The College of William and Mary's Dean of Women, Dr. Caroline Tupper, was quick to create and enforce rules for the College's new students. One of the first women, Janet Coleman Kimbrough, was asked about those rules during an interview in the 1970s for the College's oral history project. A list of those rules as recalled by Kimbrough:
-After dinner, the women had to stay in their dormitory, Tyler Hall (the present-day Reves Center), until all lights went out at midnight.
-While in their dorm, the women had a mandatory study hall from 8pm-10pm. During this time, they were not supposed to leave their rooms and they had to be quiet.
-At 10pm, the women were allowed to wander between rooms and talk.
-At 10:30pm, all women students were required to go to bed, unless they got special permission to stay up and study until midnight.
-If a woman received special permission to stay up until midnight, she had to study in a different room than her own, so she would not disturb others.
Kimbrough recalled that Dr. Tupper was "constantly trying to avoid making hard and fast rules," and was more interested in "establish[ing] a 'tradition'" for future women at the College.
While these rules may seem restrictive, the women found ways to enjoy themselves. Kimbrough describes a "social hour" the women created between the end of dinner and before the start of the 8pm study hall. During this time, she explained that "someone would play the piano, and they would roll back the rugs and dance."
-After dinner, the women had to stay in their dormitory, Tyler Hall (the present-day Reves Center), until all lights went out at midnight.
-While in their dorm, the women had a mandatory study hall from 8pm-10pm. During this time, they were not supposed to leave their rooms and they had to be quiet.
-At 10pm, the women were allowed to wander between rooms and talk.
-At 10:30pm, all women students were required to go to bed, unless they got special permission to stay up and study until midnight.
-If a woman received special permission to stay up until midnight, she had to study in a different room than her own, so she would not disturb others.
Kimbrough recalled that Dr. Tupper was "constantly trying to avoid making hard and fast rules," and was more interested in "establish[ing] a 'tradition'" for future women at the College.
While these rules may seem restrictive, the women found ways to enjoy themselves. Kimbrough describes a "social hour" the women created between the end of dinner and before the start of the 8pm study hall. During this time, she explained that "someone would play the piano, and they would roll back the rugs and dance."
Tyler Hall, 1919. From Catherine Dennis' scrapbook.
Regulations for student behavior from the 19th century to the mid-20th century are available in the Student Rules Collection in the Special Collections Research Center. An excerpt of the transcription of Kimbrough's interview is available online and the complete transcription is available from the University Archives Oral History Collection in the Special Collections Research Center. Catherine Dennis' scrapbook is also available in the Special Collections Research Center.
This post was composed by Jordan Ecker.
For additional information about the first women students at the College of William and Mary see: When Mary Entered with her Brother William: Women at the College of William and Mary, 1918-1945 by Laura F. Parrish; "The Petticoat Invasion": Women at the College of William and Mary, 1918-1945; The Martha Barksdale Papers; and the Women at the College of William and Mary page on the Special Collections Research Center Wiki.
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