is considerably stiffer than Harvard's.

Nevertheless, within the requirement, there is a great deal of opportunity for choice. Along with freshman English and one year of a foreign language, each girl must take personal hygiene and speech (exemptions from these two are possible); one course in history, philosophy, or religion; one in economics, sociology, psychology, or political science; one in two of the following: English literature, foreign literatures, art or music; and one in two of the following groups: mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, geology, or physics; and physiology, plant science, or zoology. Exceptions are possible through advanced placement, or by qualifying for a foreign literature course by demonstrating enough proficiency in the language to skip a more basic course.

Small Honor Program

In her last two years, each girl must choose a field of concentration from one of 23 departments. Dean Cameron stated that several interdepartmental majors are also available, the most popular one being American culture.

The honors program at Mount Holyoke is not so extensive as Harvard's as it is open to juniors and seniors only, with most participating just in the last year. According to Dean Cameron, 25 to 30 per cent are eligible, and last year, 22 per cent graduated with some form of honors.

The Dean explained that the honors program is not so large as Harvard's since from the beginning the girls have small classes, and there is not so much a need to offset large classes with individual work such as tutorial.

To graduate with honors, the dean continued, one must prepare a long paper, and pass a special honors examination, in addition to passing the comprehensive examination within her department.

The most popular fields of concentration are the traditionally strong ones of English and History. Also up and coming these days are Political Science and the combined major of Economics and Sociology. Next come Religion and Psychology, followed by the sciences, notably Chemistry, Zoology, and Mathematics. Dean Cameron noted that the science departments at Mount Holyoke are unusually strong for a women's college.

Approximately 25 per cent of the graduates go on to immediate further study, especially in Chemistry, English, and History, Dean Cameron stated. She was especially proud of what she called "the rate of persistence," the percentage of those entering who stay on to graduate. Approximately 75 per cent of each freshman class manages to put off marriage for the four years, as compared with a national average of about 44 per cent.

Nursing Program

The dean cited the junior year abroad as one of the opportunities available for those interested in foreign studies. She warned, however, that such a program is "certainly not for everybody and can be very upsetting."

Another special program offered by Mount Holyoke is in nursing. Comparable to the arrangement Radcliffe has with Massachusetts General Hospital, girls in the program at Holyoke study the liberal arts for three years and then work at the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing for two. Upon completion of her hospital training, the student receives the Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke and the Bachelor of Science from the hospital school. Largely because of its extreme difficulty, the nursing program has a very small enrollment.

Honor Code

As far as grades go, the girls' reactions are mixed. Most seemed very concerned about their marks but some said "We did the minimum and did all right." Another girl admitted that "even the biggest hackers take something seriously."

Another side to the story of life at Mount Holyoke is the extra-curricular program and the student government. Every student is a member of the Student Government Association which has the power, with few exceptions, to make and enforce regulations concerning the conduct of the undergraduate students in their college life, subject to the reserve power and control of the president and the faculty.

The S. G. A. consists of a legislative body, called the Representative Assembly, and the Judicial Board, which exercises both executive and judicial functions. Most of the student body is very satisfied with the cases involving alleged violations of regulations.

A good measure of self-government is added to the college through its far-reaching Honor Code, which is administered by the Judicial Board. The code concerns all aspects of college life: academic, social, church and chapel requirements, and library regulations. According to President Gettell, the system works; according to the girls, it is a fine thing.

The Town and the College

For those who do not participate directly in the student government, there is the usual roster of extra-curricular activities, as well as some unusual ones. In addition to a Fellowship of Faiths, an International Relations Club, a Dramatic Club, a Dance Club, a radio station, class choirs, department clubs, a glee club, an orchestra, a newspaper, a literary magazine, and a yearbook, there is a water ballet, which last spring performed in Florida, and a very active Boots and Saddles Club.

One freshman hit upon a sore point when she said "the only thing that's missing is a city to go into." But the college recognizes this problem and, as President Gettell noted, "We bring the city here." Not only series, but also a concert series and a is there a Wednesday night lecture chamber music series. In addition, there is a Friends of Art Association which brings exhibits to the campus for as long as two weeks.

'Non-Sectarian Institution'

As at Harvard, religion has in recent years caused some disturbance at Mount Holyoke. A good deal of student opposition to the former church and chapel requirements brought a change in policy by the Board of Trustees. A statement released by the Board this fall stated that "Mount Holyoke College is a private institution, unaffiliated with any church. It is non-denominational in its admission policy and in selecting its faculty. It welcomes students and teachers of all faiths. But it follows a long tradition, based on New England Protestantism, of counting exposure to the spiritual and ethical values of religion as an integral part of the college experience."

