Women at Vanderbilt Collection

Historical Note

Professor Barbara Weinstein of the History department offered course 295/2 called Women at Vanderbilt in Fall 1981:

"This course is, first and foremost, a research seminar which will allow us to investigate the broader question of women and higher education in America in terms of the specific case at hand - Vanderbilt University. The research and discussions will span the entire period of Vanderbilt's existence, beginning with the decision to become a co-educational institution, and ending with the present era of affirmative action. The objective of this course will be, not simply to reconstruct the history of women at this university, but to ascertain and analyze those historical forces which have affected the position of women at Vanderbilt, and how this relates to the changing position of women in America from 1876 to the present."

The major requirement for the course was to produce a research paper using primary source materials from the Vanderbilt archives with the results being the thirteen papers which make up this collection.

Scope and Content Note

This is a small collection (0.42 linear feet) in two half size Hollinger boxes consisting primarily of papers written by women students in a history class taught by Professor Barbara Weinstein in Fall 1981 called Women at Vanderbilt. Altogether there are 13 research papers. This collection also includes a course syllabus and selected readings for the class, as well as newspaper articles relevant to the topics studied.

Box Listing

BOX 1

Readings and Assignments for History 295/2 Fall 1981

1. Schedule - dates and assignments
2. Articles from the Vanderbilt Observer - 1887, 1888
3. Articles from Vanderbilt Masquerader; The Jade
4. Minutes of the Board of Trust - June 14, 1915; Jan. 19, 1921; Proceedings of the Semi-centennial, Oct. 15 - 18, 1925
5. Article "A Vanderbilt Memoir" ( Miss Stella Vaughn) by Louise Davis in Nashville Magazine, March 20, 1949
6. Article " Education and Ideology in 19th Century America: The Response of Educational Institutions to the Changing Role of Women" by Adele Simmons in Liberating Women's History
7. Article "Some Aspects of the Development of Liberal Arts Education for Women in the South" by Blanche Henry Weaver
8. Article " Toward a Woman-Centered University" (1973-74) by Adrienne Rich
9. Background information from VU archives on composition of the undergraduate student body provided by Robert A. McGaw, Secretary of the University

Other

10. Article "Women's Center Marks 20th year with mission intact" in Vanderbilt Register, September 28 - October 1, 1998
11. Chronology of Women at Vanderbilt and other information

BOX 2

Student Papers

1. Alper, Wendi Sue - "Women at Vanderbilt: Academic Endeavors and Achievements" - December 1981
2. Axton, Anne Berkeley - "Women at Vanderbilt During the War Years, 1940 - 1946" - December 1981
3. Boyles, Kimberly L. - "Civic and Professional Careers of Vanderbilt Alumnae" - December 1981
4. Greene, Kimberly A. - "Women at Vanderbilt Law School" - December 1981
5. McLemore, Rebecca - "Social Regulations Governing Women Students at Vanderbilt University" - December 1981
6. Obermayer, Roni - "Women at Vanderbilt 1960 - 1970" - December 1981
7. Oswald, Anne - "A Short History of Black Women at Vanderbilt" - April 1982
8. Rasco, Becky - "Women at Vanderbilt: The Recent History of Faculty and Administration, 1969-70 through 1980 -81" - December 1981
9. Reed, Katherine L. - "The Dean of Women at Vanderbilt University" - December 1981
10. Rowland, Janie - "The Role of Kappa Alpha Theta" - December 1981
11. Sherrer, Sara M. - "Changing Images of Women at Vanderbilt" - December 1981
12. Sisemore, Leigh Anna - "Is there a (Woman) Doctor in the House?: A Look Past, and Present, at Women in the Medical Profession with a Special Focus at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine" - December 1981
13. Towner, Sloan - "A History of Women's Athletics at Vanderbilt" - December 1981

Overview | Complete Finding Aid (pdf)

Special Collections | Heard Library | Vanderbilt University

Copyright © Special Collections, Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt University
Last modified: April 10, 2008
For more information, contact us at: < >