Last year the girls were required to attend five of the Sunday morning services each semester, but this brought complaints, especially from Jewish students. Roman Catholics and those of foreign faiths such as Islam may be given exemptions, since visiting clergymen of those religions are never represented at the Sunday services. Occasionally a rabbi presides, however, and the Jewish students had to attend.

Protestant' Worship

The new statement of the Board of Trustees, however, countered the complaints of some that because of the Sunday morning requirement, they were sometimes unable to attend the churches of their own choice, by changing the Sunday services from morning to evening.

According to the trustees' release, "The College conducts its own Sunday services. Held in a beautiful Chapel and accompanied by inspiring music chosen from many liturgies, they bring to the College a procession of distinguished visiting preachers of different faiths and denominations. The order of service is generally in the Protestant tradition, but rabbis and others occasionally officiate."

Yet rabbis rarely appear more than once or twice a semester--and when they do, it is not a Jewish service which they conduct but rather a "Protestant order" of worship with a sermon from the Jewish point of view. This policy change does not, however, alleviate the perfectly justified complaint of one Jewish girl that "it is morally wrong to require anyone to go to church." If Mount Holyoke intends to continue admitting students of all faiths on a non-sectarian basis, it would seem fitting that the college alter its church requirement, so that no girl would be compelled to worship in a place not of her own choosing.

College Holds Assemblies

"In addition to the Sunday church services," the trustees' statement continues, "the College conducts a number of assemblies. Generally they consist of: The Gathering of the College, a secular student assembly held on Tuesday mornings, conducted by the President of the College; College lectures, on Wednesday evening, with addresses by visiting speakers; (and) College chapel services, religious in character, on Thursday mornings, arranged by the Dean of the College Chapel and the Fellowship of Faiths.

"Students are free to choose which of these assemblies they will attend but they are required to attend at least half of the aggregate number each semester." This means an average attendance of three assemblies every two weeks, and although most of the girls accept this requirement unbegrudgingly, to some it represents an inconvenience. Thus, with its latest change in religious requirements. Mount Holyoke shows signs of joining several other colleges in the move to a more liberal chapel-attendance policy.

Four-College Plan

The school, however, is making more rapid advances along other lines, the most striking of which concerns formation of a four-college plan with Amherst, Smith, and the rapidly growing University of Massachusetts. The group already shares cultural programs, and, as President Gettell remarked, offers "some very exciting possibilities as we look forward." All within 10 miles of one another, the four also have already joined together to set up an educational radio station in conjunction with the technical high school in Springfield. The station's programming includes an exchange with WGBH, its counterpart in Boston.

Beautiful Campus

A real step toward co-education has been taken with the creation of a joint political studies center by Amherst and Mount Holyoke, a step which may soothe the unhappy girl who stated that "one thing that any woman's college misses in trying to make the whole woman is men." At present the group swaps faculties, Gettell noted, and may at some time move toward joint departments.

But for a lack of adequate auditorium space to accommodate the many performers and lecturers that visit the college throughout the academic year, Mount Holyoke's campus is perfect: beautiful, spacious, and well-populated. There is little or no room for improvement here.

Sprawling over 661 acres in the foothills of the Berkshires, the campus is certainly inviting. The town supported by the college, South Hadley, is quaint, and largely inhabited by at least fourth generation New Englanders. Mount Holyoke is not plagued by friction between itself and the community; in fact, it allows the townspeople to use the library, swimming pool, and observatory. Said one local youngster about the college, "It keeps us in trouble"; and one middle-aged citizen commented, "The girls make lovely scenery; they're 1300 more good reasons to live in town."

'Big Sister'

Why the girls are good reasons to live in town presents something of an enigma. Friendly, often a little too much so, they are nevertheless not very much better looking on the average than their Radcliffe counter-parts although the change of scene does something to a man's outlook.

On her arrival, the Freshman is immediately indoctrinated with propaganda about school traditions and regulations. She is introduced to her "big sister," who is her guide through the first hectic weeks of orientation and organization. The freshman almost unanimously praised the big sister system. All four classes are housed in the dormitories and the girls approve of this idea, as it gives the freshmen a chance to "learn all about the school." As one student put it, "It gives more of an overall5CRIMSONHarry S. ParkerThis future "uncommon woman" is enjoying the early October sun in the small formal garden outside the ivy-covered walls of Mary Lyon Hall, which contains administrative offices and the college post office.